Emergency escape plans?

Hello everyone,

I've noticed LEO and Firefighters are regular visitors of CPF. Could someone direct me to some websites that can help me design an escape plan from my home in case of A)-fire, and B)-burglar? I'd appreciate your suggestions even if you are not a LEO or Firefighter.

BTW, we have a fire escape plan, but I'd like to check it against what experts have to say. We don't have a real burglar plan.

If your game plan is to get away instead of confronting
(ie shoot them) I would think the Fire plan would be the
same as a burglar plan.
Topper /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

You should be the best judge of how to get safely out of your house, however there are some things that can help. In terms of fires, the greatest areas of being trapped are obviously upper levels and basements.

If your basement does not have an exit directly to the outside, then you are at high risk of getting trapped there. In the same way, if you only have one set of stairs from upstairs to downstairs, you also run a high risk of getting trapped. Upstairs you have the advantage of windows, however, they are only an advantage if you have a way of getting down from them, ie. a folding ladder/rope ladder.

One way to make a plan is to layout a floor plan of your house. From there, create various fire scenarios by placing fire in a certain part of the level and see what areas that an individual could be trapped. From there, you can see where you need extra equipment, like what rooms should have a rope ladder stored in them. There is much more about this topic, but there's a start for you.

For a burgler, I'd think that installing a solid wood door (like an external door) with a deadbolt to your beadroom, and bars on those windows (with a release incase of fire) would be a good idea. It would be a safe room to lock yourself into until the police could arrive. Also keep your cell phone (and if you believe in guns, you home defense shotgun) in case the burgler does something as simple as picking up another line (no need to do any fancy 007 phone line cutting, just pick up any phone in the house). Maybe a spare front door key on a chemlight to throw to police if you think the robber is still inside.

From any point in your house, can you imagine 2 completely separate pathways to the outside? Walk through your entire house and think about that. Many of those ways will involve windows. Try to open them. Often windows are stuck shut. Can you get safely through the window and then safely to the ground outside the window?

Do you have quality smoke detectors less than 10 years old with fresh batteries and both photovoltaic and ionization types? Hardwired ones are fine until the power goes out, sometimes from a fire. Are all levels and areas properly covered? Carbon monoxide detector? Fire extinguishers?

Does your family have a meeting point outside and a common contact person?

For intruders, the suggestion of a safe room is a good one. In addition to the cell phone, it should also have some pepper spray and flashlights (but that goes without saying). Keep your doors dead-bolted and motion sensitive security lights outside are a good idea.