According to the U.S. Fire Administration, over the past seven years, more people have died in home fires in Pennsylvania than in any other state.

During Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 6-12, the American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania reminds everyone to help protect your household by testing your smoke alarms each month and practicing your escape plan until everyone can get out in less than two minutes.

“Fire now travels faster through homes, largely due to popular open-concept layouts and synthetic materials,” Jorge Martinez, CEO of the American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania, said in a recent news release. “The sooner an alarm alerts you to a fire, the sooner you can get out. This is critical because fire experts say you may have less than two minutes to escape a burning home before it’s too late.”

Tips for creating a home fire escape plan and practicing a two-minute drill include the following.

• Everyone in the household should know two ways to escape from each room in your home.

• Smoke is dangerous. Get low and go!

• Decide where to meet outside. Select a meeting spot at a safe distance away from the residence, such as a neighbor’s home or landmark like a specific tree in the front yard, where everyone knows to meet.

• Get out and stay out. Never go back inside for people, pets or things.

• When practicing the escape plan, time it.

• While practicing an escape plan, teach children what a smoke alarm sounds like. Talk about fire safety and what to do in an emergency.

Smoke alarm safety includes the following.

• Place smoke alarms on each level of a residence, including inside and outside bedrooms and sleeping areas.

• In addition to testing smoke alarms once a month, change the batteries at least once a year, if the model requires it.

• Check the manufacturer’s date of home smoke alarms. If the alarms are more than 10 years old, they need to be replaced because the sensor becomes less sensitive over time. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Visit redcross.org/fire for more information, including a home fire escape plan to create and practice. Download the free ARC Emergency app (search “American Red Cross” in app stores).

In other initiatives, the American Red Cross of Greater Pennsylvania is rallying volunteers to install free smoke alarms in communities across the state.

In the next few weeks, ARC will hold a special series of Sound the Alarm events in high-risk communities with local volunteers, firefighters and community partners. Organizers will meet with local families to install free smoke alarms, help families create a two-minute fire escape plan and share safety information on home fires and other local disaster risks.

The effort is made possible through financial donations from regional partners including Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania, Erie Insurance Group, EQT, FedEx Ground, MSA, National Fuel Gas, Seneca Resources, UGI Utilities Inc., UPMC and UPMC Health Plan.

Visit soundthealarm.org/greaterpa for details on free smoke alarm installation.