We all remember those times a shrill, repetitive alarm interrupted a normal day — you burn your dinner, and the smoke alarms go off. You’re in a high school English class, and have to trudge outside in the rain for a fire drill. No matter if it’s a minor mishap or a drill, what a great opportunity to practice your fire escape plan!
But some people don’t see a fire alarm as an opportunity to practice. Rather, we found some fantastic examples of what NOT to do during a fire alarm.
Namely, have a dance party.
Fire experts agree that people may have as little as two minutes to escape a burning home before it’s too late to get out.
Make sure that everyone in the family knows how to get out of every room and how to get out of the home in less than two minutes.
Practice that plan. What’s the household’s escape time?
There are two simple steps every household in America can take that can save lives: checking their existing smoke alarms and practicing fire drills at home.
Install smoke alarms on every level of the home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas.
Test your smoke alarms every month and replace the batteries at least once a year.
Did you know the American Red Cross responds to a disaster every eight minutes and nearly all of these are home fires? During a home fire, working smoke alarms and a fire escape plan that has been practiced regularly can save lives. Find out if your family is prepared for a home fire – take our new quiz!
Stay tuned for more on how the Red Cross is working across the country to reduce deaths from home fires.