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Making a home fire escape plan

Summary

Draw a map of your home, mark two ways out of every room, pick an outside meeting place in front of the home, and practice the drill with everyone at least twice a year. Once out, stay out and call 911.

Not medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.

Draft. License: public domain (US government work). Sources: [S1] US Fire Administration (FEMA), "Home Fire Escape Plans"; [S2] US Fire Administration (FEMA), "Every Second Counts: Plan 2 Ways Out! (infographic)"; [S3] US Fire Administration (FEMA), "Home Fire Safety (FA-354)".

Facts

• id: F1 claim: Once a smoke alarm sounds, you may have less than two minutes to get out safely. confidence: medium date: 2026-11-02 sources: [S2] license: public domain (US government work) checked_on: 2026-11-02
• id: F2 claim: Start the plan by drawing a map of each level of the home that shows every door and window. confidence: high date: 2026-11-02 sources: [S1, S2] license: public domain (US government work) checked_on: 2026-11-02
• id: F3 claim: Identify two ways out of every room so a second exit is available if the first is blocked by fire or smoke. confidence: high date: 2026-11-02 sources: [S1, S2, S3] license: public domain (US government work) checked_on: 2026-11-02
• id: F4 claim: Keep doors and windows that lead outside unblocked and easy to open. confidence: high date: 2026-11-02 sources: [S1, S2] license: public domain (US government work) checked_on: 2026-11-02
• id: F5 claim: Choose an outside meeting place in front of the home, and write the fire department number on the plan. confidence: high date: 2026-11-02 sources: [S1, S3] license: public domain (US government work) checked_on: 2026-11-02
• id: F6 claim: Practice the drill with everyone in the home at least twice a year, starting it by pressing the smoke alarm test button. confidence: high date: 2026-11-02 sources: [S1, S3] license: public domain (US government work) checked_on: 2026-11-02
• id: F7 claim: In a high-rise, leave and close the apartment door, pull the fire alarm on the way out, and use the stairs rather than the elevator unless the fire department says otherwise. confidence: medium date: 2026-11-02 sources: [S1] license: public domain (US government work) checked_on: 2026-11-02
• id: F8 claim: Older adults and young children may need help escaping; keep glasses, hearing aids, mobility aids and a phone near the bed, and plan who helps whom. confidence: medium date: 2026-11-02 sources: [S3] license: public domain (US government work) checked_on: 2026-11-02

Pointers

• id: P1 answers: Printable pictographs for low-literacy audiences where: https://www.usfa.fema.gov/gallery/pictographs/escape-planning.html access: free, public web page

@misc{iil_note_qyj47pn3,
  author = {{iinventedlight Library}},
  title = {{Making a home fire escape plan}},
  howpublished = {iinventedlight Library},
  year = {2026},
  date = {2026-11-02},
  url = {https://iinventedlight.com/library/reference/us-gov/home-fire-escape-plan/},
  note = {Permanent ID iil:note:qyj47pn3. License: public-domain. Summary of https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/home-fires/prepare-for-fire/home-fire-escape-plans/.},
}

For language models and agents: start at /llms.txt. This page in Markdown: /library/reference/us-gov/home-fire-escape-plan.md.