Fire drills are important for all homes, including apartment buildings and other high-rise structures. You need to know the basics of escape planning, from identifying two ways out of every room to getting low and going under smoke, and the importance of practicing how you would respond in an emergency. Be aware that sometimes the safest thing you can do in a tall building fire is to stay put and wait for the firefighters.

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Make Every Second Count! Helpful Hints

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• Draw a map of your home by using this grid in English (PDF) or Spanish (PDF) with all members of your household, marking two exits from each room and a path to the outside from each exit.

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• Practice your home fire drill twice a year. Conduct one at night and one during the day with everyone in your home, and practice using different ways out.

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• Teach children how to escape on their own in case you can’t help them.

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• Make sure the number of your home is clearly marked and easy for the fire department to find.

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• Close doors behind you as you leave – this may slow the spread of smoke, heat, and fire.

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• Once you get outside, stay outside. Never go back inside a burning building.