subject: Fire Safety For School Kids [print this page] Fire Safety For School Kids Fire Safety For School Kids
The earlier we begin teaching our children about fire safety and prevention the better. The more knowledge they have, the better their chances of survival in an emergency situation. There are many classroom activities that can be implemented to increase awareness with our kids.
We will begin by teaching the students about prevention. Let your pupils know where in the room you have preventions already in place. These will include fire alarms, fire extinguishers, exit doors, and exit lights. Always be sure that these are not blocked by any school supplies like posters or other materials. Outlets should not be overfilled with cords. If you use surge protectors make certain they are never plugged into each other. Once they know about ways to prevent fires in the classroom you can also discuss methods to prevent fires in their homes. They could even make a checklist sheet to post on the refrigerator and to discuss with their families.
Next we will instruct them on what to do in the event of an actual fire. Most schools already have fire drills which will familiarize them with the school's exit routes. You should also go over the ways that students should look for exit signs. Also, get them used to the idea of crawling during a fire, as this will be the appropriate method to get underneath the smoke while exiting a burning building.
A really great and effective technique is the "stop, drop and roll" method. If a student were to catch on fire they can put out the fire by stopping, dropping, and rolling until the flames are extinguished. You can actually have the kids physically practice this exercise.
Lastly, you can instruct students on how smoke detectors work, their purpose, and how to respond when one is triggered. Show the students a real alarm and make sure they are aware of why they are so loud. You can describe how one works to younger students by saying that the detector can "smell" the smoke and alert us to a possible fire by producing the piercing sound. You can then engage in an actual evacuation drill. Also, let them see where the batteries are inserted and know that if the batteries are not working properly, the device will beep every few minutes to let them know it's time to change the batteries.
If you practice these tips and drills with your students you will increase their chances of survival in a fire at school or at home.
