This is an area I am worried about as well. We have multiple fire exits and my plan is to grab my girls first as they sleep upstairs and run to the basement with them (this is where my daycare is) and grab the rest of the kids exiting from one of 4 basement fire exits.

I wonder if it would be smarter to put my girls out on the front porch (not enclosed but there is a railing with a gate) as we run past this to get to the basement or should we all stay together. My oldest is 3.5 and youngest 18 mos. I don't know if I feel super safe having them alone on the porch but I wonder if the safety issues with that out weigh the risks of keeping them in the house? Other thoughts?