Home fire escape

Feel the door. Stay low. Close doors. Get out.

USFA (the U.S. Fire Administration, part of FEMA) reports that residents may have less than two minutes to escape a home fire once the smoke alarm sounds. Modern furnishings burn hotter and faster than older materials. The time between a manageable fire and a fully involved room can be measured in seconds.

Feel the door before opening it. Use the back of your hand, starting at the bottom and moving up. If the door is hot, fire is on the other side. Do not open it. Use your second exit, typically a window. If the door is cool, open it cautiously and check for smoke.

Stay low. Smoke and toxic gases rise. The air near the floor is cleaner and cooler. Crawl if necessary. Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth if available, but do not delay your exit to find one.

Close doors behind you as you move through the house. A closed door slows the spread of fire, smoke, and heat. This is not about saving the house. It is about buying time for anyone still behind you.

Get out and stay out. Once outside, go to your meeting place and call 911. Never re-enter a burning building for any reason, including pets, phones, documents, or people. Firefighters have the equipment, training, and breathing apparatus for rescue operations. You do not.

Two exits from every room. One meeting place outside.

The Red Cross and USFA recommend the same planning structure. Draw a floor plan of your home. Mark two exits from every room, including windows. Identify the outside meeting place where everyone gathers after escaping. The meeting place should be a fixed landmark (a mailbox, a tree, a neighbor's driveway) visible from the front of the house.

Only 26% of American families have actually developed and practiced a home fire escape plan. The gap between knowing fire safety and rehearsing it is where people die. Practice the escape plan at least twice a year. Press the smoke alarm test button to start the drill. Time the evacuation. Everyone should be outside within two minutes.

Smoke alarms are the foundation. The Red Cross recommends installing alarms inside every bedroom, outside every sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement. Test monthly. Replace batteries at least annually. Replace the entire alarm unit every 10 years.

If windows have security bars, make sure they have a quick-release mechanism and that every household member knows how to operate it. A window that cannot be opened is not a second exit.