It is not enough for you to draw up an evacuation plan. You and your family need to be on the same page. Everyone needs to know what you are doing and why. This is not to be touchy-feely about the situation. By making sure your whole family is on the same page for fire safety and potential evacuation, everyone can feel like they are a part of the plan and you can eliminate risk from clueless kids or confused spouses. Involving your whole family in the planning can also help plug holes in your plan.

Each member of the family will have their own concerns to bring forward and these may show you a better solution than your original proposal or stop you from forgetting to plan for something critical (like bringing along essential medications or the family pet).