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Home Safety Tips

Kids

Basics for Children

Teaching your children proper fire safety practices, preparing a fire escape plan, and helping them understand how to respond in a fire emergency will educate them in the practices of home fire safety and prevention.

Today's working families often have teenage children that make it home from school before their parents do. These teenagers will sometimes supervise younger siblings or perform routine home tasks that handle a wide range of electrical appliances which can create a fire condition.

No matter what age our children are, educating them on fire safety and prevention is the first step in keeping them safe. Teaching them how to respond in a fire emergency when you are not there is more important than ever. Consider some of the following ideas when deciding on appropriate behaviors for children and teenagers regarding fire safety and prevention.

Involve Your Children

Involve your children in fire prevention awareness by letting them help you identify fire safety hazards around your house. As part of your fire safety exercises, plan an inspection that they can participate in. You might want to stress to them that if they see a hazard, they should notify you immediately as correcting the problem themselves could be dangerous.

Fire Safety Habits

Discuss important fire safety habits such as not playing with matches or lighters, and staying back a safe distance from hot stove tops, ovens, outdoor grills or fireplaces. Also practice caution when heating or cooking with a microwave oven, and teach them to recognize potential electrical hazards they may find around the house.

Practice Fire Drills

Teach them the appropriate responses to a fire emergency. Stress the importance of staying calm, alerting others and quickly leave the house. Instruct them on how to avoid smoke, and other techniques like how to ‘Stop, Drop and Roll’ if their clothes catch on fire, and how to summon emergency help.

Make It Fun to Learn

Help make learning about fire safety easier and more fun, look for resources designed to help you educate your children. This information can be found online, in libraries, from government and educational safety organizations and in bookstores.

Keep Your Home Protected

Investigate the benefits of new voice alert smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. They offer less threatening verbal alerts and provide useful emergency instructions as a reminder of the appropriate response to the situation. Have UL registered fire extinguishers in your home and make sure your older children are trained properly on their use.

HomeHero has identified some authoritative sites offering fire safety suggestions for families with children. Some of these sites will help you involve your whole family in activities that will make learning how to be better prepared interesting and fun. Try to visit two or three of these sites, as each will offer additional ideas to consider.

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