Fire Safety from the American Red Cross

3/30/2018 (Permalink)

Help Your Child Survive a Fire

• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. Once a month check whether each alarm in the home is working properly by pushing the test button. Replace batteries in smoke alarms at least once a year. Immediately install a new battery if an alarm chirps, warning the battery is low.
• Teach your children what smoke alarms sound like and what to do when they hear one.
• Ensure that all household members know two ways to escape from every room of your home, and where to meet up outside.
• Practice your fire escape plan at least twice a year and at different times of the day. Practice waking up to smoke alarms, low crawling and meeting outside. Make sure everyone knows how to call 9-1-1.
• Emphasize “get out, stay out.” Only professional firefighters should enter a building that is on fire—even if other family members, pets or prized possessions are inside.
• Use quick-release devices on barred windows and doors. Security bars without release devices can trap you in a deadly fire. If you have security bars on your windows, be sure one window in each sleeping room has a release device.
• Consider getting escape ladders for sleeping areas on the second or third floor. Learn how to use them, and store them near the windows.
• Teach household members to STOP, DROP and ROLL if their clothes should catch on fire.