According to the National Fire Protection Association, smoke detectors reduce the chances of dying in a fire by 50%.

There should be at least one smoke detector for every level of your home but ideally there should be one in each bedroom, one just outside every bedroom, one in laundry and furnace areas and one in the attic.

Smoke detector batteries should be changed twice a year, even if the “chirp” sound indicating low batteries doesn’t happen.

Smoke detectors should be replaced every 10 years.

If you need help obtaining smoke detectors, please reach out to either Iris’s Community Partners or your local fire station.

Creating an exit plan is key to ensure all members of the family know what to do if a fire does occur.

Addition to create a plan for exited, an outside meeting spot should be selected ahead of time for family members to meet at after exiting. This can be somewhere such as across the street, a recognizable tree, a mailbox or any other spot that all members can remember. Just keep in mind while selecting a spot that it is a safe distant from the home to keep everyone away from a fire.

Everyone should practice and be familiar with the plan. Have the plan written down for reference and try practicing the plan each time you change the batteries in your smoke detectors.

Remember if the door handle is hot, do not open that door as it most likely means the flames are on the other side of the door. If this is the case or the planned path is block due to flames or smoke, an alterative path, such as exiting through a window, may be needed.

The right time to call 911 is after you safely exit the home.

Once you have exited the home and are a safe distant from the fire, call 911 and provide them with all the relevant information they request, such as address and the areas of the home where you know flames are.

If you live on the second floor or higher of a building, or if one of the areas of your home is on the second story or higher, your exit to the ground floor could become blocked off by flames or smoke. In cases such as these, exiting through a window may be a necessity.

A fire ladder can help ensure you can safely make your way to the ground from higher levels. These ladders can be made of rope or chains with steps to help you climb to the ground.

If you need help obtaining a fire ladder, Iris’s Community Partners may be able to help you get one for your family.

While the technology in space heaters has improved over the last 20 years, you should never leave a radiant space heater unattended nor should you fall asleep with one on.

Heating equipment left too close to flammable items, such as upholstered furniture, clothing, mattresses and bedding can cause fires.

When possible, you should rely on the normal heating system for the home and only ever use space heaters with caution.

Work on ensure there is not exposed wiring in the home as, in addition to other hazards, it can cause fire.

Make sure there is plenty of walkable space available in each room to ensure there are clear paths to exits.

Keep heat sources, such as radiators or stove tops, clear of flammable items, such as rags, clothing and paper products.

Keep matches, lighters and other ignitable substances out of reach of children and in a secure location.

Help teach your children that lighters and matches can be dangerous as they cause fire.

Do not play with or perform trick with a lighter or match around a children as it might make them mistake it as a toy.

Ensure that there is a plan in place for an adult to wake and help babies, very young children, or anyone else that would be in need of additional help get out of the building.

Make sure the exiting plan and meeting spot are simple enough for your youngest child to understand if they have to exit on their own.

Make sure children know what the smoke detector sounds like when it goes off and what they should do if they hear it.

Make sure everyone in your family knows that after exiting the building, the only people who should reenter the building are professional firefighters.

This is the case even if pets or prized possessions are still in the building.

Only reenter the building after it is deemed safe by the professional firefighters.

Make sure everyone in your home knows to stay low and close to the ground during a fire.

Smoke rises so staying close to the ground helps keep it both out of your lungs so you can breathe better and keeps it out of your eyes so you can see clearer to avoid danger.

Additional, if a fire breaks out it is important for everyone to know that they should act quickly to get out.

Make sure everyone in the family knows what to do should their clothes catch on fire.

If this happens, you should stop what you are doing, drop to the ground or floor and roll until the fire has been put out.