Return to top of Home Fire Escape Plan Exit Safely From a Structure Jumping from upper floors of a building should be avoided. However, it is possible to hang from a second story window and drop feet first to the ground without significant injury. A sprained ankle or broken leg is better than dying. Parents can purchase fire ladders for the bedrooms, or instruct children to use an adjacent porch or garage roof to await rescue by the fire department. When exiting such a structure, do not use the elevator.
Elevators are notorious for stopping at the fire floor and killing the people inside.
A power failure may cause them to stop in between floors. Use the fire escape or an enclosed fire resistive stairwell to exit. As a family, explore the building so that every exit, is familiar, including those from storage, laundry and recreation rooms. If the hallways become smoke-filled as the result of a fire, memory can help in finding the exits. Remember, the first step toward escaping a fire is to plan ahead.