In the month of October many schools celebrate Fire Prevention Week which is an annual event designed to raise awareness of fire dangers and to get the word out to parents, teachers, and children about fire safety tips. Fire safety does not need to be a serious or scary topic for kids. The key is for them to learn how to escape from a fire safely. Little kids are fascinated by fire trucks, so one of the highlights of Fire Safety Week is a visit to the schools by the local fire companies with their fire trucks. Children get to see the big fire hoses and the firemen usually demonstrate how they use their masks to breathe. Students are taught the STOP, DROP, and ROLL technique to use if their clothing ever catches on fire. They are instructed to cover their face with their hands and to roll back and forth to extinguish the flames. Firemen tell the children that if they ever encounter smoke to drop to the ground and crawl on their hands and knees, staying below the smoke, towards the exit. Do not open a hot door. Use a wet towel or piece of clothing under the door to prevent smoke from coming in. Students learn 2 different ways out of a burning building (doors and windows). They are told not to hide, or hunt for their pets, or stop to play, but to get outside as quickly as possible and meet at a predesignated place with their families or teacher and classmates. As a parent, find out when Fire Safety Week is in your child’s school and do your part to help your child stay safe. A great idea is to have your family draw a floor plan of your home and have your child point out 2 different ways to escape.
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