1.) Make a home escape plan. Draw a map of each level of your home. Show all doors and windows.

Go to each room and point to the two ways out. Practice the plan with everyone in your household.

2.) Learn your building’s emergency evacuation plan. Make a home escape plan that includes it.

Go to each room and the building exits and point to the way out. Practice the plan with everyone in your household.

3.) Teach your children how to escape on their own in case you cannot help them. Make sure they can open windows, remove screens and unlock doors.

4.) Teach your children how to escape on their own in case you cannot help them. They must use the stairs to escape, not the elevator.

Teach them to feel the door before escaping. If the door feels cool, unlock the door and check outside. Practice using the exit stairs.

5.) Teach your children how to escape on their own in case you cannot help them. Teach them to feel the door before escaping.

If the door feels warm, or if there is smoke on the other side, they should stay inside and call the fire department from the apartment.

Teach them to signal for help at the window with a light-colored cloth or a flashlight.

6.) Push the button on your smoke alarm to start your home fire drill. Practice what to do in case there is smoke. Get low and go. Get out fast.

7.) Push the test button on your alarm to start the drill. Practice using the exit stairs and going to your meeting place.

8.) Push the test button on your alarm to start the drill. Get low and go to your exit. Close the door as you leave your home.

Never go back in for any reason. Meet at your meeting place.

9.) Practice feeling the door before escaping. Practice what to do if the door feels cool. Close doors behind you as you leave.

Use the exit stairs to get out and stay out. Never go back inside. Go to your outside meeting place.

10.) Practice what to do if the door feels hot. Call 911. Place a cloth outside your window to let firefighters know you are still inside.

11.) Before opening your door, feel the door with the back of your hand. If it is hot, leave the door closed and use your second way out.

12.) If you cannot get out, close the door and cover vents and cracks around the door with cloth to keep smoke out.

Call 911 or your fire department. Say where you are and then signal for help at the window with a light-colored cloth or a flashlight