Make sure all smoke alarms are in working order

  It's a fact — having a smoke alarm in the house cuts your risk of dying in a fire in half. If your home doesn't have smoke
  alarms, now is the time to install them on every level of your home and in each bedroom. If possible, choose one with a
  10-year lithium battery. If your smoke alarm uses regular batteries, remember to replace them every year (hint: change your
  batteries when you change your clock back from Daylight Saving Time in the fall). Test your smoke alarms monthly, and be
  sure your kids are familiar with the sound of the alarm. Almost 60% of all fatal residential fires occur in homes that don't
  have smoke alarms, so this may be the single most important thing you can do to keep your family safe from fires.

  Because smoke rises, smoke detectors should always be placed on ceilings or high on walls. If a smoke detector near the
  kitchen goes off while you're cooking, do not take the battery out of it — you may forget to replace it. Open the doors and
  windows instead. Or you might consider installing a rate-of-rise heat detector for places like the kitchen, where smoke or
  steam from cooking are likely to cause false alarms. These alarms can sense when the temperature reaches a set critical
  point or when it rises by more than a certain number of degrees a minute.

  If you're having a new home built or remodeling an older home, you may also want to consider adding a home sprinkler
  system. These are already found in many apartment buildings and dormitories.

  Keep fire extinguishers handy

  Be prepared for any accidents by having fire extinguishers strategically placed around your house — at least one on each
  floor and in the kitchen (this one should be an all-purpose extinguisher, meaning it can be used on grease and electrical fires),
  the basement, the garage, or workshop area. Keep them out of reach of children.

  Fire extinguishers are best used when a fire is contained in a small area, like a wastebasket, and when the fire department has
  already been called. The NFPA says to remember the word PASS when operating an extinguisher:

• Pull the pin. Release the lock with the nozzle pointing away from you.
• Aim low. Point the extinguisher at the base of the fire.
• Squeeze the lever slowly and evenly.
• Sweep the nozzle from side to side.

  The best time to learn how to use the fire extinguisher is now, before you ever need it (if you have any questions, the local
  fire department can help). Fire extinguishers have gauges on them indicating when they need to be replaced and should be
  checked regularly to make sure they are still  functional.

  If you're ever in doubt about whether to use an extinguisher on a fire, don't try it. Instead, leave the house immediately and
  call the fire department.

  Plan escape routes

  Planned escape routes are a necessity, especially if a fire were to occur during the night. Go through each room in your
  house and think about the possible exits. You should have in your mind two escape routes from each room, in case one is
   blocked by fire. Inspect the room to make  sure that furniture and other objects are not blocking doorways or windows.
   Make sure that the windows in every room are easy to open and
  are not painted over or nailed shut — remember, these may be your only way out in a fire. If you live in an apartment building, make sure any safety
  bars on windows are removable in an emergency. Be sure to know the locations of the closest stairwells or fire escapes and where they lead.

  If your house is more than one story tall or if you live above the ground floor of an apartment building, an escape ladder is an
  important safety feature. You should have one escape ladder made of fire-safe material (aluminum, not rope) in each upper-
  story bedroom that is occupied by a person who is capable of using it. Like fire extinguishers, escape ladders should be
  operated by adults only. The ladder must be approved by an independent testing laboratory; it's length must be appropriate
  for your home, and it must support the weight of the heaviest adult in the house.