Fire officials encouraging residents to have an evacuation plan ready

NORTH HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — With several recent house fires across the state, fire officials are reminding residents to always have an evacuation plan.

The American Red Cross reported that only 26% of families have a home fire escape plan. Safety experts told News 8 that those evacuation plans can save lives.

In some cases, residents could have up to three minutes to escape a fire, according to North Haven Fire Chief Paul Januszewski.

When it comes to an evacuation plan, knowing all the exits, mapping out the windows and doors, and finding the quickest way out could go a long way.

Safety officials recommend that residents do the following: • Practice the escape plan at different points in the day at least twice a year • Find two exits in the room and make sure they're not blocked