Escape routes in the home

It is difficult to keep thinking straight in an emergency situation. This is why most people are unable to make the right decisions on the spot in case of fire. An escape plan can be helpful in such a situation. If you have prepared a clear escape plan, chances of you and the people living with you being able to get to safety in these few minutes are much greater. A good escape plan describes in concrete terms what to do in case of fire or another emergency situation. Please find below a list of useful and import matters which you can include in an escape plan.

• Choose the safest (clear) route: Please note: the fastest route is not necessarily the safest! You must therefore plan an escape route with at least as possible obstacles.
• Establish a distribution of tasks: Establish a distribution of tasks together with the other people living with you. Who makes sure that the children get outside? Who brings the pets out of the house? Make sure that everybody knows their responsibilities in case of an emergency.
• Decide on a meeting place: Agree on a safe meeting place outside with all people living with you. This way you can establish quickly who is still missing and might still be inside.

Making an escape plan is a good thing but practicing the plan is at least as important. By practicing an escape plan regularly, people will become familiar with their role in the process and the escape routes. This will increase chances of everybody sticking to the escape plan in case of fire. Fires produce a considerable amount of smoke, causing you to see little to nothing. Therefore you should also practice the plan sometimes with your eyes closed.

A fire can start suddenly and spread quickly. It is therefore very important to act quickly. But what exactly is important to do in case of fire, except getting out as fast as you can?

• Stay calm and warn the people living with you: Acting quickly is essential but panic never helps in an emergency situation. Inform people living with you about the fire and where it is located.
• Leave the house via the safest route: Leave the house via the route which you established in your escape plan and assemble outside at the agreed location.
• Shut windows and doors if possible: By shutting windows and doors, you prevent the fire from spreading easily through the different rooms.
• Stay low to the ground: Smoke and heat rise. By staying low to the ground your visibility will be better and you will prevent the inhalation of smoke.
• Call 911: Call the emergency services when everybody is outside at the agreed location. During this call, describe your location, the location of the fire and whether there are any victims as clearly as possible.

Some other tips for an escape plan:

• Keep the house key in one spot: Some people lock their front door, particularly at night. You must therefore make sure that it easy to find the house key, so you can get out fast.
• Install a smoke alarm: Smoke alarms will sound when they detect smoke. This often happens before you can see or smell the smoke yourself, allowing you to escape the house in time. Click here for more information about smoke alarms.
• Fire extinguishing equipment: You can often extinguish a starting fire in your home yourself. This is only possible if you are well prepared and you have the proper fire extinguishing equipment. Click here for more information about fire extinguishing equipment at home.
• Keep doors in your home closed: The biggest threat in case of fire is the toxic smoke which develops. Closed doors prevent the smoke from entering the living space for some time.