Creating a Home Fire Safety Plan After Moving to Fort Myers

In 2014, there were approximately 367,500 reported home structure fires and 2,745 associated civilian deaths in the United States, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Because fire has the ability to spread through a home in the matter of minutes, trapping occupants, it is extremely important to take the necessary steps to ensure fire safety within a home.

To help you create a home fire safety plan for your new residence, local Fort Myers moving company, All My Sons Moving & Storage, has put together an outline of precautions and safety tips in the event of a home fire.

1. Make sure smoke alarms are installed and working properly. After moving to Fort Myers and into your new home, check all areas of your home to ensure smoke alarms are present. You'll also want to test the batteries in each device to ensure they are all working and reliable.

2. Create an escape plan. In the event of a home fire, you'll want to know at least two ways out of each bedroom. Draw a map of your home and mark all exiting doors and windows. All My Sons Fort Myers movers encourage you to go over this plan with everyone in your home so they know what to do if a home fire occurs and you can't get to them.

3. Designate a meeting place outside your home. Pick a tree, mailbox or fence that is far enough away from your home where everyone in your family can meet once they are safely outside.

4. Teach your children how to navigate their way through your home during a fire. Make sure kids understand that heat and smoke rise, so crawling along the floor is best. Also, teach them how to check doorknobs for heat so they don't enter a room that has already caught fire.

5. Practice your home fire safety plan. After moving to Fort Myers and into a new home, make sure you practice home fire drills both during the day and at night.

6. Once you're outside, stay outside. Tell everyone in your home that once they are safely outside, to never go back inside for anyone or anything. If you have pets, put a sticker on a front window of your home indicating how many people, dogs, cats, birds, etc. are inside. This will help first responders know if everyone is out of the home safely.

7. Call the fire department from outside. Make sure everyone in your household knows to safely make their way out of your home before calling the fire department.

8. Invest in safety ladders for second story homes. Place a safety ladder in each room of your home that is located on any floor higher than the ground level. In the event occupants are unable to escape through the doorways in your home, they will be able to safely exit a window using the safety ladder. If you have children, make sure they understand where the safety ladder is located and how to use it in the event of an emergency.