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Fire Safety and Kids: Making It Not Scary | SERVPRO® of Talladega, Clay & Randolph Counties
6/12/2023 (Permalink)
SERVPRO of Talladega, Clay & Randolph Counties is here for you and your family if you experience a fire in your home or business.
Children can be an endless source of joy. Watching them learn and grow as they experience the world with wide eyes is a great reminder for all of us to enjoy our surroundings a little more. While it is a joy to teach them gentle lessons, some things are harder concepts to share than others.
Learning how to stay safe during a fire emergency is one of those challenging lessons that is incredibly important to teach early and often.
Fires are scary no matter how old you are, but if you practice safety lessons in a comfortable and fun way, everyone can learn how to respond appropriately and keep themselves safe.
One of the best ways to teach kids is through experience. When they can see cause and effect, children can better absorb lessons, so start by explaining to them they ways fires can start. Take them to areas in your home with high risks, including the stove, fireplace or fire pits if you have them. Make sure they understand how to use these areas safely.
Another crucial part of teaching fire safety is educating your children about matches and lighters.
Store them out of their reach, and make sure they know if they ever find one, it should be brought to an adult right away. Entire homes have burned down from a single match that was left smoldering.
While children often learn about community helpers when they are young, authority figures can still be scary, especially when they are in uniform. Talk to your kids about who would respond if your home did experience a fire. Show them pictures of firefighters wearing all of their gear, and consider finding a time to introduce your children to police officers and firefighters for some hands-on experience.
In order to teach your kids how to respond to these heroes during an event, create a game. Use your smoke alarms as a starting bell so the kids can hear the sound, and then have them army-crawl from one spot to another. Once they cross the finish line, have them call out their name or say “I need help.” Keep things light and fun.
Every family should have an emergency exit plan. Spend time creating one with your family, and let the kids figure out how to safely get out of each room the fastest. Get out some craft supplies and challenge everyone to make a map of your home.
Windows should only be a last resort from exiting your home, but it is still important to make sure your children know how to operate them in the event they are unable to get help. Make sure your kids understand the dangers involved and that this is not something they should ever play with.
In your exit plan, include a meeting spot a safe distance away from danger. Make this a spot your kids are familiar with, perhaps even allowing them to play there on a regular basis. Teach your children how to call 911 and relay basic information. Practice your emergency plans often in order to make sure everyone knows how to stay safe.
Fires can cause widespread damage. Call us for a thorough and efficient restoration.