People lose their lives or are seriously injured because they did not develop and practise or even have a fire escape plan for their home. For this reason, the theme for this year’s Fire Prevention Week, October 7 to 13, is “Practise Your Escape Plan”.

When Fire breaks out in your home , seconds count.  A practise run can identify the impact of recent home renovations, new furniture, blocked doorways, or anything else that can prevent getting out quickly.

Ensure your family is ready for an escape if
fire breaks out, draw up a fire escape plan. Create a floor plan, marking all the escape routes of your house with two ways out of every room if possible. Sit down with your family and discuss. Review with them what they should do if they hear the smoke or carbon monoxide alarms!

While the preferred path of escape is out through a door. You need alternate routes in place, if you touch the doorknob and it is hot, or you open the door to find exiting dangerous, you should use your alternate route.

Plan ahead for the possibility that you may have to escape through a window. Ensure that windows open easily and that the screens can be easily removed. If necessary, purchase collapsible escape ladders for windows well above grade to store in window wells.Have a designated “meeting place”. It is the only way to determine if everyone is out of the fire and stays out! And if someone is missing, tell the Fire Department.Practise your plan – regularly.

The Ontario Fire Marshal's Office recommends your family practise your plan at least twice a year when changing the batteries on your smoke detectors. Your family’s response to smoke and fire should be automatic!Did you know that studies have shown that children can sleep through the smoke alarms? Only a real drill will reveal whether additional precautions should be taken to ensure your family can respond.

Additional information can be found at:

Publications from the Fire Marshals Public Fire Safety Council

Fire Prevention Canada

Pictures are Public service announcement from The Ontario Fire Marshals Office