Teach Your Children about Fire Safety

No matter how old children are fire safety and family fire safety routes should be one of the most important subjects parents teach. Fire is the second leading cause for accident deaths in children 0-15 with over 1,200 children dying in a fire annually; on top of that there is an estimated 2,900 injuries to children annually from house fires. What is even more shocking is how many of those fires are started by children playing with matches, candles or other fire devices. In fact, children started 30% of fires that have resulted in the death of a child.

Therefore, fire safety is at the top of our list of subject matters to teach your children, we want your family to stay safe should something as unexpected and deadly as a fire happen in your home.

Preschool
Explain to children how dangerous it can be to play with, around or near any type of fire device; such as matches, lighters, candles, electrical plugs or Christmas trees. These are all at the top of the lists of fires starting in homes. Make sure they understand how important this rule is and be honest when you tell them why.

Take precautions in your home along with the rest of your family. Have a family escape route and practice it with everyone in your home. Have a point where everyone will meet up, say for example the big oak tree in front of your house. Make sure they know to get out now, if a fire ever breaks out in your home. Explain that stopping to get Teddy could get them stuck in the fire, there will always be another teddy, but never another child.

Main points to address:

• Explain to your children how dangerous playing with fire is.
• Practice fire safety routes with your children. (See fire escape plan in the resources below).

Grades K-3rd
Children want to know the truth, especially when they get to the early elementary school age. Be honest with your children about fire statistics annually. Don’t hide these facts from your children, they should be openly shared for your children to have the respect needed for fire and fire safety.

Go over fire safety rules with your children regularly, including everything from plugging in electronics to placing things on top of radiators. Give them the STOP, DROP, and ROLL demonstration, just in case something so horrific would happen. That, along with the family safety route, should be practiced at least once a month with your family and children.

Main points to address:

• Be honest with your child about fire statistics.
• Demonstrate the stop drop and roll routine.
• Practice fire safety routes with your children.

Grades 4th-6th
One thing that really makes an impact on children during the impressionable age is going to places that offer a firsthand account for others who have gone through the same type of situation.  If you want your children to respect fire and fire safety take them to a hospital that treats children who were victims of fire. You and your child can volunteer with the victims to play games with, read stories to or just simplly have a friend close by. This is a great way to not only teach the affects of fire and the importance of fire safety, but also humanitarian efforts of helping others.

Fire safety routes are important for children and families of any age, again this is very important for parents to create and practice regularly with their families.

Main points to address:

• Volunteer with your child at burn centers  Eto read books or play games with the burn victims.
• Practice fire safety routes with your children.

Resources
Resources that can help you in your venture include:

• USFA For Parents – http://www.usfa.dhs.gov
• Be Fire Smart – http://www.befiresmart.com
• Fire Escape Plan – http://www.usfa.dhs.gov
• USFA Kids – http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/kids/flash.shtm

For Kids

• Fire Safety for Kids – http://www.pct3vfd.com/news/firesafetykids/
• Smokey The Bear – http://www.smokeybear.com/
• Sparky the Dog – http://www.sparky.org/
• McGruff – http://www.mcgruff.org

Posted in Health.

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