Practice

1. After planning, practice to make sure that everyone knows what to do. Have fire drills. Practice your fire escape periodically throughout the year. Remember, the element of surprise simulates a real fire and adds essential realism to your fire drill program.
2. Appoint someone to monitor the drill. This person will sound the alarm and make the drill realistic by requiring participants to use their second way out or to crawl low. This could be done by having someone hold up a sign reading "smoke" or "exit blocked by fire." The monitor also will measure how long complete evacuation takes.
3. Coordinate arrangements for fire drills in apartments or other multi-family homes, in schools or in workplaces with the local fire department.
4. After the evacuation, take a head count at the designated meeting place(s) to account for everyone's participation and safe evacuation.
5. When everyone is back inside the building after the drill, gather everyone together to discuss any questions or problems that occurred during the drill. Redesign the drill procedures as needed. Make the next fire drill even more effective.

Remember, once you are outside, stay outside. Don't go back in until the proper authorities say it is okay.