“I think maybe most people have one in mind, but I don’t think anybody practices it,” said Milton’s Deputy Fire Chief Dave Pratt in conjunction with Fire Prevention Week’s theme of Prevent Home Fires.

Once you practice it over and over again, it becomes second nature and you are less likely to panic should a hypothetical situation become a real one, says Pratt.

Sometimes you have mere seconds to escape and that’s why it’s imperative for family members to know exactly what to do when the smoke alarm goes off, he said. Hesitation can lead to tragedy.

The Milton Fire Department urges families to not just discuss how to escape a burning home, but to draw the actual floor plan of your house and identify all escape options.

Suggested steps for a home fire escape plan include: identifying all possible exits and ensuring they work; assessing the needs of all members of the household, especially those who need assistance to get out safely such as small children and seniors, and having a safe meeting place outside.

“Kids need to be involved,” said Pratt. “They need to know what a smoke alarm sounds like. They need to know where the meeting place is, whether it’s a tree, the neighbour’s porch.”

You can replace a dwelling, but quite obviously, you can’t replace a life, he added.

Once everyone has safely escaped, call the fire department from a neighbour’s home or cell phone, the department advises.

The law states that working smoke alarms must be installed on every storey of the home and outside all sleeping areas and although not mandatory, smoke alarms should be tested regularly.

‘Get low and go’ is another step for a safe exit: if you are in a smoke-filled room, get low and crawl under the smoke to the nearest exit.

The major causes of home fires continue to be cooking and carelessness from either smoking or burning candles, followed by unsafe home appliances, said Pratt.

“Kitchens are the highest hazard. You have a pot on the stove, you get distracted, the doorbell rings or the telephone rings and before you know it, the pot overheats.”

Home fires in Milton haven’t risen due in large part to the fact that the housing is of “newer stock,” said Pratt, with all new dwellings equipped with smoke alarms.

Prevention is always the key and is the message the fire department emphasizes each year in an attempt to change peoples’ mindsets — to remind them not to become complacent, that it can happen to them.

Some fire safety tips offered to homeowners and tenants alike: don’t leave your cooking unattended; always stay in the kitchen while you’re cooking. Avoid overloading electrical outlets and have your heating system inspected annually by a qualified professional.