Exit Drills In The Home (EDITH)

The Foster City Fire Department encourages all residents to increase their chances of escaping from a deadly fire by creating a home fire escape plan and practicing it regularly. Fire escape planning is simple to do and will make a tremendous difference if a fire breaks out in your home.

Follow this step-by-step guide for home fire escape planning:

• Draw a floor plan of your home that shows all windows, doors, halls, stairs and bedrooms. Make sure all rooms, especially bedrooms, have at least two exits. Draw arrows on your plan to indicate normal exits. Mark emergency escape routes with lighter arrows. These emergency exits are to be used when normal exits are blocked.

• Test your escape routes. Make sure windows can be opened easily and that screens and storm windows can be removed from the inside. If your bedrooms are on the second floor, provide folding escape ladders.

• To account for everyone's safety, select and list on your plan a definite meeting place outside the house. Assign someone to assist infants and family members whose physical condition provides unique challenges.

• Be prepared to call the fire department from a neighbor's house by dialing 911. The dispatcher will need to know your name, address, phone number and type of emergency. Be sure to wait on the phone until the dispatcher has all the necessary information.

• Hold fire drills in your home periodically. Have all family members participate. This will test the practicality of your plan and give you a chance to practice escaping.