As the saying goes, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. That couldn’t be truer when you think of the safety of your family. As a precaution, you should create a fire evacuation plan for your family in just in case such a catastrophe comes. What kind of things do you need to have ready in case of a fire?

The Plan

• Make sure every member of your family knows about the exits in the house
• Consider installing fire ladders for extra upper-floor exits
• Familiarize yourself with the gas, electricity, and water shutoffs in your house
• Have approximately 4 family fire drills a year and make sure everyone participates
• Establish a well-known meeting place outside the house
• Assign a family member to be responsible for the pets that you have. It might be a good idea to assign a back-up member just in case the first is not around.
• Plan for special accommodations for the elderly and the very young in case of a fire.

The Supplies

One can never be over prepared. Here’s a quick list of things that would be good to keep in your home in case of a fire:

• Fire extinguisher
• Functional smoke alarms with batteries that are frequently replaced
• Fire retardant blankets
• A 72-hour emergency kit
• A detailed fire evacuation plan posted somewhere visible

Safety should never be optional, especially for your family. Make sure that they are prepared in case disaster strikes so that they know exactly what they should do.

For more tips on what to do in natural disasters, contact Idaho’s disaster cleanup team!