NFPA Stressing Escape Plan for Fire Prevention Week

The National Fire Protection Association will be stressing the importance of creating an escape plan during this fall's Fire Prevention Week, which takes place October 6-12.

The NFPA's theme for the week will be "Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape," recognizing those who motivate their households and families to put together and practice a home fire escape plan.

“This year’s campaign works to celebrate people of all ages who learn about home fire escape planning and practice, bring that information home, and spur their families to action,” Lorraine Carli, vice president of Outreach and Advocacy at NFPA, said in a release. “From young students who learn about the campaign at school to parents who attend a community event like a fire station open house—all of them truly are heroes because they’re taking steps to make their households much, much safer from fire.”

This year's message is vitally important because today's homes burn so much faster because of the increased use of synthetic materials in furnishings, and the modern trends of open floor plans and unprotected lightweight construction.

A home escape plan incorporates several elements, including the placement of smoke alarms in every bedroom or near all sleeping areas. A strong escape plan will set up two ways out of every room, usually a door or window, with a clear path to a designated outside meeting place such as a tree, light pole or mailbox that is a safe distance from the home.

The NFPA says you should practice your home fire escape plan at least twice a year.

“People tend to underestimate their risk to fire, particularly at home. That over-confidence lends itself to a complacency toward home escape planning and practice,” said Carli. “But in a fire situation, we’ve seen time and again that advance planning can make a potentially life-saving difference.”

Click here for more information about Fire Prevention Week.