I have a confession to make. We have an evacuation ladder in our second floor bedroom closet that I have never taken out of the box, much less made sure it actually works. I have fire extinguishers on every floor, but I have never read the instructions. If I ever had to try and operate one in a hurry or in the dark, I’m not sure I could pull it off. And we have smoke detectors all over the place. Do I check to make sure they are functioning? Not very often (unless they are beeping at me for new batteries). In fact, on occasion I have even disconnected the one in the kitchen because it is so irritating. I know, pretty bad, huh?
October 1st is National Family Fire Drill Day. I am determined to come up with an evacuation plan and share it with the kids. I will read the instructions on working the fire extinguisher and may even check the batteries in the detectors, and not just when I’m prompted by their annoying beep. Maybe we’ll practice some crawling through smoke and some “stop, drop and rolls.” We should probably try out that evacuation ladder as well, just for kicks.
It is my obligation and privilege as a parent to keep my kids and family safe. I know this. I am certain I would find it hard to forgive myself if something happened to my children as a result of poor planning on the part of me and my husband. My prayer is that a house fire is something neither my family nor yours will ever experience, but I must be prepared regardless.
For more details on creating a fire plan, check out www.befiresmart.com.
What does your family’s fire and evacuation plan include? Want to join me in creating one?
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