Every year, hundreds of people die in fire-related accidents, especially around Christmas. So, it is very important for us to be ready for these kinds of problems. Everyone in our family should know what to do if a fire breaks out. Even more important, we all need to know how to stop fires.
Think ahead.
One of the most important things parents forget to teach their kids is how to be ready in case of an emergency, like a fire. Even when they are young, kids should know how to prevent fires and what to do if there is one. Fire drills are often done in buildings and schools to help prepare the people who live there and the students for a fire. So why can't you have a fire drill in your own home?
First, you should look around your house for possible fire exits. Check to see if the windows and doors in your house are big enough and high enough to be used as possible fire exits. Make a floor plan for each room, making sure there are at least two ways out in case of fire. You need to include important things like stairs, windows, and hallways when making the floor plan.
After making a floor plan, you should meet with your kids and talk about how to get out in case of a fire. You should also make sure that everyone in your family has a way to tell the others that there is a fire. This could be a bell, knocking on a door, etc. Each room in your house should have a flash light and a bell. Lastly, choose a safe place outside the house where everyone will go once they've gotten out of the house.
Getting ready for fire emergencies with your family
It's a good idea for the whole family to act out your escape plan. Teach your kids how to run away while staying close to the ground, and if they can, let them learn the way. Sometimes, smoke from a fire would make it hard to see the way, so you and your kids should really learn the way by heart.
You and your kids should also know that in a fire, you should feel the door before opening it. If the door is hot, you shouldn't open it. Find another way to get out of your room or house instead.
Tell your kids or other family members to fall to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire. This will help the fire go out.
Make your home fire-safe.
Make sure that phone numbers for emergencies are near the phones. These numbers should always be easy to find and easy to see so that you can call the authorities right away if there is a fire.
You should also make sure that your house has smoke detectors in key spots. After you put in smoke detectors, you should check the batteries every so often. Most of the time, smoke detector batteries should be changed once a year.
Put fire extinguishers in important places. Make sure there is at least one fire extinguisher on each floor of your house.
It would be best if smoking wasn't allowed inside the house, because cigarettes are often thrown away in a way that starts fires. But if you can't stop smoking, make sure no one smokes in the bed. Also, make sure everyone knows how to throw away cigarette butts properly.
Even if you tell your kids over and over that matches and lighters are dangerous, some of them will still try to play with them. So, it's best to keep lighters and matches in places where your kids can't get to them. If you can, put them away in drawers or cabinets that you can lock.
