Cheyenne Fire Rescue Chief Urges To Ensure A Home Fire Escape Plan

Press release from the City of Cheyenne:

April 2, 2020

Now that the kids are home because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this is a good time for parents and children to make a home fire escape plan.

“Fire can spread rapidly through your home, leaving you just a few minutes to escape safely once the smoke alarm sounds,” said Cheyenne Fire Rescue Chief Greg Hoggatt. “This is a good time to get everyone in the house together and ensure the plan is in place and you practice the fire safety plan.”

The best way to do that, said Hoggatt, is to walk through your home and inspect all possible exits and escape routes. This should be done in households with or without children. Drawing a floor plan of your home, making two ways out of each room, including windows and doors.

Chief Hoggatt offers these tips in making an escape plan:

- When you walk through your plan, check to make sure the escape routes are clear and doors and windows can be opened easily

- Choose an outside meeting place (a light pole, neighbor’s house or stop sign) a safe distance from your home where everyone can meet. Make sure to mark the location of the meeting place on your escape plan

- Go outside to see if your street number is clearly visible from the street. If not, make sure your house number is visible from the street

- Once you are out, stay out! Under no circumstances should you ever go back in. If someone is missing notify the 911 dispatcher or firefighters on scene

- Practice your home escape plan

For more information about making a fire escape plan, call Cheyenne Fire Rescue at 307-637-6311.

This press release was produced by the City of Cheyenne. The views expressed here are the author’s own.