Red Cross: Disaster Preparedness: Fire

Fire is the disaster that families are most likely to experience.

Safety Messages for Kids

• Matches and lighters are tools, not toys. These tools help adults use fire properly. If you see someone playing with fire, tell an adult right away.

• If a fire starts in your home or you hear the smoke detector alarm, yell Fire! several times and go outside right away. If you live in a building with elevators, use the stairs. Never try to hide from fire. Leave all your things where they are. Once you are outside, go to your meeting place and then send one person for help.

• If your clothes catch fire...stop, drop and roll. Stop what you are doing, drop to the ground, cover your face and roll over and over until the flames go out. Running will only make it worse.

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• Show children how to crawl low, under the smoke to escape. Explain that they should feel a door before opening it. If the door is cool, open it slowly. If the door is hot, find another way out. If they cannot get outside safely, instruct them to hang a sheet outside a window so firefighters can find them.

• Practice stop, drop and roll with children. Explain that running away will only make the fire burn faster.

At Home

• Choose an outside meeting place, such as a tree, street corner or mailbox. Make sure it will be a safe distance from heat, smoke and flames. Tell children to go directly to this meeting place in case of fire. This plan will help you know quickly if everyone got out safely.

• Make sure that children understand that once they are outside, they should stay outside. Children are often concerned about the safety of their pets, so discuss this issue before a fire starts.

• Find two ways to escape from every room and practice getting out of your home during the day and night. Chart these escape routes on your own home escape plan. If you have an escape ladder, show kids where it's kept and how to use it.

• Practice your home escape plan at least twice a year. Quiz children every six months so they'll remember what to do and where to meet.

• Install smoke detectors on every level of your home, especially near bedrooms. Clean and test them monthly, and change the batteries at least once a year. Make sure children know what your smoke detector sounds like.

• Check electrical wiring in your home. Fix frayed extension cords, exposed wires or loose plugs.

• Make sure your home heating source is clean and in working order. Many home fires are started by faulty furnaces or stoves, cracked or rusted furnace parts and chimneys with creosote build-up.