Did you know that kids just like you can be fire safety superheroes? It’s true! Learning about fire safety is really important for kids of all ages. Fires can happen when we least expect them, and they can be very dangerous. But knowing what to do to prevent a fire from happening, how to prepare for if a fire does happen, and what to do when there’s a fire can help you to keep yourself and your family safe, just like a real-life superhero.
Children and Fire: Facts and Stats
Fire can be very interesting to look at or even sort of pretty, but it can also hurt people and damage things. That’s why it’s really important not to play with fire or with anything that can make a fire, like matches, lighters, or candles. Kids who play with fire cause an average of 400 serious fires every week in the United States. Most of these fires are set by little kids, like 4- and 5-year-olds. Most of the people who get seriously hurt or killed in fires are little kids, too. Fires can spread really quickly, moving across a room in just a few minutes. And the flames aren’t the only dangerous part: The smoke from a fire can make it really hard to breathe and to see.
Fire Prevention Tips
There are lots of ways that you can help to keep a fire from happening in your home. For instance, you can make sure that your home has working smoke alarms. Ask a grown-up to test them to make sure that they work. If you hear them beep, that means that they’ll be ready to tell you if there’s a fire in your home. You can also make sure that things like matches and lighters are kept in a safe place. If you find them sitting around somewhere in your home, tell a grown-up right away so that they can move them out of reach. Keep an eye out for broken or frayed electrical cords, too; if you see one, tell an adult right away. And pay attention to the stove when you’re in the kitchen. Don’t get too close when someone is cooking, but do say something if you see that something that could catch on fire is close to a burner.
Making a Fire Escape Plan
Another great way that you can help to keep your family safe from a fire is to work together with them to make a fire escape plan. This is a plan for how you’ll get out of your house and find each other again if there’s a fire. To start making your family’s fire escape plan, draw a map of your home, including all of the doors and windows in each room. Then, look at each room and find at least two ways that a person could get out of that room and out of the house. You need two ways out because one of them could be blocked by fire or smoke. Once you have all of this figured out, pick a safe meeting spot, somewhere that’s outside and not too close to your house. For instance, you might pick a big tree in your neighbor’s yard or a mailbox across the road. When you’re done making your fire escape plan, it’s important to practice it, just like you practice at school by having fire drills. Practicing your plan means that you’ll know exactly what to do if there’s ever a real fire.
Additional Resources
- Become an Official Member of Sparky’s Fire Safety Club!
- Sesame Street’s Fire Safety Guide
- Fire Facts for Kids
- Fire Safety for Kids
- A Kid’s Fire Safety Checklist
- Smokey Bear Can Help You Prepare
- Fire Safety Facts and Tips
- Simple Rules for Fire Safety
- Making a Home Fire Escape Plan
- How Can We Prevent House Fires?
- Fire Safety Discussion Questions
- Home Fire Escape Plan Worksheet
- Bedroom Fire Safety Can Help You Sleep Soundly
- Fall and Crawl Coloring Page
- Fire Safety Word Search
- Kids’ Fire Safety Challenge
- Practice Your Home Fire Escape Plan
- Support for Children’s Well-Being
- Create a Fire Escape Plan Today!
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