Make a Home Safety Action Plan During Fire Prevention Month
October is Fire Prevention Month, a great time to sit down with your family and create plans in the event of an emergency. The National Fire Protection Association has provided some great tips to think about when making your family’s home safety action plan:
- Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement. Larger homes may require additional smoke alarms to provide a minimum level of protection. Make sure everyone in your home knows the sound and understands the warning of the smoke alarm and knows how to respond.
- Make a home escape plan. Draw a map of each level of the home. Show all doors and windows. Go to each room and point to the two ways out. Practice the plan with everyone in your household, including visitors.
- Children, older adults, and people with disabilities may need assistance to wake up and get out. Make sure that someone will help them.
- Teach your children how to escape on their own in case you cannot help them. Make sure they can open windows, remove screens, and unlock doors.
Parents can visit https://www.sparky.org for emergency safety resources for children. The site helps teach fire safety through games, crafts, and puzzles. The NFPA also provided a template you can use when talking to your family about safety plans. Feel free to download below and use when discussing safety with your family.
