How to make a fire escape plan and practice it
For a home fire escape plan, draw each floor, mark two ways out of every room, and check that every escape window really opens. Choose a meeting spot in front of the house, then practice twice a year with the smoke alarm's test button. Aim to get everyone out in under 2 minutes.
Why every house needs a home fire escape plan
Fire moves faster than most people picture. Ready.gov says a small flame can turn into a major fire in less than 30 seconds, a fire can become life-threatening in two minutes, and a home can be engulfed in five. Heat is a threat too: room temperatures can reach 100 degrees at floor level and 600 degrees at eye level.
That's why the U.S. Fire Administration plans around less than 2 minutes after the alarm. Two minutes is not long enough to work out which bedroom window sticks. In a house you just bought, you may not know yet, and the only way to find out is to try each one.
What to put in your home fire escape plan
Your plan fits on one page. It needs these parts:
- A map of each floor with every door and window drawn in.
- Two ways out of each room, in case smoke blocks the first one.
- Windows that aren't stuck, screens that come out quickly, and security bars that open properly.
- Clear paths, with no furniture or boxes blocking a door or window. Check this again after you unpack.
- One outdoor meeting spot in front of the house.
- A rule that the call for help happens from outside, and nobody goes back in.
Everyone also needs to know what to do when the first route is blocked. Sleep with bedroom doors closed. Before opening a door, feel the door and knob. If either is hot, or smoke is coming around the edges, leave it shut and use your second exit. Under smoke, drop down and crawl, because heavy smoke and poisonous gases collect first along the ceiling. If you can't get out, close the door, cover vents and cracks with cloth or tape, and call 911.
Upper floors need extra thought. If a bedroom's second exit is a second-floor window, NFPA suggests keeping an escape ladder in or near that room, and everyone who sleeps there should know how to use it.
In a condo or high-rise, learn where all the exit stairs are. Leave and close your door behind you, pull the fire alarm on your way out, and don't use the elevator unless the fire department tells you to.
| Drill check | Pass | Fix if not |
|---|---|---|
| Time to the meeting spot | Under 2 minutes | Clear the route, change who helps whom, drill again |
| Everyone heard the alarm | All awake and moving | Add alarms inside and outside each bedroom, and name an adult to wake anyone who slept |
| Second exit tried | Window opened and screen came out | Repair the window before the next drill |
| Route done in the dark | Everyone found the way by feel | Walk it again with eyes closed |
How to make a fire escape plan and run a home fire drill
- Draw each floor
Sketch the rooms, doors and windows. Use a plain sheet that kids can read.
- Mark two ways out
Draw the main route and the backup for each room. For many rooms, that's a door and a window.
- Open every escape window
Try each window and screen. Paint-sealed sashes, nails and old security bars all need fixing before you count that exit.
- Choose the meeting spot
Pick something fixed in front of the house that kids can name, like a mailbox or a tree.
- Assign helpers
Name who gets the baby, who helps an older adult and who wakes heavy sleepers.
- Teach the rules
Get out, stay out, call 911 from outside. Practice feeling a door and crawling low.
- Run the drill
Press the smoke alarm test button to start. Everyone goes to the meeting spot while you time it, aiming for under 2 minutes.
- Repeat twice a year
Ready.gov says to practice twice a year. Use the backup route in the second drill, and test smoke alarms monthly.
Fire escape plan for kids, pets and anyone who needs help
Don't assume a child will wake up. Run one drill while children are asleep once they know the plan, and see what really happens. NFPA advises assigning someone to wake any child who doesn't respond. Teach children never to hide from firefighters, since a scared child may crawl under a bed.
Give each baby, older adult and person with limited mobility a named helper. If someone uses a walker or wheelchair, check that it fits through every exit. For anyone with hearing loss, there are alarms that flash or vibrate.
Keep leashes and a carrier near an exit, but don't plan a pet rescue into the route. Getting people out comes first. If a pet is missing, tell firefighters rather than going back in.
Fire escape plan questions
How often should you practice a fire escape plan?
Ready.gov says twice a year. Include everyone who lives in the home, and use the smoke alarm test button to start the drill so it feels real.
Should bedroom doors be closed at night?
Yes. Ready.gov says to sleep with your bedroom door closed. Before you open a door during a fire, feel the door and knob, and use your second exit if either is hot or smoke is coming in.
What if my only second exit is a second-floor window?
NFPA suggests an escape ladder kept in or near the room, and everyone who sleeps there should know how to use it. Practice setting it up from a ground-floor window rather than climbing from upstairs. If someone can't use a ladder, have them sleep on a lower floor if you can.
What you’ll need
Sources: Ready.gov, U.S. Fire Administration
General guidance for U.S. homes, not professional advice. For gas, electrical and structural work, call a licensed pro.