How to Teach Your Kids About Fire Safety

Many adults don’t know how to react when there’s a fire, so it’s hard to expect young children to know what to do when a blaze breaks out. But when you consider that fire is one of the leading causes of accidental injury and death among children, it’s hard to underestimate the importance of taking the time to teach kids fire safety. Here are a few steps you can take to prepare kids for fire events in your home.

Educate Them About the Dangers of Fire

A good time to instruct your kids about the potential dangers of fire is while using it around your home. For example, when building a fire in a fireplace or woodstove, alert them of the hazards of getting too close.

If you’re cooking something on the stove, teach them to avoid touching the stovetop or grabbing the handles of pots and pans. Be sure to take an educational tone instead of attempting to scare them, as this could cause them to panic when a fire emergency occurs.

Teach Kids What to Do If There’s a Fire

A house fire may break out when you’re in a different room than your kids or when everyone is sleeping, so it’s imperative that your children know what to do without having to wait for an adult to guide them. Teach them to head outside as quickly as possible if they smell smoke or see something burning that shouldn’t be.

Also, stress the importance of not going back inside to retrieve a stuffed animal or other cherished items. Train your kids to run to a neighbor’s home to ask for help, and if they have access to a cell phone, to call 911 right away.

Develop and Practice an Escape Plan

Having an escape plan will further prepare your kids for fire and increase the likelihood that they will know how to react during an emergency. Teach them the safest exit route based on where they are in your home. Staging a monthly fire drill will reinforce the plan and ingrain it in your kids’ minds.

Take Steps to Make Your Home Safer

You should also implement steps to “childproof” your home regarding fire safety. Do not leave matches or cigarette lighters within easy reach of your kids, and place fireguards around open fires and heating units.

Instruct your kids not to play with toys near fireplaces or space heaters. Most of all, do not leave your children alone in any room where a risk of fire is present.

Contact Titan Alarm, Inc. for More Fire Safety Tips

Titan Alarm has been helping homeowners minimize their fire risk for more than a decade. We can design and install a state-of-the-art fire/smoke alarm system to provide the early detection that can save lives if a fire breaks out. Contact us for more guidance on how to teach kids fire safety and to schedule a free in-home fire alarm system consultation today.

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Updated by Titan Alarm on November 5, 2018.