Home fire escape planning: The basics

by Ghodsi Emambakhsh 11/17/2024

House fires can happen at any time, no matter how careful you are with fire prevention. Having a home fire escape plan offers peace of mind and a way to make sure your household can get out of your home safely. Knowing how to create one of these plans should be part of your fire safety and prevention measures. Keep the following tips in mind for setting up your home fire escape plan.

Draw your floor plan

To determine the safest ways to leave your home in the event of a fire, it helps to have a drawing to reference. Draw your home's floor plan on a piece of paper, so you can clearly mark where house members should exit, depending on where a fire occurs. Label all the rooms on your floor plan, so everyone knows which rooms or areas to use.

Plan two escape routes

Having one escape route might not help if a fire breaks out in an area you didn't plan for. Always determine two different escape routes for all household members. For example, where will your escape route be if a fire occurs on the upper level or the lower level? Planning this out in advance helps ensure each member of your household has a safe way to get out of the house no matter where a fire occurs.

Decide on a meeting place

Part of your fire escape plan should include deciding on a meeting place outside your home. Know exactly where to go once everyone's safely outside the house. Keep in mind this meeting place should be located far enough away from your home in case of a major fire.

Practice your home fire escape plan

Putting your home fire escape plan into practice can help you make changes to it as needed. When you run through these plans as part of a fire drill, you might notice certain escape routes don't work. You can then make adjustments to your home fire escape plan to improve it and ensure your household's safety. Practice your escape plan twice a year or more often if needed.

About the Author
Author

Ghodsi Emambakhsh

Experience the difference - personal ties and relationships turn a property into a home. Warm, professional relationships are a hallmark of the Compass experience, and my clients often remark on the quality of my carefully chosen network of financial, legal, logistical and other specialists. The high-quality network that I have fostered extends beyond the Bay Area to an international audience of potential home buyers and sellers through the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World and the firm's luxury home division known as Luxury Portfolio. My personal network combined with Compass market tenure and brand identity gives my clients a distinct advantage when buying or selling a home. My relationships open the door for my clients to be at home anywhere. Where people, homes, opportunity and a bit of imagination intersect, you'll find me at Compass.