How To Prepare Kids for a Fire Emergency

12/8/2020 (Permalink)

Kids' safety is an integral part of any fire escape plan

How To Prepare Kids for a Fire Emergency

As a parent, you work hard to keep your kids safe. When was the last time you performed a drill or went over an escape route? Every kid's safety plan should include well-planned and practiced fire emergency steps.

Create a Plan
Develop fire escape plans as a family. Find all of the possible exits and mark them on a map of your home. Create routes from each bedroom so that each child has his or her own escape plan. Decide on a meeting place outside of the house as a family. Allowing kids to help with the planning helps them learn and memorize what to do if there is a home fire.

Practice
Performing fire drills at least twice a year will keep your family up to date on kids safety. When practicing, treat the drill as though it were real. Set off smoke alarms and have your children use the following fire safety tactics:

• Roll out of the bed and flat on their stomachs onto the floor
• Crawl on their forearms and knees to the nearest exit
• Check doors with the back of their hands to see if they are hot before opening them
• Close doors behind them to prevent spread and fire damage

With practice, children can use these methods to avoid as much fire and smoke exposure as possible in a real emergency.

Prep Your Home
Preparing your kids means preparing your home, too. Install smoke alarms in every bedroom and outside of all sleeping areas. Change the batteries every six months. Periodically check that windows are easy to open and that exit doors are easy to access. Finally, keep a list of emergency numbers, including the local fire department in Woodstock, GA, and memorize them with your kids.
Kids' safety is an integral part of any fire escape plan. With proper planning and practice, your family can rest easier knowing that you are all prepared.