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How to Make the Perfect Fire Safety Plan

By MNR News posted 10-06-2025 09:04 AM

  

How to Make the Perfect Fire Safety Plan: Your Family’s Ultimate Defense 

Of all the tips and tools that you can employ to make sure thar you and your family are the most prepared you can be for a fire emergency; a Fire Safety Plan should be at the top of your list!  

A Fire Safety Plan is a comprehensive document that describes the who, what, where, and when of what you will do if you ever encounter a fire emergency in your home. It outlines fire prevention measures, and, in the case of a fire, where you and your family will meet, evacuation roots, and more.  

Follow the steps below to make the perfect Fire Safety Plan for you and your entire family! 

Making Your Fire Safety Plan 

  1. Draw a map of your home. Include all doors and windows.
  2. Find two ways out of every room. 
  3. Make sure doors and windows are not blocked. 
  4. If there are infants, older adults, or family members with mobility limitations, make sure that someone is assigned to assist them in the fire drill and in the event of an emergency. Assign a backup person too, in case the designee is not home during the emergency.
  5. Choose an outside meeting place in front of your home.  

Drawing a map of your home can be done efficiently with online resources. See below for a few easy options from the American Red Cross and the U.S. Fire Administration to help you get started! 
DOWNLOAD Fire Escape Plan (American Red Cross)  DOWNLOAD Fire Escape Plan (U.S. Fire Administration) 

Fire moves quickly and can be unpredictable. That is why it is important that you identify at least 2 ways you can escape from every room in your Fire Safety Plan. This ensures that, in the instance your first route is blocked by fire or smoke, you have a second option to follow.  

Finally, choose an appropriate meeting spot in front of your home that you and your family can remember. Adding this step to your Fire Safety Plan may seem like the least important step. However, in the instance of a fire emergency, an agreed upon meeting spot can help you keep track of everyone in the household and enable you to be able to properly communicate with First Responders if anyone has not emerged from the house and needs help. 

You Have Created Your Fire Safety Plan: Now What?  

Practice practice practice!  

You want to practice your Fire Safety and Evacuation Plan with your family twice a year and under as many circumstances as possible. For example, try practicing your route in the dark or with your eyes closed to mimic what it would be like in the event that smoke envelops your home and vision is limited.  

Here are a few different ways you can practice your Fire Safety Plan at home: 

  1. Practice in the dark
  2. Practice with your eyes closed
  3. Practice while crawling on the floor (smoke is dangerous and rises!)
  4. Practice using your second way out
  5. Practice with using your smoke alarm
  6. Practice with a timer (shoot for getting out and meeting at the designated safety spot in under 2:00 minutes!)  

Special considerations for families and individuals who live in apartments or condominiums:  

  • Leave your apartment. Close the door behind you.
  • Pull the fire alarm on your way out to notify the fire department and your neighbors.
  • Use the stairs to get out. Do not use the elevator unless directed by the fire department. 

In 2023, local fire departments responded to an estimated 1.39 million fires in the United States (FEMA). Taking a few hours to create a Fire Safety Plan can help save your life. This #FireSafetyWeek, make sure that you are talking with your clients about the importance of fire safety and making a plan in their new homes!  

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