Emergency planning and preparedness can help keep your home and family safe in the event of a home fire or wildfire. Find out more tips here.
Every 24 seconds, a fire department responds to a fire somewhere in the U.S. Here are a few ways you can be prepared:
Smoke alarms. Under federal law, there must be a smoke alarm on every floor of a home and outside each sleeping area. Make sure your alarms are in working order and keep fresh batteries at home to replace old ones. Talk with your child about the smoke alarms in your home and explain what they are for. A good time to do this is when you’re checking each unit and testing or replacing batteries.
Emergency exit. Learn and practice how to get out of each room of your house in more than one way (e.g., a window and a door).
Communication plan. Create a plan for who you need to contact when a fire happens to ensure that your family is safe.
Practice calling 911. Your preschooler can learn how to dial 911 in case of an emergency. Explain the importance of 911 and how it is only used in the event of an emergency, like a fire.
If you or your child gets fire on your clothes, you should Stop, Drop, and Roll. This will put out the fire and help prevent you or your child from getting burned. Practice Stop, Drop, and Roll with your child once they are old enough to follow directions.
If possible, it’s best to keep a second set of copies of your important documents (birth certificates, etc.) at another location other than your home in case a fire burns those original documents in your home.
With more wildfires happening now, it’s important to know how your community receives emergency warnings from the police and fire department. Find out how to sign up for alerts in your county here.
QUICK TIP: In case a fire removes you from your home, it’s best to have a plan for where you and your family could stay during that time (e.g., a friend or relative’s home).
