• Develop a home escape plan, indicating two safe ways out of every room, if possible. 
• Click here for a printable grid to draw your escape plan​.
• Review the plan with every member of the household, and anyone looking after your home and/or children. 
  
• Teach family members to crawl low if there is smoke. Since smoke rises, this is where the good air is. Teach family members to close the door and go to the window if they are trapped in an upper-storey room.​
  
• Stress to children that they should not hide  or wait for an adult when they hear the smoke alarm. They should get out quickly.

• Include a meeting place outside the home, such as a tree, mailbox or neighbour’s house, where everyone can meet and be accounted for. 
• Instruct family members to call 9-1-1 from a neighbour’s house. NEVER call from inside the home.
  

• Tripping could be fatal in a fire situation. Check to see that all tripping hazards, such as scatter rugs, cords, shoes and general clutter, are removed from floors and stairways. 
• Repair patios or walkways where there are uneven surfaces. 
• Mark the edges of steps with reflective or a contrasting colour of tape, so they stand out and can be seen from a distance. 
• Ensure the home is adequately lit. Dimly lit areas may produce confusing shadows or create difficulty in recognizing everyday objects. 
• Use night-lights to light the way from t​he bathroom to the bedroom. 

Practice your escape plan twice a year