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TEACHING CHILDREN THE IMPORTANCE OF HOME FIRE SAFETY
4/19/2016 (Permalink)
According to Safe Kids.org, in 2013, 334 children died in home fires. Eighty seven percent of all fire-related deaths occur during home fires. Home fires can spread rapidly and leave families with as little as 2 minutes to escape. Teaching children fire safety and making sure families create their own fire escape plans are vital to helping save lives in the event of a home fire.
START EARLY
It is never too soon to start teaching children fire safety. Below are some tips for parents.
- Working smoke alarms reduce the chances of dying in a fire by nearly 50 percent. They are a critical first step for staying safe, but in order to be effective, they have to be working properly. For the best protection, install smoke alarms on every level of your home and in every sleeping area. Make sure to check them regularly.
- Teach kids never to play with matches and lighters. Make a habit of placing these items up and away from young children.
- Create and practice a home fire escape plan with two ways out of every room in case of a fire. Get a stopwatch and time how fast your family can escape. Make a goal of under 2 minutes. The kids will love it. Here’s a handy worksheet to help get you started.
- Children should know how to respond to the sound of a smoke alarm. Teach them to get low and get out when they hear it. A child who is coached properly ahead of time will have a better chance to be safe. Watch this video from safekids.org to learn more.
- Use common sense in the kitchen. Limit distractions when cooking and don’t leave a hot oven or stovetop unattended.
- Blow out candles before you leave the room or before you go to sleep.
CREATE AND PRACTICE A FIRE ESCAPE PLAN
- Draw a map of your home, you can use the below grid. Show all doors and windows. http://www.safekids.org/sites/default/files/Images/SafetyTips/fire_escape_plan_grid_2014.pdf
- Visit each room. Find two ways out.
- All windows and doors should open easily. You should be able to use them to get outside.
- Make sure your home has smoke alarms. Push the test button to make sure each alarm is working.
- Pick a meeting place outside. It should be in front of your home. Everyone will meet at the meeting place.
- Make sure your house or building number can be seen from the street.
- Talk about your plan with everyone in your home.
- Learn the emergency phone number for your fire department.
- Practice your home fire escape drill! Try to get everyone out in less than 2 minutes.
- Discuss a safe place to meet once everyone is outside.
Giving children the knowledge and tools they need empowers them and gives them a sense of security. Educate early and often about fire safety and what they can do to help keep your family safe. For more helpful tips and kid friendly activities you can check out www.safekids.org and sparky.org.