Due to the recent tragedy in Brooklyn, New York where 7 children were killed in a house fire, the Radnor Fire Company would like to remind all homeowners to check your smoke detectors and to have a home escape plan.

According to an National Fire Protection Association survey, only one-third of Americans have both developed and practiced a home fire escape plan. In 2011, there were an estimated 370,000 reported home structure fires and 2,520 associated civilian deaths in the United States.

Fire can spread rapidly through your home, leaving you as little as two minutes to escape safely once the alarm sounds. Pull together everyone in your household and make a plan. Walk through your home and inspect all possible exits and escape routes. Households with children should consider drawing a floor plan of your home, marking two ways out of each room, including windows and doors. Also, mark the location of each smoke alarm. This is a great way to get children involved in fire safety in a non-threatening way.

For easy planning, download NFPA's escape planning grid at http://www.nfpa.org/~/media/Files/Safety%20information/For%20consumers/Escape/escape_plan.pdf