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| Step 1 | Draw a floor plan of your home (ground and upper floors). Label each bedroom. Locate windows, doors and stairways. |
| Step 2 | Go to each bedroom and select the best window for an emergency escape. Test the window to see that the window and screens are easy to work and that they are large enough to use. Check the windows to make sure that they are low enough to use. For second floor bedrooms, you may need to purchase emergency escape ladders. There are many types of escape ladders available. Find the one that works best for your home. |
| Step 3 | On your drawing, use arrows to show normal exits. Use a different color arrow to make emergency exit in case fire blocks the hallways or stairs. |
| Step 4 | Plan a meeting place outside of the home. Make sure that the meeting place is somewhere away from the home. You may want to use a neighbors home as a meeting place. This will allow you to use the neighbors phone to call 9-1-1 |
| Step 5 | Practice your plan. Gather the family together to explain the plan. Once every one understands the plan, PRACTICE. Practice makes perfect. To start a drill, have everyone go to their rooms as if they were sleeping. Test your smoke alarm to sound the alarm. Everyone should start their escape when the alarm sounds. For the first drill have everyone escape through normal routes. For the second drill have everyone escape as if the hallways and/or stairs where blocked. Depending on the age of any children, you may not want to actually exit through the emergency exit, but use the drill to make sure that everyone can open windows and screens. Also if an emergency escape ladder is used, make sure that it can be operated by the person(s) who need to use it. |
| Step 6 | Practice on a regular basis. As children get older, look at your plan to see if you need to modify it. As remodeling is done to the home, look at the plan to see if you need to modify it. Keep practicing and improving! |