Make sure that you have an escape plan, so that in the event of a fire everyone in your home knows what to do.

Decide on a route that you will take to get out of your house, taking into account where a fire is likely to start, and whether the fire will block your route.  Practice this in the dark, at least once so that you know you could escape if there was a fire.

You should tell young children to wait in their rooms with the door closed until an adult can get to them.  They should stand near a window if possible, or lie on the floor under the smoke.  Most importantly, they should shout for help and keep doing so until an adult can get to them.

When escaping, you should close all doors behind you and not stop for pets or personal belongings.

• Plan an escape route and make sure everyone knows how to escape.
• Make sure exits are kept clear.
• The best route is the normal way in and out of your home.
• Think of a second route in case the first one is blocked.
• Take a few minutes to practice your escape plan.
• Review your plan if the layout of your home changes.

Keep door and window keys where everyone can find them

Source : Directgov - © Crown Copyright.