Evacuation the Key in House Fires

If a fire breaks out in your home, don't grab the fire extinguisher. Your first act should be to get everyone out of the house, and then call the fire department, says the National Fire Protection Association. To do this effectively, you need to rehearse an evacuation plan that teaches every family member two ways out of every room. Only after your home has been evacuated should you use a fire extinguisher. If the fire is larger than a trash can, though, leave the firefighting to the fire department.