A tropical storm warning is in effect for Mecklenburg County. Tropical storm-force winds and heavy rains are expected through Friday.
Once your smoke alarm has been activated you may have ways out of each room; especially the sleeping areas. If you live in a two-story house, you may want to invest in a fire safety ladder, available at most hardware stores. Remember to set up a meeting place outside your home for everyone to report to after they have gotten out (a tree, basketball goal, the mailbox, etc.).
In a real fire you don't have time to think about what you should do. Fire drills will make the steps of a safe escape second nature. Hold practice drills at night when most fires occur, and hold surprise drills to make sure your family responds quickly. Check out the pictures below to learn how to create your escape plan today! Click here to download a template to draw your home fire plan(PDF, 375KB).