Could You Escape in Less Than Two Minutes?

During this week (October 6-12) and for the remainder of October, Cochrane Fire Services is encouraging you to map out and practice a fire escape plan for your household. 

Inspector, Jeff Avery with Cochrane Fire is happy to see 2019's theme for 'National Fire Prevention Week' focus on the importance of getting out safely.  "This year's theme is all about making fire escape plans with the family. We are going to be going door-to-door and focusing on the Glenbow area since we can't do all of Cochrane within a week. So we will blitz the community and hand them out some information on how to build a fire escape plan, encourage them to practice if they don't have one, or show them how to make one in the first place."

With this being such an important but often not talked about topic, Avery, says Cochrane Fire will keep this year's weekly theme in the spotlight for the entire month. "While smoke alarms and CO alarms are extremely important we have almost become repetitive about those during Fire Prevention Week. So this is one of the first ones in a long time where we have concentrated on home fire escape plans."

The last time Cochrane Fire Services focused on fire escape plans was a couple of years ago, states Avery. "We did this at the Cochrane Trade show two years ago; out of a hundred families that I asked maybe ten had a home escape plan which is very low. It is often something we don't think about. We can tell our kids to call 911, stop, drop and roll, or to crawl under smoke, but does the whole family have a plan in place when/if they find themselves facing a fire? If people have to go out of different escapes; do they know where they are going to meet or go afterward? So a plan in place is crucial to have."

Having all members of the household know exactly how to get out safely also ranks high in importance, shares Avery. "Even after October if you are interested in getting some information or want to practice an escape, give us a call and we can help you. If parents are out, we want kids to still know what to do. That way they can share that information with their grandparents or the babysitter so that everyone knows where the muster point is outside and things like that. The more everyone practices the better; nothing beats repetition."

By practicing your household plan, Avery says all members of the house should be out within a maximum of two minutes. "Two minutes is the standard, but in most cases, it should take residents far less. I would love to see people be able to get out in sixty seconds or less during the daytime while in bed sleeping might take a little longer. The smoke alarm during the day will often be a visual emergency, but at night time it is an audible one; which is where the two-minute benchmark comes in."

To encourage residents to take this year's theme seriously, the Cochrane Fire department is even hosting a contest to entice more participation. "For anyone who would like an escape plan kit, we will have them at the fire hall all week and for the rest of the month. What we are asking families to do is to make a home escape plan, practice it, and then bring a copy of the plan back to the fire hall. I will then be looking for some really good ones, and then we will pick three. The top three plans selected will then get to enjoy a night out at the movies." 

If you would like assistance in creating, reviewing, executing, or even timing your escape route, Avery says he is more than willing to sit down with individuals or families to discuss. "Right now we are not doing this, so my hope is that with increased awareness almost every family residence in Cochrane will have a plan."

To discuss your home escape plan with Cochrane Fire Services, call them at 403-851-2544.