Your fire escape plan

Preparing and practising a plan of action will help you to act quickly if there is a fire. Everyone who lives in your home should know this plan, and it helps to go through it with your family or anyone else that lives with you including children, older people and lodgers.

If a fire starts the priority is to get everyone out and call 999. Don’t try to fight a fire yourself.

• Put a reminder of what to do on the fridge door or notice board. 
• Make sure everyone knows where the keys to doors and windows are kept. 
• Choose an escape route. The best route is usually the normal way in and out of your home. Think of any difficulties you or the other people in your household may have. 
• Choose a second escape route as well and keep all these routes clear. Remember – if you live on a ground floor, a window could be used as an escape route.
• Plan the order that you will escape in, so that if you have to go out of a window you can help others down (ground and first floor only).
• Choose a safe room. If you can’t escape you will need to find a room where you can wait for the Fire Brigade. A safe room should have a window and a telephone.