When it comes to keeping our children safe, I think all of us will agree that we would do all that it takes to see our little ones happy and thriving. Unfortunately, we can’t be with them 24/7 so by providing them with tools and information appropriate to their development, we are making sure they stay safe. If you are like me, my mind plays games with me saying “I don’t think we will ever be in a dangerous situation like that.” However, as a preschool teacher and a mom, it is my job to expect the best and prepare for the unexpected (I don’t like calling it the worst”). As parents and caretakers we have the ability to normalize potential dangerous experience for our kids by preparing them for the potential dangerous situations.
Specifically, this week at City Kids School we have been focusing on learning about Fire Safety and we had a special visit from the Fire Fighters that serve our community! It was so fun for the kids to experience first-hand what a firefighter does and how they keep us safe or assist us when situations get dangerous.
Here is some information you can share with your kids regarding fire safety:
- When there is a fire, we call 911 to alert the local fire department to assist those that are in danger. Remind kids that when you call the operator, they may ask a lot of questions regarding “Who” “What” “Where” the fire is happening. Validate their emotions by saying things like: “If you have to call 911 you may feel nervous or scared, but the operators will talk to you and they are trained to help children so they are going to know exactly what to tell you!”
- Tell children that most fires produce lots of smoke, which is dangerous to breathe. Because of this, it’s important that we always crawl under the smoke. Make sure to practice at home with them the safe way to respond when a room fills with smoke: get down on your hands and knees, keep your head up, and roll/crawl outside.
- If your clothes catch fire NEVER RUN! Remember to “Stop, Drop and Roll”. This is a fun activity to try at home!
- When it comes to preventing fires from happening there is a lot we can do! Remind kids that matches, and lighters are for adults to use and that they should never play with these. Also, make sure that before you leave your home the stove, iron and candles are off.
- Plan with your kids about what to do if there is a house fire. In this plan you can include: who will call 911, safe escape routes, meeting point(make sure to mark the location of your meeting point on your escape plan, have an assigned person to be responsible to assist elder family members or infants(have a backup plan in case that person is not in the house when the emergency happens)
Helping our families and community be safe is one of our top priorities as a school! We hope this information is helpful! You can learn more at https://www.safekids.org/fire
