In the event of a fire in your home, it can sometimes be difficult to keep a level head. That’s why Perry Fire Chief Chris Hinds urges families to practice their evacuation procedures regularly.

Hinds says it’s important to always know your way out, because escape for you and your family is the only thing that matters when it comes to fires. “Nothing is worth a life. So the most important thing is to get out, and make sure everybody gets out safely. Make sure you’ve got a rendezvous point outside that is safe and away from the home, so that you can all meet there and make sure that everybody’s accounted for. If somebody’s not accounted for, make sure that you let fire personnel know as soon as they’re on scene. That way we know if we’re going in and searching for somebody that’s maybe still inside the home, so that we know that everybody is safe and accounted for.”

Hinds adds, it may sound cold, but in a fire you shouldn’t stop and try to rescue pets. Unless you can grab a dog or cat on your way to the door, he says to leave them. Often times pets will hide when they’re frightened, so he advises you to leave the search up to the firefighters. To learn more about fire safety, listen to the Perry Fareway Let’s Talk Dallas County program with Hinds by clicking the link below.

https://raccoonvalleyradio.com/2018/02/lets-talk-dallas-county-2202018-chris-hinds/