Two Minutes to Evacuate Your Family - Island Insurance | Island Insurance

Two Minutes to Evacuate Your Family

The Honolulu Fire Department reports fires can spread rapidly throughout your home leaving you no more than two minutes to escape safely once the smoke alarm sounds. 26% of households have actually developed and practiced a home fire escape plan to ensure they could escape quickly and safely.

The Honolulu Fire Department reports:

  • 30.21% of fires in Hawaii were cooking related and is the number one cause of home fires and home injuries.
  • 15 percent fire related injuries were from cooking and 21% are electrically related.
  • Unattended cooking fires cause nearly 90 percent of all kitchen fires.

Escape Planning

The Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommend:

  • Walk through your home and inspect all possible exits and escape routes. If there are children, draw a floor plan of your home and mark two ways out of each room including windows and doors. Be sure to mark the location of smoke alarms in your plan.
  • Have everyone walk through the plan and practice their route. Practice your escape plan at least twice a year and include surprise drills to ensure everyone understands the escape plan.
  • Choose an outside meeting place (i.e. neighbor’s house, a light post, mailbox or stop sign) a safe distance front of your home where everyone can meet after they have escaped.
  • Check to make sure the escape routes are clear and doors and window can be opened easily. Make sure to mark the location of the meeting place on your escape plan.
  • If there are infants, older adults or family members with mobility limitations, make sure there is someone assigned to assist them in the fire drill in the event of an emergency. Assign a backup person in case the designee is not home during the emergency.
  • If windows or doors in your home have security bars, make sure the bars have emergency release devices inside so it can be opened immediately in an emergency. Emergency release devices will not compromise your security – but will increase your chances of safely escaping a home fire.

*Source: The American Red Cross