Fires Are Not Planned But Your Exit Plan in Case of a Fire Should Be!

5/15/2023 (Permalink)

Get an escape plan in place for your home and business. Make sure everyone knows it. It will save lives.

Is Your Exit Plan In Place?

Every second counts during a fire. In a matter of moments, a small flame can turn really bad, making it critical to be prepared. Having an established escape plan in place is invaluable in these situations. A survey conducted by the American Red Cross shows that only a small percentage ( 6 percent ) of families have developed and practiced a home fire escape plan. Once a plan is developed, it is critical that all family members understand the plan; the best way to do this is by practicing the escape plan at least twice a year. The following are a few good suggestions to help you develop an emergency plan for your family.

Draw a map of each, and every level of your home and make sure that it show all doors and windows. Find two different ways to emergency exit each room. Always make sure that all doors and windows that lead to the outside open easily.

Consider escape ladders for sleeping areas or bedrooms on the second and third floor. Only purchase collapsible escape ladders that have been evaluated by a recognized testing laboratory. Store them near the window where they will be best, and most easily used.

Choose an outside meeting place a safe distance away from your home where everyone can meet after they've exited. Make sure to mark the exact location of the meeting place on your escape plan.

Teach children exactly how to escape on their own in case you cannot help them.

Plan for everyone in your home with special considerations for elderly or disabled family members.

Practice your fire escape plan at night and during the daytime. To make sure that all scenarios are covered, and prepared for.

Escape Planning for Your Business

Although an emergency escape plan is not technically required for all businesses. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends that you should build an emergency action plan to protect yourself, your employers, and your business during an emergency situation. OSHA has suggested the following steps when developing such a plan.

Organize an emergency preparedness procedures review with employees to review your company's emergency plans. You may wish to select an individual or team of individuals or professionals to lead and coordinate your emergency plan.

Once a plan is developed, post evacuation procedures, including routes and exits, where they are easily accessible to all employees. Established good practices are needed to ensure that all exits and routes are clearly marked and well lit, wide enough to accommodate the number of evacuation personnel, and unobstructed and clear of debris at all times.

Conduct office evacuation exercises and drills. It is important to designate a safe spot outside of the facility where employees can regroup, recover and conduct a head count. Once completed, an evaluation of how well the plan worked and if additional training or exercises are needed is very important!