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Action Tips: 7 Fire Drill Steps

DO THIS!

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About two Americans are injured from a fire every hour. Yet less than 40% of households have prepared themselves for a household fire. Gather up your family and show them these simple ways to prepare.

Draw a Map of your Home

Mark every window, door, and smoke detector location. Try to find and draw at least two ways out of every room, especially bedrooms.

Prepare for a Fire

Decide on a safe place away from the home to meet.
Ask your parents to purchase an escape ladder for the windows above the first floor.
Make sure younger siblings know your address and what calling 9-1-1 means.
Test your smoke alarms. It’s best to have at least one on every floor.
- Experts recommend to own both ionization AND photoelectric alarms.
- Replace those batteries at least once a year!

Teach Everyone What to Do

Show your family these moves.

Roll out of bed when you hear the smoke alarm.
Crawl to the door and feel if it’s warm.
If the door is cool, open the door to look for smoke. If there’s no smoke, exit that way and close the door behind you.
If the door is warm or smoke appears, use another exit.
Smoke rises, so everyone should crawl and stay low to the floor.
Once you get outside, go to your meeting place.
Assign certain adults to alert younger siblings that may need assistance in an emergency.

Run your Drill

Push the button on the fire alarm.
Grab your cellular or cordless phone.
Everyone should follow the steps you outlined.
Run through the steps as if the door feels cool.
Once outside, no one should go back indoors.
Pretend to call the fire department.
Run the drill again, this time pretending the door feels hot. Have everyone pretend as if they would use the other exit.

Talk about the Drill

Congratulate everyone on a successful drill, and tell them you’ll be practicing the drill at least two times a year!
For more information and advice on fire and household safety, click here.