When fire strikes, seconds matter. Declan Dwyer has seen it firsthand in more than three decades of firefighting. His message is clear: a well-practiced home fire escape plan saves lives.

Declan’s key advice:

• Inside access: Make sure all doors and windows can be opened from the inside. If they need keys, keep them close by.

• Smoke alarms: Know how they sound and what to do when they go off — every family member should be prepared.

• Meeting point: Agree on a safe outdoor location, like the letterbox, so everyone knows where to gather.

• Escape routes: Identify at least two exits from each room. Walk through them as a family — can everyone get out using those routes, including kids or older relatives?

• Practice often: Drill your plan so that, under stress, everyone knows exactly what to do.

Extra tips from @MFS_SA:

• Install interconnected photoelectric smoke alarms in sleeping and living areas.

• Test alarms monthly, clean every six months, replace batteries every 12 months, or if a low battery sound emits.

• Keep escape paths clear of obstacles.

• In practice runs: crawl low under smoke, close doors behind you, head straight to your meeting point, call 000, and never re-enter the building.

Being fire-ready isn’t about fear — it’s about giving your family the best chance to get out safely.

👉 Take time this week to sit down with your family and map out your escape routes. Then practice them together.

For more info, check out - https://www.mfs.sa.gov.au/community-safety/safety-and-education/fact-sheets/home-fire-escape-plan

#30Days30WaysAUS #HomeFireEscapePlan #GetReady #SAMFS