Teaching Children Fire Safety

Teaching children fire safety is something that needs to be done not only in school but also at home. Children need to be taught fire safety by their parents and unique fire safety issues that pertain to their own house need to be brought to light. One such lesson about fire safety that cannot be taught in schools is how exactly each child is to get out of his room safely in the case of a fire. Or in other words a fire escape plan. Of course a fire escape plan, although important, is not the only thing that children need to be taught about fire safety. Below are just a few more suggestions for topics that need to be addressed when teaching children fire safety.

•Teach children that although a house fire can be a very scary thing, they should never hide from a fire. Unfortunately, many kids hide in a closet, under the bed or in a corner when there is a fire.

•Most people who are seriously injured or killed by a fire do not suffer mainly from burns, but rather from smoke inhalation. Kids therefore need to be taught to crawl low to the ground if there is smoke and to cover their nose and mouth with something to try to keep out the dangerous fumes.

•The safest exit during a fire can be found by touch. Teach children that they should use the back of their hand to test as high up on the door as they can (heat rises) to see if the door is hot. If it is hot do not open the door. There is most likely fire on the other side. Instead escape out of the window.

•If you live in an apartment building, find the nearest safe exit. Always use the stairs in case of a fire rather than the elevator. If your apartment or condo has clearly marked fire exits, make sure to point these out to your children.

•Never go back into a burning building or postpone your escape in order to gather personal belongings. Unfortunately, not even pets should be a reason for going back into a burning building. You can let the fire department know that you have a pet inside and let them attempt to do the saving.

•Call 911 once all of the members of your family have reached a pre-determined safe spot. Make sure that you speak clearly to the 911 operator so that he can send help right to your address as soon as possible.

•Stop-Drop-and-Roll if any piece of your clothing catches fire. Cover your face with your hands while you are rolling.

Your kids can also play a vital role in preventing fires by always using caution when by fires or by anything that could cause a fire. Fire safety includes being sure not to overload electrical circuits, keeping heaters at least 3 feet away from anything flammable, and being extremely cautious when cooking in the kitchen. Children should never be allowed to operate appliances without adult supervision.

Allow your kids to go on a hunt through your house after teaching them these and other fire prevention tips to see if they can find anything that may be hazardous. You may be surprised at what they find and at the changes that you may not have been aware that you need to make in order to make your house more fire safe.

Regular reminders are not only needed to keep fire safety fresh in the mind of your children, but also because of the fact that every time you bring up the topic of fire safety they can learn something new.