Perhaps one of the easiest things you can do to protect yourself and your family is to develop a fire escape plan. But according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), only about 25 percent of the people who live in this country have actually taken this precaution. And for those who do have an escape plan in place, only about 35 percent of them have taken the time to practice it. That’s a scary thought, considering that you may have only a few, short minutes to get out.

We’d like to encourage you to make escape planning a priority. Create a plan and then make sure that every member of your family not only understands the plan, but practices it during the daylight and nighttime hours. Here are a few tips to help you through the process:

• Install smoke alarms. These should be positioned in rooms where people sleep and on every level of your house. Your ability to get out safely depends on it.
• Use a piece of paper to plot out your escape routes. Every family member, regardless of age, should fully understand the plan, and that includes guests. Not only should there be at least two ways to escape from every room, but it’s important to make sure that doors and windows open easily.
• Teach children how to escape on their own. If a fire breaks out, the adults in the house may not be available to assist small children.
• Establish an outside meeting place. This can be a street sign, mailbox, neighbor’s house or any convenient location where everyone agrees to gather after safely escaping from the fire.
• Post your street numbers clearly in front of your house. In the event of a fire, you want emergency workers to find your home quickly and easily.
• Ensure that windows or doors with bars are equipped with emergency release devices. Every member of the family should be able to operate them easily.
• Assign helpers. Family members with limited mobility, elderly individuals and infants will need assistance getting out of the house if a fire occurs.
• Equip second-story rooms with fire escape ladders. Then practice using them on first-floor windows.
• Practice, practice, practice. Your escape plan is only as good as your ability to make sure that everyone in the family knows how to implement it. Stage a drill at least twice a year.

ABCO Fire Protection, is a regional provider of fire protection services in Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania.
ABCO provides fire safety products that protect life and property.