Having a good homeowners insurance fire policy will protect what is most important to you: your family and your property. Once you have that safety net in place, it is essential to make a plan with you and your loved ones on what to do in the event of an emergency.
For many, the home is a safe haven, a place of peace and refuge. The last thing most of us expect is an extreme and unforeseen event, such as a house fire. You may hear about these instances on the news or see them on a TV show, but most people don’t believe that it could ever happen to them.
Unfortunately, house fires are more common than you might think. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, in 2022, there were over 374,300 residential building fires, more than 2,700 deaths, close to 10,000 injuries, and nearly 11 billion dollars in losses.
In the event of a house fire, it is crucial to act quickly and with purpose, which is why all families and households need to have a plan so they can act accordingly. But where do you start? What should you include in the plan, who needs to be involved, what should the plan be?
Today, we are answering all of your questions so you can make your home emergency exit plan and be ready for the unexpected.
Keep reading below to learn more.
Create your emergency exit plan for your home and family: 9 tips
When it comes to residential fires, time matters; even a few seconds makes a huge difference in your safety and could even mean life or death. Knowing what to do in the moment will help you and your loved ones make a swift and safe escape.
Here are nine tips for making a quality and practical home emergency exit plan:
Plan for everyone in your family
Before you make your emergency exit plan, it is essential to consider every household member’s unique needs, including elderly family members and young children who might not be very mobile.
Children will not always awaken to the sound of a blaring smoke alarm, and elderly family members or someone with a chronic injury may not be able to climb out of a second-story window and climb down a fire escape ladder.
Assign someone to help these family members and select a backup person if the assigned family member is away during the house fire. Moreover, you may want to consider these facts when assigning bedrooms. Perhaps you may want to assign your elderly family member a bedroom on the main floor to avoid issues during an emergency.
Establish two ways to exit
Go into each room in your home and find two ways to exit, including doors and windows. Ensure all escape routes open easily so you can get out quickly. Fit each second-story or higher room with escape ladders and teach everyone how to use them. Install emergency release devices on security bars in windows or doors.
Make a backup plan
If your planned exit routes are blocked and leaving your house this way is impossible, close all doors between you and the fire, shove a thick towel or blanket under the door (to prevent smoke seeping into the room), and move to an exterior window. Call the fire department immediately to report your location.
Involve everyone in the planning
Everyone in the family needs to know the home emergency exit plan, so invite them to participate in the fire evacuation planning process. Draw a floor plan or map of your property, and have your kids mark the two exit routes and the locations of your smoke detectors.
Check smoke detectors
Make sure that all of your smoke alarms are properly placed and work. The National Fire Protection Association suggests installing them in all sleeping rooms, outside each sleeping room (hallways), and on each level of your house.
Make your home visible
Help emergency responders spot your house quickly with clear, visible house numbers that are easily seen from the street. If your area allows it, consider adding your house numbers to the curb.
Select a meeting spot
As a family, determine a landing place outside your home, such as the stop sign near your house, a neighbor’s home, or the mailbox placed on the street. It needs to be in front of your house so emergency responders can easily spot you when they arrive at the scene. Ensure everyone understands that you do not go back in once you leave the house.
Invest in a firebox for important documents
Fireboxes are ideal for securely storing important documents and valuables in the event of a fire. They are made from metal or another fire-resistant material and are locked with a combination code or lock.
Documents and items to consider storing here include passports, titles, birth certificates, social security cards, digital copies of photos, cash, and anything other things you deem “essential.”
As you might imagine, fires are devastating, and worrying about important documents on top of losing everything else is stressful. Keeping information like insurance cards and agent contact information makes the homeowner’s insurance claim process much easier.
Practice often
Review and practice your plan regularly together as a family at least once yearly, more often if you have younger kids.
Let Bear River Mutual Insurance be part of your home emergency plan
One of the best ways to protect those you love most and the things most important to you, outside of your emergency exit plan, is to invest in insurance, especially a homeowners insurance fire policy. The pros at Bear River Mutual Insurance are there to help.
We all hope we never have to use these safety nets, but we’re always so thankful to have them in place when the unforeseen occurs. Homeowners insurance is an essential part of owning a property; without it, you are putting a lot at risk. That’s why our team of trusted professionals is here to help you find the right policy for your home that provides the right balance of value and protection.
In the midst of the post-emergency fog, the last thing you want to deal with is the tedious homeowners insurance claim process. But at Bear River, the homeowner’s insurance claim process is a breeze, thanks to our qualified and skilled team.
We are located in three convenient locations: Orem, Salt Lake City, and Provo. Contact Bear River Mutual Insurance to get your free quote on a fire policy or to start your homeowners insurance claim process today.
