Fire prevention week: Practice your home escape plan

  • Published
  • By SrA Matthew McClendon
  • 22nd Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Inspector
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  Fire Prevention Week is scheduled for October 8 to 14 here.

This year’s theme, ‘Every Second Counts: Plan 2 Ways Out!,’ works to better educate the public about the critical importance of developing a home escape plan and practicing it.

“Home escape planning is one of the most basic but fundamental elements of home fire safety, and can truly make the difference between life and death in a fire situation,” said Lorraine Carli, National Fire Protection Association’s vice president of Outreach and Advocacy.

In a typical home fire, a person may have as little as one to two minutes to escape safely from the time the smoke alarm sounds. That’s why home escape planning is so critical in a fire situation. It ensures that everyone in the household knows how to use that small window of time wisely.

“Developing and practicing a home escape plan is like building muscle memory,” said Senior Airman Matthew McClendon, 22nd Civil Engineer Squadron fire inspector. “That pre-planning is what everyone will draw upon to snap into action and escape as quickly as possible in the event of a fire.”

In support of the campaign, the McConnell Fire Department encourages all Airmen and their families to develop a plan together and practice it. A home escape plan includes working smoke alarms on every level of the home, in every bedroom and near all sleeping areas. It also includes two ways out of every room, usually a door and a window with a clear path to an outside meeting place (like a tree, light pole or mailbox) that’s a safe distance from the home.

NFPA and the base fire department offer these additional tips and recommendations for developing and practicing a home escape plan:

• Draw a map of your home with all members of your household, marking two exits from each room and a path to the outside from each exit.
• Practice your home fire drill twice a year. Conduct one at night and one during the day with everyone in your home, and practice using different ways out.
• Teach children how to escape on their own in case you can’t help them.
• Make sure the number of your home is clearly marked and easy for the fire department to find.
• Close doors behind you as you leave — this may slow the spread of smoke, heat and fire.
• Once you get outside, stay outside. Never go back inside a burning building.

To learn more about this year’s campaign and home escape planning, visit www.firepreventionweek.org.