Less sleep. More coffee. Grumpy Jackie.
It has happened once again – the clocks have sprung forward. I don’t particularly like the waking up earlier part, but Daylight Savings has always served as a great reminder to change the batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
As a volunteer firefighter, I know that working smoke detectors save lives. And although it’s always been recommended to ensure you change the batteries in your smoke detector, it’s also a great reminder to implement and/or practice your home fire escape plan. But, fire safety planning is a lot more than “stop, drop, and roll”. It isn’t always easy, though, to introduce fire safety in a non-threatening manner, so I’ve put together some age-appropriate activities to help families start the discussion.
Starting at age 3, you can start your home fire safety plan by deciding on a safe meeting point outside the house, such as the mailbox, or a special tree. You can listen to the smoke alarm being tested together, and head to the safe meeting point. This is now a great time to discuss when it is appropriate to go back inside. Remind young children not to return inside for toys, or pets.
By age 5, you can start to discuss more complicated aspects of the fire safety plan, such as staying low below the smoke. This may also be a good time to map out your plan, room by room, by identifying all of the possible exits. You could also explain feeling closed doors for heat and only opening doors that are cool to the touch. It’s important to emphasis that if the door is hot, go to a window if possible. Remind kids never to hide.
At the ripe old age of 7, kids are likely ready to start learning about all sorts of fire safety. Especially for kids now involved in cooking, its important for them to understand stove safety, and never use the stove alone. A 7-year-old should also know how to identify, avoid, and report hazards, such as matches or flammable chemicals under the sink, to an adult.
Around age 10, you may have started thinking about allowing your child to be home alone for short periods of time. Make sure you review emergency phone numbers, your address, and how to make emergency phone calls, and put the numbers and instructions somewhere visible to refer to it when needed. As my family doesn’t have land-lines, we have emergency numbers set up in our cellphones so they can be accessed even without our passcodes.
At age 13, your child may have started babysitting or spending more time alone in the home. It is important for your kids to understand the other family’s emergency meeting place, emergency phone numbers, and address. It is also a good idea for the babysitter to know how to open all windows and doors. By this age, kids are likely responsible enough to understand when it is appropriate to use a fire extinguisher versus vacating the premises, if they aren’t, this is something that should be explained before they are left alone in a home that is not their own.
Although it can seem intimidating, fire safety is something that kids often end up being proud of. When I meet families in the community or during my first aid courses, I always ask if families have their emergency plans in place, and kids are always excited to tell me what their plans are. It is wonderful to see kids excited to talk about their cool mailbox, tree, or stump which serves as their emergency meet up. Sometimes they brag about practicing crawling as fast as they can from playrooms and bedrooms to that meeting places. Sometimes, to the parents’ horror, kids tell me about how the fire alarms go off all the time because mom and dad are bad cooks, but I think it’s wonderful that children understand the differences between accidental fire alarms and real fire alarms.
A working smoke detector saves lives – many of us, including myself, have surprise tests multiple times a year. Practicing for emergencies is important. It keeps us prepared to react in real-life situations. You could even take it one step further and train for emergency situations during a fire emergency, in addition to every day emergencies. Planning for medical emergencies can also be something you start to introduce with kids at a young age. For example:
· When do you call 911?
· What if someone starts choking?
· When/how do you do CPR?
· When is it important to not move someone who has been injured?
Even as adults, we might be a little rusty on the right answers to the questions above. Just like frequent fire drills, frequent review helps to shake the rust off and keep it off. One of the best ways to ensure you understand these principles and being able to pass them down to your children is by attending a First Aid and CPR course once a year. First Aid and CPR courses are also irreplaceable for young teenagers who plan on babysitting.
At 13 First Aid and Safety Training, we offer all sorts of CPR, First Aid, and Safety Training courses that can help you and your children learn important skills that may one day be used to keep someone alive. Follow 13 First Aid and Safety Training on Facebook for information on our upcoming courses or check out our website for more tips and tricks on implementing first aid and safety training in your own home!
Best of luck on your fire drills; practice really does make perfect.
Cheers,
Jackie Stephens
For more information on fire safety and first aid, you can check out The National Fire Protection Association and/or the Ontario Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services.
What is your fire safety plan? Do your kids know the basics of First Aid and CPR? Comment below with how you implement these plans at home and don’t be afraid to check out our Facebook page for up-to-date information from 13 First Aid and Safety Training.
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