CONCORD — Chief Thomas Judge and the Concord Fire Department are encouraging residents to make sure they have an up-to-date escape plan to ensure they can safely exit their homes in the event of an emergency.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), it can take as little as a minute or two for a fire to grow dangerously large, so having working smoke alarms in every sleeping room, outside each sleeping area, and on each floor of a home is essential to ensuring residents are quickly alerted to – and can safely escape from – a fire.
Additionally, having a plan to escape in the event of a fire is critical. Concord Fire and the NFPA wish to share the following tips to help community members to create a fire escape plan before an emergency occurs:
- Create a map of your home, marking two exits out of each room, including windows and doors.
- Include every family member on the plan; children, older adults, and people with disabilities may need assistance waking up and getting out.
- All escape routes should be cleared and not blocked by debris or objects, and make sure that windows and doors can be opened easily.
- Pick a set meeting place (something that doesn’t change, like a mailbox, neighbor’s house, or street sign) that is a safe enough distance from your home that everyone can meet.
- Ensure that everyone in the home knows to immediately call 911 once they are safely outside.
- Practice your fire escape plan often, and share the plan with overnight guests.
Residents should also remember the importance of having visible house numbers to help first responders quickly find their homes. Numbers should be facing the street and not blocked by trees or bushes. Those with long driveways should have their house numbers on both sides of a mailbox or sign pole at the end of their driveway near the street.
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