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When a fire starts in a home, there is often no more than minutes to escape. Confusion about what to do wastes those valuable minutes. Early warning, given by smoke alarms, is very important.  Fire alarms dramatically increase the survival rate of all of the family. Two-thirds of home fires that kill children under age 5 occur in homes without a working smoke alarm.

Parents should install an alarm on each level of the home and outside bedrooms or other sleeping areas. Remember to test alarms monthly and change batteries at least once a year—preferably twice, at bi-annual time changes. If an infant sleeps in a separate room, place an alarm in the room. Keep the door closed to protect against the smoke of a hallway fire. Use a baby monitor to hear it if the alarm sounds.

Familiarize older children with the sound of the smoke alarm, and instruct them to leave the dwelling and go to a predetermined meeting place outside the home and not return.

 Kids have a natural curiosity about fire, so store matches and lighters out of children’s sight and reach. Child-resistant lighters are not childproof.

If a child is curious about fire or has been playing with fire, calmly and firmly explain that matches and lighters are tools for only adults to use. Ask children to tell you when they find a lighter or match, and to bring it to you. Reward them with praise.

Inspect your house to see that it is fire-safe. Don’t overload electric circuits or outlets. Have the heating systems checked annually. Smokers should use deep ashtrays and dampen ashes before disposing of them.

Families should prepare a detailed escape plan in case of fire in different areas of the house. Draw a diagram of your house including windows and doors, and plan two routes of escape out of each room. Teach kids how to feel doors with the back of the hand to see if they are hot and never to open a hot door.

Plan for the abilities of each member of the family—especially those who may not be able to escape on their own. Teach children how to crawl under the smoke to reduce smoke inhalation, and how to drop and roll if their clothes catch on fire.

Practice the plan with members of the family. Children as young as three years of age can follow an escape plan if they have practiced it often. Teach your children not to hide when they encounter fire—not even if they have started it. Firefighters in protective gear can look frightening. Take kids to a fire station to meet firemen and learn why they wear these suits and that they are friends and have come to help.

If you live in an apartment building, it is sometimes safest to stay inside your apartment and protect yourself from smoke inhalation until the fire department arrives. This is called “passive escape,”  and you should only stay put if you cannot get out of the building. If you are unable to leave the building:

Seal all doors and vents with duct tape and/or towels to prevent smoke from entering the room

Open a window to let fresh air in, but close it if it draws smoke into the room.

Call the fire department and let them know that you are still inside of the building, where you are and that you can’t escape and wave a flashlight at the window to let them know where you are.