Would Your Family Know What to Do In a Fire?

Make sure all smoke alarms are in working order.

It's a fact - having a smoke alarm in the house cuts your risk of dying in a fire in half. If your home doesn't have smoke alarms, now is the time to install them on every level of your home and in each bedroom.

If possible, choose a smoke alarm powered by a 10-year lithium battery. If your smoke alarm uses regular batteries, remember to replace them every year (hint: change your batteries when you change your clock in the fall). Test your smoke alarms monthly, and be sure your children are familiar with the sound of the alarm. Almost 60% of all fatal residential fires occur in homes that don't have them, so smoke alarms may be the single most important thing you can do to keep your family safe from fires.

Keep fire extinguishers handy.

Did you know that cooking, heating equipment (such as portable heaters), and smoking are the leading causes of residential fires? Be prepared for any accidents by having fire extinguishers placed strategically around your house, particularly in the kitchen. Fire extinguishers have gauges on them indicating when they need to be replaced and should be checked regularly to make sure they are still functional.

Plan escape routes.

Planned escape routes are a necessity, especially if a fire were to occur during the night. Go through each room in your house and think about the possible exits. You should have in your mind two escape routes from each room, in case one is blocked by fire. Inspect the room to make sure that furniture and other objects are not blocking doorways or windows. If you live in an apartment building, know the locations of the closest stairwells and where they lead.

Practice fire drills at home.

Kids have fire drills at school and adults have them at work. Why shouldn't families have them at home? Fires are frightening and can cause panic. By rehearsing different scenarios, your family will be less likely to waste precious time trying to figure out what to do. Discuss and rehearse the escape routes you've already planned for each room of your home. Designate a meeting place outside your house or apartment building where everyone can be safely accounted for after they escape. See if everyone can evacuate your home and gather outside within 3 minutes - the time it can take for an entire house to go up in flames.

Teach children the facts about evacuating safely during a fire.

Unfortunately, many children will try to hide from a fire, often in a closet or a corner. But if taught basic fire facts, children are better able to protect themselves. Teach your child that fires spread quickly, that 70% of fire-related deaths are not from burns but from smoke inhalation, and that dangerous fumes can overcome a person in just a few minutes. Children should learn to:

• cover their mouths and noses with a moist towel or an article of clothing to keep out dangerous fumes while evacuating
• crawl under the smoke to safety, staying as low to the ground as possible (smoke always rises)
• touch any door to see if it is hot, and if it is, do not open it - find another exit
• never stop to take personal belongings or make a phone call (even to 911) while evacuating.
• never go back into a burning building once safely outside - wait at your family's designated meeting place
• "stop, drop, and roll" once away from the fire to extinguish any flames that may have caught on to clothing

Prevention

To help prevent fires in your home, keep the following tips in mind.

Never let your child play with matches and lighters.

You've heard it again and again, but children playing with matches is still the leading cause of fire-related deaths and injuries for kids younger than 5. If you smoke, never smoke in bed and be sure cigarettes are completely out before you toss them into the trash. If you light candles, keep them out of the reach of children and pets at all times, and away from curtains and furniture. Store flammable materials such as gasoline and cleaning supplies outside of your home and away from children.

Always supervise your child in the kitchen and while cooking.

The kitchen is rife with ways for a fire to start: food left unsupervised on a stove or in an oven; grease spills; a dish towel too close to the burner; a toaster or toaster oven flare-up; a coffee pot accidentally left on. Make sure you and your child practice safe cooking habits, and avoid cooking while wearing loose-fitting clothing.

Check all electrical appliances, cords, and outlets.

Are your electrical appliances in good condition, without frayed cords? Are your outlets overloaded with plugs from the TV, computer, printer, video game, stereo, and so on? Look around your house for potential causes of electrical fires. Make sure computers and entertainment electronics have cords that connect into surge protector outlets instead of directly into a wall outlet.

Be especially vigilant about portable heaters.

The number of residential fires always goes up during colder months, peaking between December and February. Portable space heaters substantially contribute to this increase. Before plugging in your heater, make sure you know how to use it safely:

• Carefully read the directions for its use.
• Never place a space heater where a child or pet could accidentally knock it over.
• Never place a space heater too close to a bed, especially a child's bed.
• Keep newspapers, magazines, and fabrics from curtains, clothes, or bedding away from space heaters, radiators, and fireplaces.
• Heaters should be at least 3 feet from anything flammable.

Together with your child, read our kids' article What to Do in a Fire to learn more about fire safety and prevention.

Reviewed by: Kim Rutherford, MD Date reviewed: October 2001

Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.

© 1995-2008 The Nemours Foundation. All rights reserved.