Canadian Statistics: Between 1997 and 1998, 29 children ages 14 and under died from fire and burn-related injuries and an additional 1,059 were hospitalized.

Develop a Home Fire Escape Plan!

1. Because the majority of fatal fires happen at night, it is essential to have working alarms throughout your home to awaken or alert you in case of fire. Some studies have shown that some children may not awaken to the sound of the smoke alarm. Know what your child will do before a fire occurs.

Smoke alarms need to be installed on each level of the home, including the basement, and outside each separate sleeping area. If you sleep with bedroom doors closed, have a qualified electrician install interconnected smoke alarms in each room so that when one sounds, they all sound. New homes are required to have a smoke alarm in every sleeping room and all smoke alarms must be interconnected.

Test the alarms every month, following the manufacturer's instructions, and replace the batteries once a year or when the alarm "chirps," warning that the battery is low.

2. Draw a floor plan of your home. You'll need two ways out of every room. One way out would be the door, and the second way out may be a window. Consider purchasing a home fire escape ladder for bedrooms located on second and third floors - review the manufacturer's instructions carefully to be able to use a safety ladder for an emergency escape from a window. Practice setting up the ladder from a first floor window to make sure you can do it correctly and quickly.

3. Choose an outside meeting place with your family. Make sure it's a safe distance from your home and mark it on the escape plan. Practice having all members of your household report immediately to your outside meeting place during fire drills.

4. Everyone should memorize the local fire department's emergency phone number, which should be contacted from a neighbor's phone, or by using a nearby portable or cell phone you bring with you as you exit your home.

5. After you make your plan, practice it! Fire escape plans should be practiced at least twice a year. Pick a date with your family to practice -- make sure that everyone is involved - from kids to grandparents. If there are infants or family members with mobility limitations, make sure that someone is assigned to assist them. Be fully prepared for a real fire: when a smoke alarm sounds, get out immediately. And once you're out, stay out!

Apartment Living
If you live in an apartment building, make sure that you're familiar with the building's evacuation plan. In case of a fire, use the stairs, never the elevator. In some cases, the safest action when a fire alarm sounds may be to stay inside your apartment and protect yourself from smoke until the fire department arrives. Seal all doors and vents with duct tape or towels to prevent smoke from entering the room. Open a window at the top and bottom so fresh air can enter. Be ready to close the window immediately if it draws smoke into the room. Call the fire department and let them know that you are still inside the building. Wave a flashlight or light colored cloth at the window to let the fire department know where you are located.

The Blanket Crawl

Smoke and heat rise, so during a fire there's cleaner, cooler air near the floor. Teach your children to always try their second exit if they encounter smoke when escaping from a fire. But, if they need to go through smoke to get outside, teach them to get low and go under the smoke.

Pretend a blanket is smoke and have children practice "get low and go under smoke" to get outside.

Visit Escape with the Miller Family for a step-by-step guide to home fire escape planning and practice. Also, check out NFPA's Sparky the Fire Dog® Web site for more fire safety information and activities for your children.

Following is basic cooking, heating, and electrical advice to help you and your family avoid these highly preventable home fires: Keep cooking areas clean and uncluttered. Always keep a close eye on cooking food. And never leave cooking food unattended on the stove top. Keep children and pets away from cooking areas: declare a three-foot "safe zone" around the stove. Mark the area with masking tape to remind younger children. Turn pot handles in so they can't be bumped and children can't grab them. Space heaters should be at least three feet (one meter) away from walls and draperies, furniture, or anything that can burn. Portable space heaters should be turned off every time you leave the room or go to bed. Don't overload receptacle outlets. Receptacle outlets should have plastic safety covers in homes with small children.

Data Sources: Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), NFPA, Safe Kids Canada.