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Helpful Tips for Your Emergency Escape Plan

Every day a lot of undetermined circumstances happen. Some days, you’re okay; doing your usual routine and some days you are literally fighting for your life and going through an unexpected ordeal. We cannot control these events from occurring. We just have to be prepared for it when it happens.

Fires can start with a spark and end in a horrifying scenario. In 2012, over 370,000 homes were burnt to the ground and over 3,000 died in that year. This can be caused by a lot of things; candles, short-circuit, tangled wires, and it does not end there. This is why developing an escape plan for your home is mandatory. Especially if you have kids and old people in your home, it’s best to prepare for this kind of scenario. Better safe than sorry, right?

Want your family to be prepared to escape safely in case of a fire? Educate, develop and practice, practice, practice.

Want your family to be prepared to escape safely in case of a fire? Educate, develop and practice, practice, practice.

For a more prepared approach in your emergency escape plan, you have to remember these eight helpful tips:

  1. Always make sure that when you’re designing your escape plan, everyone living in the home is present. This can help them identify all the things they need to know once the situation has taken place. This can also help your family gauge everyone’s physical conditions, sleeping habits and the like.
  2. Whether in a one storey or to storey house, make sure there are interconnected smoke alarms. Preferably in every room and area. Make sure that this is set at maximum volume so everyone can hear.
  3. The escape routes should not have anything blocking or covering it so that there would be ease when people need to run towards the outside. The windows and doors should be easy-to-open as well. This can be easier for people in their golden years to be accompanied by another young person to carefully but briskly walk towards the exit points.
  4. Make sure that your street number is visible enough for fire fighters to see. This can help them find and reach you quickly, as well as put out the fire immediately. Have everyone memorize the number of the fire department so that anyone can do the calling.
  5. Your escape plan must include an outside meeting place; where everyone can meet up once they are already outside the house. You can regroup there and organize yourselves to avoid panic.
  6. For two-storey houses, make sure that there are portable ladders near windows so if the fire has already blazed in the first floor, you can use the ladder to safety.
  7. Do fire drills at least twice a year. Use your smoke alarms to also check if everyone can hear it clearly.
  8. You can establish a timeline for the elderly and their assistant to make their way out. This can also prepare your family for real live fires.

Fires can be a result of chimney blockages as well as fireplace negligence. This can trigger the loss of your home in just a matter of minutes. For a worry-free home and a clean fireplace and chimney, call upon the certified chimney sweeps of Ashbusters Chimney Service. They have been in the business for over 25 years and continue to please their customers. They are equipped with the right amount of skill and knowledge that will prevent fires to happen in your home. They can also teach you how to develop an effective escape plan. Your safety is their priority.