Have an escape plan for Fire Safety Week

We never know when a fire may start, but one spark can take over an entire building. According to the National Safety Council Injury Facts estimated that in the United States, a fire department responds to a fire every 23 seconds, and at least one home structure fire is reported every 89 seconds.

When it comes to your home, Duluth Firefighter Andrew Olson says that having a plan of action if a fire occurs can be very helpful. “Every family should have an escape plan. You should have two ways out of every sleeping area, and we want to practice those drills. It is not good enough to make the plan. You have to work on the plan and practice the plan. We recommend doing three drills twice a year.”

When it comes to practicing those drills, there are three different times to conduct run-throughs. “The first drill is during the day when everyone can see, and you can walk through it slowly. The second drill is after dinner, where you can practice in a little bit of different lighting. The third drill is the real deal at night, with limited visibility, like most often would be the case,” Firefighter Olson explained.

Olson mentions that having an escape plan is important, because “we like to think that fires can’t happen to us. They won’t happen in our house. There is always a chance, and there’s always a possibility. Fires are still a risk, and we need to be prepared if they happen.”

Along with having an escape plan, having a meeting place is very crucial, “we want it to be a place that’s accessible 12 months out of the year. So consider that when you’re talking to your families about a meeting place, make it somewhere visible to responders and someplace that you’re safe from your structure that may be on fire,” says Olson.