Evacuation Plans
In a real fire, you will only have one to two minutes from the sounding of the alarm to when your life is seriously threatened by fire or smoke. It is very important that you prepare and practise an escape plan, and that everyone in the household knows what to do in an emergency.
You Should:
- Start with a floor diagram of the home
- Make sure that everyone knows the sound of the smoke alarm and what to do if a fire occurs
- Plan escape routes. Identify a primary escape room out of every room, then pick a secondary route in case the first is blocked by fire (always plan two ways out of each room)
- Select and indicate a meeting place outside of the home (e.g. the letterbox)
- Dial triple zero (000) - the number to call in an emergency - from a neighbour’s home or mobile phone
Teach your family and friends to
- Check closed doors for excessive heat before opening (use the back of the hand)
- Crawl low (smoke and heat will build from ceiling down)
- Close doors behind them as they exit (this helps to limit the spread of fire and smoke)
- Account for all people in house
- If anyone is missing, tell the fire service. DO NOT return to the house
For more information on Evacuations Plans, please visit Queensland Fire and Rescue.
