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CREATE A HOME SAFETY PLAN BEFORE YOU NEED TO USE IT WRITTEN BY BRENNAN HALLOCK
Like insurance, a home safety plan is something you hope you never have to use. But if a situation does require you to use it, a safety plan really could mean life or death.
happen, even if we do everything to prevent them. This is why you should make sure everyone has the knowledge and tools available when an emergency happens.
According the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), only one third of families have developed and practiced a home fire escape plan, even though it’s vital to protecting you and your family. Here are some ways to make sure your family is safe in case a crisis occurs in your home.
“Sit down as a family and make a bird’s eye view of the house,” says Tricia Roberts, public education specialist from the Overland Park Fire Department. “Designate two ways out of the house, establish where the outside meeting place will be, and then take that plan and walk through the home as a family and make sure it will work.”
Create a plan. The first step to having a plan is creating it. Emergencies
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OCTOBER 2020
Roberts recommends you run through at least two fire drills. “Have one in the daytime when everyone is awake, and then have a second fire drill at night when the family is sleeping just to make sure everyone wakes up to the alarm.” You can download escape planning grids from many places, including nfpa.org. If you have kids in the house, you should sit down with them and use an escape planning grid or floor plan to show them two exits out of each room and two exits out of the house.
