Winter is the time of year when the risk of fires increases, and the American Red Cross says when there's a home fire, every second counts."In most cases, you might only have about two minutes to escape," says Heather Frazee, the executive director for the Piedmont Triad American Red Cross. "And so it's so important to ensure that you are talking with your family and making sure that you have a plan in place and that you're practicing that frequently."She says that a fire escape plan should include a meeting spot a safe distance from your home, making sure you have at least two escape routes in the event of a fire, and making sure your family has practiced going through the safety plan.Another crucial part is making sure you have working smoke alarms on every level of your home."The sooner the alarm alerts you to a fire, the sooner you can get out," Frazee said. "It is critical to make sure that there are smoke alarms on each level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms and sleeping areas. Also, testing your alarms once a month. And then really checking on the manufacturer date of your smoke alarms. Because if they're 10 years or older, they likely need to be replaced."Frazee also says people need to stay aware and keep heat sources like candles or heaters away from flammable materials."Make sure that you are protecting yourselves as the temperature drops," she says. "Even if it's how you're heating your home to make sure that you're taking precautions to stay safe."Frazee says organizations like the American Red Cross offer support resources for people who experience a home fire and encourages people to call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767).The American Red Cross also has a program to help people get a smoke alarm if they can't purchase one or are physically unable to install one. You can visit the site here.