Regularly practicing emergency escape plans is critical to keeping everyone safe in an actual fire emergency. We’ve discussed creating an emergency escape plan, but now we’re talking about practicing it. It’s like going to soccer practice before a big game. The more you practice, the better you’ll get.
Fires are scary and dangerous, so knowing what to do is critical to staying safe. So, without further ado, here’s your guide to practicing emergency escape plans.
Step 1: Go Over Your Plan
The first step to practicing emergency escape plans is reading yours and ensuring it’s up to date. Once you’ve done that, review each step with your family. Instead of reading the plan to everyone, actively involve them.
For example, ask them, “How many escape routes should you have?” instead of telling them, “Make sure you have two escape routes.” Actively involving them will help them remember the steps in the plan. This is especially important if children are involved.
Step 2: Check Your Smoke Alarm
In the event of an actual fire, your smoke alarm should go off. If it’s not working correctly, you could be in grave danger. So, make sure the batteries are working, and press the test button.
Everyone in your home should know what the smoke alarm sounds like. They should know that when the smoke alarm goes off, they assume there’s a fire and exit via their escape route.
Step 3: Have an Emergency Drill
Once you’ve gone over the steps in your plan and you’ve checked your smoke alarm, it’s time to pretend there’s a fire so that you can practice your plan.
- Have everyone go to their bedrooms. Assign someone older to stay with any younger kids.
- Set off the smoke alarm, and set a timer.
- Along with everyone else, get out of the house as quickly as possible.
- Once everyone is outside, check the timer. Are you under two minutes? If so, you’ve successfully executed your emergency escape plan.
- If it takes longer than two minutes to get everyone out of the house, keep practicing until everyone can escape in under two minutes.
Regularly practicing emergency escape plans will help you stay safe in the event of an actual fire. It will still be scary, but being prepared will help everyone act quickly instead of panicking and freezing up.
Black Diamond Restoration
Was there a fire in your house? If so, we hope your emergency escape plan was perfectly executed and that everyone is safe. But we know it’s not over yet, and that’s what we’re here for. The aftermath of a fire can include damage to your home, which, if left unrepaired, could have devastating consequences.
Black Diamond Restoration has served the greater Salt Lake City area for over 20 years. We can take care of your home, too. We’ll inspect your property, assess the damage, and repair it, so your home will be safe to live in again. Don’t wait to repair your home; contact Black Diamond Restoration today!
