“When the time for decision arrives, the time for preparation is past.” -Thomas S. Monson

A fire is one scenario you never want to find yourself unprepared.

If you’re at a loss for what to do in a fire, there’s no better time than now to get learn. We’ve got you covered with 3 vital ways to stay safe in case of a fire at home.

What to Do in a Fire

1. Get Everyone Out–Fast

This may seem like an obvious tip for what to do during a fire, but studies have shown that when an alarm goes off, people actually tend to react slowly.

Even if you are aware of all your exits, smoke from the fire can blind you, making doors and windows harder to find. This is another reason it’s good to practice fire drills before an actual fire.

Physically walking to your exit once or multiple times before a real fire can help ingrain it in your brain.

Especially if you live in a home with children, it’s a good idea to go over your escape plan before a fire occurs. Practice finding your exists quickly, and knowing what backup exits are available if your main door or exit becomes obstructed in the fire.

If you live in an apartment building or a larger home, it may even be worth drawing up a map for your family to review from time to time.

Sadly, sometimes people assume they have time to grab valuables or important paperwork.

Resist the impulse.

The most important thing during a fire is to get everyone out as quickly and safely as possible. Things can be replaced, people cannot.

2. Know Fire Safety

Unfortunately, step one is not always easily done. In cases such as these, the following safety rules will help you know what to do in a fire:

• Before opening a door, check to see if there is smoke or heat coming from the cracks around and beneath it.
• If smoke is coming from under the door, don’t open it! If possible, find another exit.
• If you don’t see any smoke, touch the door or doorknob. If either is warm or hot, don’t open it.
• If there is no smoke or heat, you can open the door. However, do it slowly. The fresh oxygen suddenly flowing from the room you are in can feed the fire if it’s in the room you are entering.

To prevent or detect fires quicker than your average smoke alarm, you may also consider having video fire detection installed in your home.

3. Get Low

We’re not talking about a dance move here, we mean literally.

Did you know that more people are hurt by inhaling smoke in a fire, than by the actual flames?

Hot air naturally rises, so smoke will be more concentrated closer to the ceiling.

If smoke is very dense when you’re trying to escape, get down low to the ground. Your best bet to avoid breathing in a dangerous amount of smoke is to crawl quickly under it to your nearest exit.

The “get low” tip also applies to which exit you try using first. If you can, get to a first-floor door or window before attempting to climb out a second story.

More Fire Safety Tips

For further ideas on what to do in a fire, check out our blog post, 5 Compelling Reasons to Keep a Personal Fireproof Safe in your home.