Practice makes perfect

Make sure your family is safe by rehearsing you emergency escape plan, writes Chief Deryn Rizzi

Yorkregion.com
August 22, 2019
Deryn Rizzi

There is a proverb that says “practise makes perfect.” This is true in many aspects of life -- in sports, in playing a musical instrument, in speaking a new language. It is also true in fire safety. Practising your home escape plan is one of the best things you can do to help keep your family safe.

A home escape plan shows the layout of your home, the escape routes from each room and the place outside where everyone will meet. It’s easy and a great activity to do with children to help them learn what to do when the smoke alarm sounds.

Start by drawing a floor plan, including all walls, doors, windows and stairs, for each level of your home. This will show you and your family all the possible escape routes. Be sure to show two exits from every room. If a fire is blocking the main exit, such as the door, you need another way out, like a window. You may want to consider buying a fire escape ladder for second- or third-storey windows. Fire escape ladders can be purchased at your local hardware store.

If there is anyone in your home who needs assistance, such as the very young, elderly or people with disabilities, decide in advance who will assist them. Did you know Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service offers special assistance to residents with a disability when an emergency occurs? Residents can be added to the Vulnerable Persons Registry to ensure first responders are better equipped to provide assistance. Visit vaughan.ca/VulnerablePersonsRegistry for more information.

Next, choose a place outside where everyone will meet. Make sure everyone knows never to go back into a burning building for any reason.

Lastly, practise, practise, practise! I recommend you run through your plan at least twice a year and use different scenarios. For example, pretend everyone is sleeping and needs to get out of their own rooms or pretend that some exits are blocked and you must use alternate escape routes. Remember, if someone new comes to stay in your home, teach them about the plan.

No one plans to have a fire. But you can plan what you and your family will do in the event of one. If the alarm goes off, everyone in the home needs to know exactly what they're going to do and where they’re going to go. Make your plan, practise it and increase your chance of survival.