How to plan an escape route

Every household should have some sort of escape route planned, whether it is verbal, written or drawn does not matter, as long as the whole family is aware of what to do and where to go if a fire ever does occur in the home. This is even more relevant when young children are present.

Below you will find some simple steps to creating an effective escape route.

Planning an escape route

• Planning the escape route should be a family affair, involving everyone in the home, best practise would be to seat down as a group and work through the plan together.
• Prior to planning the route, explain to children why it is so important to have an escape route planned and how dangerous fires can be, especially the smoke that is produced.

 The escape route

• The best escape route is the normal way in and out of the home, walk through this route and ensure it is free from any hazards that might cause you difficulties, especially in the dark.
• Choose a second escape route to be used if the first one is blocked, again walk through this route and ensure it is free from any hazards.
• Finally think of a safe place to go if both routes are blocked, normally this would be upstairs. Check to make sure the windows in this room are either unlocked or everyone knows where the keys are kept.

Equipment (keys)

• Think of any equipment you need to safely exit the house, particularly keys to any doors, make sure these are kept in a place close to the exit and everyone knows their location.
• Next think of any equipment you might want to assist you evacuate from the house i.e. a torch to see in the dark. Again make sure everyone knows it location.

Practise and review

• Practise you escape route, by doing this you might come across some problems that were missed during the planning.
• Play a game with young children, place a card in a room with the word 'FIRE' on it, allow your children to look for the card, once they have found it they should evacuate the house as if it was a real fire, do this on a couple of occasions.
• Review this plan regularly, it's easy to forget. If necessary carry out a fire drill.

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