Have you practised your home fire escape plan?
House fires move fast and can fill your home with smoke in a matter of minutes. Nobody wants to think about a house fire, yet, on average 18 Victorians lose their lives to preventable house fires each year.
To safeguard your loved ones, follow these tips:
- Know what to do if a fire occurs. Whether you’re a homeowner or renter you should have a home fire escape plan ready to go.
- Practise your plan with your family, and everyone who lives with you, so you know what to do.
- You can’t escape if your doors are deadlocked. If you must lock yourself in, ensure you keep the key in the deadlock.
- Get down low to stay out of smoke.
- If it is safe, close doors to slow the spread of fire and smoke.
- Alert other people on your way out.
- Get out, stay out. Never go back into a burning building.
- Meet at a safe place such as the letterbox out the front of your home.
- Call 000 (triple zero, fire) from a mobile phone or a neighbour’s phone.
- If someone in your household is older or has a disability, plan ahead and complete the Prevent Detect Escape e-learning module.
- The best protection against fire is prevention; install smoke alarms in all bedrooms, living spaces, and corridors today.
For more information on how to make a Home Fire Escape Plan, visit cfa.vic.gov.au.
