Fire can spread rapidly through your home, leaving you as little as two minutes to escape safely once an alarm sounds. Your ability to get out depends on advance warning from smoke alarms, and advance planning - a home fire escape plan that everyone in your family is familiar with and has practiced.

You can survive a fire in your home if you plan and practice your escape.
Practice your home fire escape plan at least twice a year. Then if a smoke alarm sounds in your home, everyone will know how to get out and meet at the outside meeting place. Choose a spot in front of your home, where the fire department will see you when they arrive. Never go back into the burning building to attempt to rescue people or pets or retrieve possessions. Firefighters are trained and equipped to enter burning buildings and rescue people.

• Draw a floor plan of your home. Show two ways out of each room. Discuss escape routes with everyone in your home.
• Agree on a meeting place outside where everyone will gather once you have escaped.

• Make sure everyone can clearly hear and recognize the sound of all smoke alarms at all times. If you sleep with the bedroom doors closed, have a qualified electrician install interconnected smoke alarms in each room so that when one sounds they all sound.
• Some studies have shown that some children may not awaken to the sound of a smoke alarm. Know what your child will do before a fire occurs. For more information on this issue, smoke alarms, and escape planning visit www.nfpa.org/factsheets.
• Make sure everyone in your home knows how to dial 9-1-1 for emergencies. You should call from a neighbor's phone or a portable phone once you've escaped.
• Teach everyone in your household how to unlock and open all windows and doors. If your windows have security bars, equip them with quick-release devices.
• Keep stairways and exits clear and free from clutter.

• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home - and outside all bedrooms.
• Test your smoke alarms once a month. Replace alarm batteries once a year. Replace any alarm that is more than 10 years old.

• Test the doorknob and spaces around the door with the back of your hand. If the door is warm, try another escape route. If it is cool, open it slowly. Close it quickly if smoke pours through.
• If you have to escape though smoke, crawl low on your hands and knees, keeping your head one or two feet above the floor, where the air will be the cleanest.
• Close doors behind you as you escape to slow the spread of fire and smoke.