← Back to Fire Prevention
In a real fire, you may have only a minute or two to get out safely. A practiced plan removes the guesswork.
Building your plan
- Find two ways out of every room, including windows as a second exit.
- Choose a meeting place outside, a safe distance from the home, such as a specific tree or mailbox.
- Make sure everyone in the household — including children — knows the plan.
Practicing the plan
- Hold a fire drill at least twice a year.
- Practice at night as well as during the day — fires don't wait for a convenient time.
- Teach kids to get low under smoke and to feel doors for heat before opening them.
Once you're out
Go to your meeting place and stay there. Call 911 from outside the home, and never go back in for belongings or pets.