Commentary: Practice fire safety at home - lives may depend on it

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Tim McGinnis
  • 100th Civil Engineer Squadron Fire Department fire inspector
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  In 2011, there were 370,000 home fires in the United States resulting in 2,520 deaths and 13,910 injuries. Many of these deaths could have been prevented with functioning warning devices, such as smoke detectors, and by having an escape plan.

In order to prevent death and injury, every family must be prepared to act in the event a fire. The following information contains proven methods for increasing fire safety within the home.
  • Draw a floor plan with at least two ways of escape from each room. Make a drawing for each floor that focuses on important details such as stairs, hallways, windows and doors that can be used as fire-escape routes.
  • Test windows and doors -- do they open easy enough? Are they wide enough or tall enough to escape through?
  • Choose a safe meeting place outside the house. Preferably, choose a neighbor's house which has a telephone to call emergency responders.
  • Practice alerting family members and activating your escape plan.
In the event of a fire, these items can be the difference between life and death. When a fire occurs, some people may panic, get disoriented and hide in a closet or under a bed.

Additional actions you can take when practicing your escape plan include:
  • Closing bedroom doors to prevent smoke from entering the room.
  • Focus on escaping quickly. Don't take time to get dressed, find pets, or collect family valuables; Just get out! As you exit, feel closed doors for heat and avoid opening a door to a room that is on fire.
  • Stay low when making your escape. In a smoke-filled room or hallway, air close to the floor is cooler and safer to breathe.
  • Practice home fire safety. It can be the deciding factor in your family's safety during a fire. Have a plan that is understood by both adults and children, and practice the plan regularly.
  • Post the emergency contact numbers in your home and mobile phones.
Remember, if calling from a mobile to report an on-base emergency, call 01638-547999.If you are off-base, call 999 to report emergencies.

(Crew Manager Maurice O'Kane, 100th CES Fire Department, contributed to this article)