6 Things To Teach Your Kids About Escaping a House Fire

7/11/2022 (Permalink)

Kids' Safety Tips

Fire can throw your Concord, CA, household into chaos. This goes double if you have children at home. Here are six kids' safety tips to keep your little ones away from damage during a house fire.

1. Introduce the smoke detectors.
If you're a home cook, odds are high that your kids have already heard the smoke alarm sound off. Discuss with them what smoke detectors are and why they make that terrible noise. If your little ones haven't heard the sound it makes, give them a quick demo.

2. Establish two fire escape exits in every room.
Does that room have a window and a door? Boom! You're done. For other areas of your home, you may need to get more creative, install a fire ladder or even consider adding an egress.
When it comes to kids' safety, remember: All bedrooms should have a direct means of escape — even basement bedrooms. Talk with your contractor or fire damage mitigation company for more info.

3. Determine an outdoor meeting space.
Often, your curbside mailbox will suffice. Children should know to go directly there, to wait for you and never to reenter the house.

4. Teach your kids how to open windows.
Windows aren't always easy to open for little hands. Show your kids how to open each type of window in your home.

5. Show kids how to check for heat.
Kids need to know that they should never open a door without checking how hot it is first. A hot door often indicates flames on the other side. Instruct them to find a towel or sweatshirt to use for touching hot items, too.

6. Teach kids to stay low.
Heat and smoke rise, so show your kids how to stay low and feel their way to safety using their hands. Smoke can plunge your home into darkness, so practice evacuating in the dark or wearing a blindfold.
Discussing these kids' safety tips as a family not only lowers your risk of injury but can also lower little ones' anxiety. Already knowing what to do and where to go during a home fire provides valuable peace of mind.