HOME SAFETY
Learning home fire safety techniques are important to teach the whole family and practice several times a year. Why? Because these are the alarming statistics:
* U.S. Fire
Administration
^ National Fire Protection Association
How Do I Teach My Child About Such An Important Topic?
KEEP IT SIMPLE
Children learn best when the rules are straightforward and easy
to remember. Follow the 6 Cool Fire Safety Tips to make learning fun. If you
have preschoolers, you may want to introduce just one or two of these tips at a
time.
USE "TEACHABLE MOMENTS"
Reinforce your discussions about fire safety whenever the topic arises. For
example, when there's a fire in town, the news or in a book, or when you see a
fire, ask your children what they would do if they were in that situation.
DO IT, DON'T JUST SAY IT
Children learn by doing and by following your example. Make a game of practicing
a fast escape route from each room in your house, especially at night, when most
deadly fires occur. Use a stopwatch and wait until everyone has gathered at your
family's designated meeting place before you stop the timer. Work together to
achieve your family's best time record.
REPEAT YOURSELF
Children need to hear and do things over and over before they remember them.
Minimally, practice your family's escape plan once every season: four times
every year.
DON'T SCARE THEM
In a dangerous situation, it's normal for 3–6-year-olds to forget things
they've learned. Make a game of practicing fire safety so they become very
comfortable with all the rules. Remind them never to hide from firefighters
because the firefighter's job is to help people.
Source: Allstate Home Safety
What Do I Need To Do To Keep My Home Safe?
Planning your families fire protection plan and activities can be overwhelming. To help, use the Home Fire Safety Checklist.