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- This information is intended as a general guide. Additional information about E.D.I.T.H. is available through your local fire department of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
- Preparing and practicing exit drills in the home is an easy and highly effective way to increase the safety for your family in the event of an emergency. In conjunction with effective early warning systems such as smoke detectors, heat detectors, and monitored home fire detection systems, this type of preparedness will help to save lives. Some of the key elements to the E.D.I.T.H. emergency escape plan include:
- Draw a floor plan of the home that shows at least two ways to exit the home from each room (specifically bedrooms).
- Sleep with bedroom doors shut to provide a temporary barrier to smoke and heat. Test the door for heat by feeling it with the back of your hand before opening it. If the door is hot, use an alternative exit like a window.
- Crawl low inside of the house if smoke, excessive heat, or toxic gases may be present. The safest air to breath is in the safety zone from 12 to 24 inches from the floor. Crawl swiftly to the safest exit. Teach this to your children, and practice it with them. Keep infants, and small children in this safety zone with you as you exit the home.
- If your clothes catch fire: Stop, drop, cover your face, and roll.
- Agree upon a specified meeting place outside of the home for the family to meet and account for all of the individuals who were in the home.
- Know the telephone number of the fire department, and use a neighbor's home for making the telephone call. (Do not call from inside the home with the fire unless you are trapped!)
- Never allow anyone to reenter the home.
- This plan should be clearly understood by all family members, house guests, baby-sitters etc. and practiced often (at least every six months).
- Early warning of a fire is crucial in getting your family out safe.
- Comprehensive fire detection systems that include photoelectric smoke sensors, ionization smoke sensors, rate-of-rise heat detectors, and loud interior sounders provide the best coverage. A supervised and monitored system is preferred.
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