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Smoke detectors have probably saved more lives than any other twentieth century invention. They are inexpensive, easy to install and have failsafe properties. In one case, a family had not yet opened a gift wrapped smoke alarm, a holiday present from a friend, when it annunciated in the middle of the night giving the family plenty of time to escape a home fire.
In addition to smoke alarms homes should contain conveniently located fire extinguishers. These should be periodically checked to insure they are fully charged. It sometimes makes sense for second story dwellers to keep a short coil of rope available for use if emergency evacuation is required during a fire emergency. Some people keep a rope underneath their bed secured to a bedpost.
Many residents, who become trapped upstairs during a fire, have no option except to jump from a window. However, taking a few extra seconds to crawl out on the windowsill, holding on and swinging down, then dropping to the ground, rather than just jumping, eliminates several feet from the drop. This can often make the difference between landing unhurt or suffering a serious injury, such as a broken leg.
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