House fires can happen at any time, no matter how careful you are with fire prevention. Having a home fire escape plan offers peace of mind and a way to make sure your household can get out of your home safely. Knowing how to create one of these plans should be part of your fire safety and prevention measures. Keep the following tips in mind for setting up your home fire escape plan.
To determine the safest ways to leave your home in the event of a fire, it helps to have a drawing to reference. Draw your home's floor plan on a piece of paper, so you can clearly mark where house members should exit, depending on where a fire occurs. Label all the rooms on your floor plan, so everyone knows which rooms or areas to use.
Having one escape route might not help if a fire breaks out in an area you didn't plan for. Always determine two different escape routes for all household members. For example, where will your escape route be if a fire occurs on the upper level or the lower level? Planning this out in advance helps ensure each member of your household has a safe way to get out of the house no matter where a fire occurs.
Part of your fire escape plan should include deciding on a meeting place outside your home. Know exactly where to go once everyone's safely outside the house. Keep in mind this meeting place should be located far enough away from your home in case of a major fire.
Putting your home fire escape plan into practice can help you make changes to it as needed. When you run through these plans as part of a fire drill, you might notice certain escape routes don't work. You can then make adjustments to your home fire escape plan to improve it and ensure your household's safety. Practice your escape plan twice a year or more often if needed.
Lynn Butterfield is an Associate Broker at Coldwell Banker and is a Certified Real Estate Negotiator. Mr. Butterfield has 41 years of experience in real estate sales and development. His vast experience ranges from luxury sales through commercial sales and leasing. Perhaps more importantly, he focuses his attention on client success, whether he's helping someone buy their first home, or working with a developer seeking assistance to create and position a large project in the marketplace. One recent client said, "Working with Lynn is almost like working with a Real Estate Attorney, because he knows exactly what to look for, so you can be protected!" Another first-time home buyer just said, "I needed someone to hold my hand through this because it's the largest investment we'll ever make! I know he isn't in this just to make a quick buck. He really cares about his clients!"
Whether you're in the research phase at the beginning of your real estate search or you know exactly what you're looking for, you'll benefit from having a real estate professional by your side. He would be honored to put his real estate experience to work for you.