Home Safety
Identify Two Exits From Each Room
If one exit is blocked, you need another way out — plan before you need it.
In an emergency like a fire or blocked hallway, your main exit may not be usable. Knowing two ways out of every room — and practicing using them — can mean the difference between escaping safely and being trapped. Take a few minutes to map your home and walk through the plan with everyone who lives there.
Draw a Floor Plan
Sketch a simple layout of your home showing every room, door, and window. Include hallways and stairs so you can map paths from any room to the outside.
Mark Two Exits Per Room
Identify two ways out of every room — usually a door and a window. Make sure windows open easily and aren't painted or nailed shut.
Practice With Everyone
Walk through the plan with your whole household, including children. Practice using both exits from each room so everyone knows the alternatives.
Safety Tips
- •Keep hallways and exits clear of clutter at all times.
- •If you live in a multi-story home, keep an escape ladder in upstairs bedrooms.
- •Choose a safe meeting spot outside, like a mailbox or a neighbor's tree.
- •Practice your escape plan at least twice a year, including at night.
- •Teach children to never hide during a fire or emergency.
If smoke blocks your first exit, use your second way out. If both are blocked, stay low to the floor, cover your mouth with cloth, signal from a window, and call 911.