Basic fire escape planning

  • Published
  • By 509th Civil Engineer Squadron
  • fire and emergency services flight
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  Each year during the week of October that includes the 9th, fire officials across the country strive to raise awareness concerning fire safety. 

This year is no exception, as the Whiteman Fire and Emergency Services Flight has planned several events to further educate the base populace, and looks forward to working with everyone on base during this year's Fire Prevention Week during Oct. 7 -13.

Facts and figures
· Only one-fifth to one-fourth of households, 23 percent, have actually developed and practiced a home fire escape plan to ensure they could escape quickly and safely.
· In 2004, there were an estimated 395,500 reported home structure fires and 3,190 associated civilian deaths in the United States.
· One-third of American households who made an estimate thought they would have at least six minutes before a fire in their home would become life-threatening. The time available is often less. And only eight percent said their first thought on hearing a smoke alarm would be to get out. Your ability to get out depends on advance warning from smoke alarms and advance planning.
· Pull together everyone in your household and make a plan. Walk through your home and inspect all possible exits and escape routes. Households with children should consider drawing a floor plan of your home, marking two ways out of each room, including windows and doors. Also, mark the location of each smoke alarm. For easy planning, download National Fire Protection Association's escape planning grid. This is a great way to get children involved in fire safety in a non-threatening way.
· Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm Code® requires interconnected smoke alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.
· Everyone in the household must understand the escape plan. When you walk through your plan, check to make sure the escape routes are clear and doors and windows can be opened easily.
· Choose an outside meeting place. For example, a neighbor's house, a light post, mailbox or stop sign, a safe distance in front of your home where everyone can meet after they've escaped at least 75 feet away from your home. Make sure to mark the location of the meeting place on your escape plan.
· Have everyone memorize the emergency phone number of the fire department (9-1-1). That way any member of the household can call from a neighbor's home or a cellular phone once safely outside.
· If there are infants, older adults or family members with mobility limitations, make sure that someone is assigned to assist them in the fire drill and in the event of an emergency. Assign a back-up person in case the designee is not home during the emergency.
· Tell guests or visitors to your home about your family's fire escape plan. When staying overnight at other people's homes, ask about their escape plan. If they don't have a plan in place, offer to help them make one. This is especially important when children are permitted to attend "sleepovers" at friends' homes.
· Once you're out, stay out! Under no circumstances should you ever go back into a burning building. If someone is missing, inform the fire department dispatcher when you call. Firefighters have the skills and equipment to perform rescues. 

Putting your plan to the test 
· Practice your home fire escape plan twice a year, making the drill as realistic as possible.
· Make arrangements in your plan for anyone in your home who has a disability.
· Allow children to master fire escape planning and practice before holding a fire drill at night when they are sleeping. The objective is to practice, not to frighten, so telling children there will be a drill before they go to bed can be as effective as a surprise drill.
· It's important to determine during the drill whether children and others can readily waken to the sound of the smoke alarm. If they fail to awaken, make sure that someone is assigned to wake them up as part of the drill and in a real emergency situation.
· If your home has two floors, every family member, including children, must be able to escape from the second floor rooms. Escape ladders can be placed in or near windows to provide an additional escape route. Review the manufacturer's instructions carefully so you'll be able to use a safety ladder in an emergency. Practice setting up the ladder from a first floor window to make sure you can do it correctly and quickly. Children should only practice with a grown-up, and only from a first-story window. Store the ladder near the window, in an easily accessible location. You don't want to have to search for it during a fire.
· Always choose the escape route that is safest - the one with the least amount of smoke and heat - but be prepared to escape under toxic smoke if necessary. When you do your fire drill, everyone in the family should practice getting low and going under the smoke to your exit.
· Closing doors on your way out slows the spread of fire, giving you more time to safely escape. 

In some cases, smoke or fire may prevent you from exiting your home or apartment building. To prepare for an emergency like this, practice "sealing yourself in for safety" as part of your home fire escape plan. 

Close all doors between you and the fire. Use duct tape or towels to seal the door cracks and cover air vents to keep smoke from coming in. 

If possible, open your windows at the top and bottom so fresh air can get in. Call the fire department to report your exact location. Wave a flashlight or light-colored cloth at the window to let the fire department know where you are located.

This information is provided by the NFPA www.nfpa.org.
If you would like more information, contact Mr. Paul Williams at 687-6083 or Tim Robinson at 687-6080.

Fire prevention week schedule of events 

Oct. 7      
11 a.m. - 2 p.m.    
Base Exchange vehicle display with Sparky/Smokey, base parade 

Oct. 8      
11 a.m - 1 p.m.    
Display at the BX 

Oct. 9      
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.    
Display at the BX 

Oct. 10      
8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. 
Sparky, Smokey and E-7 visit the child development center
10 a.m. - 10:15 a.m. 
Fire drill at Whiteman Elementary School
11 a.m. - 2 p.m. 
Commissary display 

Oct. 11      
9 a.m. and 1 p.m. 
Sparky, Smokey and E-7 visit the CDC 

Oct. 12      
9 a.m. and 1 p.m. 
Sparky, Smokey and E-7 visit elementary school 
9 a.m. and 1 p.m. 
Poster coloring contest 
8 a.m. - 4 p.m. 
Pick-up Muster equipment 
2 p.m. 
Sparky, Smokey and E-7 visit the CDC 

Oct. 13      
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. 
BX vehicle display with Sparky/Smokey 
11 a.m. - 4 p.m. 
Commissary parking lot fire muster competition