When a 12 year-old Norristown boy ran back in to a house fire yesterday to try and rescue his disabled father, he needlessly lost his life because the rest of his family were outside, in back of the house. No one should EVER return into a burning home for any reason -- yet many people perish because they simply cannot find a loved one. All of this could be avoided with smart family emergency planning.

Every family should have an emergency meeting point, and practice how to get out of their home in an emergency. Experts recommend teaching children two ways to exit the home -- through doors and windows, and ALWAYS choose a single meeting point where family members can gather. The meeting point can be a tree, a fence, a swing or even a mailbox -- choose a place that everyone knows, and practice gathering there in an emergency. Gathering at a meeting place assures that everyone can easily and quickly be accounted for.

At least once per year -- more with younger children, run a family fire escape drill, and practice gathering at a safe meeting place. Those practice drills assure children and adults can quickly remember how to escape, and where to gather.

Family members must never re-enter a burning home -- wait for fire and rescue personnel to arrive.

For more information on the Norristown fire, click here: http://6abc.com/news/family-boy-12-killed-after-rescue-attempt-in-norristown-fire/1188391/

For more information on creating and practicing a family emergency escape plan, see: http://www.firefacts.org/family_safety.htm and http://www.sparky.org/safety_tips.html and http://www.nfpa.org/safety-information/for-consumers/escape-planning/basic-fire-escape-planning .