The Springfield Fire Department encourages the community to make a New Year’s resolution to practice your home fire escape plan. As we start the new year, please consider these simple tips to help keep your family safe during a house fire.

• Make a home escape plan. Draw a map of your home showing all doors and windows. Discuss the plan with everyone in your home.
• Know at least two ways out of every room, if possible. Make sure all doors and windows leading outside open easily.
• Have an outside meeting place (like a tree, light pole, or mailbox) a safe distance from the home where everyone should meet.
• Practice your home fire drill at night and during the day with everyone in your home at least twice a year.
• Practice using different ways out of your home.
• Teach children how to escape on their own in case you can’t help them.
• Close the doors behind you as you leave.

If your smoke alarm sounds:

• If your smoke alarm sounds, GET OUT AND STAY OUT! Never go back inside for people or pets.
• If you have to escape through smoke, GET LOW AND GO under the smoke to your way out.
• Call the Fire Department from outside your home.

A working smoke alarm is your best way to be alerted of a fire, and alarms should be replaced every 10 years,” says Fire Chief David Pennington. If you need a new smoke alarm visit https://www.springfieldmo.gov/1990/Smoke-Alarms or contact the Springfield Fire Department at SFDCRR@springfieldmo.gov or 417-874-2300 to request one.