• Appliances
• Campus and dorm fires
• Candles
• Carbon monoxide
• Children and fire
• Cooking
• Electrical safety
• Emergency preparedness
• Escape planning
• Basic fire escape planning
• Escape planning in tall buildings
• Clear your escape routes
• Fire safety in manufactured homes
• Security bars
• Sleepover fire safety for kids
• Fire extinguishers
• Fireworks
• Gas, propane, other fuels
• Heating
• High-rise buildings
• Homeland Security
• Home fire sprinklers
• Intentional fires and arson
• Lightning
• Mine fires and explosions
• Natural disasters
• Nightclubs/assembly occupancies
• Nursing homes
• Older adults
• Other occupancies
• People with disabilities
• Seasonal safety
• Smoke alarms
• Smoking material-related fires
• Unintentional injuries
• Vehicle fires
• Wildland fires
• Project Holiday

Escape planning

Draw a home escape plan and discuss it with everyone in your household.   Practice the plan night and day with everyone in your home twice a year.   Know at least two ways out of every room, if possible. Make sure all doors and windows leading outside open easily.   See all safety tips

In 2007, there were an estimated 399,000 reported home structure fires and 2,865 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-fifth to one-fourth of households (23%) 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. Fire safety in manufactured homes Since 1976, manufactured homes must meet HUD safety requirements.

Escape planning in tall buildings Sometimes the safest action is to stay put and wait for the firefighters. 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.