Fire Evacuation Strategy

Learning and practicing what to do to escape a fire takes a few minutes, but can save your life. A basic fire escape plan takes about an hour to devise and draw out. Completing the initial process and conducting fire drills are equally important. Start now, by learning the basics of navigating your way from the point of fire to safety, then download the fire escape plan grid at FireSafety.gov to draw your plan and share it with your family or employees.

Plan

• Draw the floor plan of your business or home. Identify and map two ways to evacuate each, via doors and windows. Locate and mark each smoke alarm. Pick a meeting place outside your home or office, like a neighbor's house or the corner stop sign. Everyone should proceed directly there after they've escaped the fire.

Smoke

• Avoid smoke, when possible. If the only way out is through smoke, cover your mouth with a washcloth, scarf, etc. and crawl on the floor under the smoke. Smoke contains toxic gases, and inhalation can disorient you or cause you to pass out.

Doors

• Feel the top of each closed door with the back of your hand, then feel the doorknob, and the door frame crack. If it feels hot, do not open it. Proceed to your alternate escape route. Carefully open a cool door by bracing your shoulder against it and slowly opening it. Slam the door if heat and/or smoke enter. Secure it and proceed to the alternate escape route.

Windows

• If you live in a multi-story home, buy a collapsible ladder for use in escape from upper levels. Test each window. Each should open easily and have screens that you can remove quickly. If your building has security bars, test them. They should unlock quickly and open easily.

Practice Monthly

• Practice your fire escape plan monthly as a family or business. Go through the complete procedure with people escaping using various routes, including an upstairs window, if applicable. Make sure children know how to use the collapsible ladder, if applicable. Make sure they can escape and get to the meeting place on their own since in a real fire, you might become separated or incapacitated, or may not be at home.