SC American Red Cross urges residents to have fire escape plan

Now through October 15th is Fire Prevention week, and the South Carolina American Red Cross is urging residents to prepare, and have your two minute fire escape plan ready.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO)– Now through October 15th is Fire Prevention week, and the South Carolina American Red Cross is urging residents to prepare, and have your two minute fire escape plan ready.

Fire experts say two minutes is the amount of time you may have to safely escape a home fire before it’s too late.

Disaster trained Red Cross volunteers respond to an average of six home fires in South Carolina every day, and as we enter into the colder months, that number increases by about 30%.

So they say this week is a great reminder to prepare now and that could include changing your smoke alarms out if they’re more than 10 years old, testing your alarms monthly, changing the batteries at least once a year, and including at least two exits in every room of your house in your escape plan.