Fire is hot, dark, and fast moving. It’s not light nor is it an environment that is cool enough to enter without protective gear, as is portrayed on television and in movies.  E.D.I.T.H is the fire department’s program to teach you and your family how to escape a fire in your home. You should gather your family together, discuss fire safety, draw out a plan of your home and finally, practice, practice, practice getting out alive.

Some sections to help you get started:

• Keep in mind that fire is hot, dark and fast moving.

• Generally speaking, smoke is what kills not flames. Smoke and heat rise so remember   to stay low and crawl below the smoke and heat.

• Sleep with your doors shut. This can allow you up to an extra fifteen minutes to escape.

• Draw a diagram of your home on a piece of poster board and review it with your family.

• Ensure that you mark the location of your smoke detectors which should be placed on each floor, outside sleeping areas and in each bedroom. Sound the detectors so that everyone knows what they sound like.

• Make sure that there are two clearly defined exits from each room, usually a door and a window.  For homes with more than one floor above grade, rope ladders are available for purchase from local retail and hardware stores.

• Before exiting a room, feel the door for heat with the back of your hand. If it is hot, do not open it, use a window instead.

• Teach children not to hide. They need to go to not run away from firefighters who can look rather scary in their gear.

• Designate a meeting area outside of your home.

• NEVER EVER call 911 from inside a burning home. Exit the home and then call 911 from a neighbor’s house.

• NEVER EVER re-enter the home for any reason. Alert arriving firefighters to any persons or pets trapped in the home.

• Every one should know and practice Stop, Drop and Roll.

One parting thought, practice, practice, practice!!