• Arson & juvenile fire setting
• Causes
• Emergency preparedness
• Escape planning
• Basic fire escape planning
• Clear your escape routes
• Escape planning in tall buildings
• Fire safety in manufactured homes
• Security bars
• Sleepover fire safety for kids
• Handouts in other languages
• Fire & safety equipment
• Gasoline & propane
• Hoarding and fire safety
• Holidays
• Occupancies
• Outdoors
• Populations
• Unintentional injuries
• Vehicles
• Mine fires and explosions

Escape planning

In 2011, there were an estimated 370,000 reported home structure fires and 2,520 associated civilian deaths in the United States.

Fire can spread rapidly through your home, leaving you as little as two minutes to escape safely once the alarm sounds. Your ability to get out depends on advance warning from smoke alarms, and advance planning — a home fire escape plan that everyone in your family is familiar with and has practiced.

Facts and figures

• Only one-third of Americans have actually developed and practiced a home fire escape plan to ensure they could escape quickly and safely.
• One-third of American households who made an estimate thought they would have at least 6 minutes before a fire in their home would become life-threatening. The time available is often less. And only 8% said their first thought on hearing a smoke alarm would be to get out!

Source: Harris Interactive Survey, Fall 2004 (PDF, 759 KB).

In this Section:

Basic fire escape planning Tips for creating and practicing a home fire escape plan. Security bars Sometimes a device that prevents one hazard creates another.

Clear your escape routes Make sure windows and doors in your home are unblocked. Sleepover fire safety for kids Is your child safe staying overnight at a friend's home? NFPA offers a free safety checklist.

Escape planning in tall buildings Sometimes the safest action is to stay put and wait for the firefighters. Handouts in other languages Download easy-to-read handouts on escape planning in 15 different languages.

Fire safety in manufactured homes Since 1976, manufactured homes must meet HUD safety requirements.