Home Fire Safety for Children*
SMOKE ALARMS
A
smoke alarm, also called a smoke detector makes a very loud beeping noise to
warn you that a fire has started. When
you hear the loud noise, follow your home escape plan and get out fast. Kids can help make their homes safer from the
fire by helping grown-ups remember to:
- Put smoke alarms on all floor levels in your home,
especially near bedrooms.
- Test smoke alarms monthly to make sure they are
working, and so you’ll know what it sounds like
when it goes off.
- Replace old batteries with brand new ones at least
twice a year. Typically
done when daylight-saving time begins and ends.
- Keep smoke alarms clean from dust. You can clean away the dust by running
the vacuum cleaner attachment over and around them.
IN THE KITCHEN
- Don’t cook alone or without asking an adult
- Remind your parents to turn pot handles toward the
center of the stove. They should
never hang over the edge where someone could bump into them and knock them
off the stove.
THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE
- Never put anything over a lamp, like clothes or a
blanket, not even when playing.
- Don’t touch radiators or
heaters. Ask an adult to turn a
heater on or off for you.
- Don’t stand too close to the
fireplace or a wood stove. You
could get burned or your clothes could catch
fire.
- Never touch matches, lighters, or candles. If you see matches or lighters in a
room, tell an adult right away.
- Remind grown-ups to change smoke alarm batteries at
least twice a year.
AROUND ELECTRICITY
- Don’t play with electrical
cords.
- Never stick anything into an electrical socket.
ESCAPE PLANNING
What would
you do if there was a fire in your home? It’s important to
get out fast! Never hide or take time to
gather up your belongings.
Fires
are scary and confusing. They can be
loud, burn very fast, and their smoke can make a room or home very dark. It helps to have a plan so you’ll
know what to do to get out of your home!
Good
escape plans help you get out of your home quickly in case of a fire. The best plans have two ways to get out of
each room. If the fire blocks one way,
you can get out the other way. When escaping,
stay low to the floor. Smoke rises
during a fire. The safest air is down
low.
You
can help your family make an escape plan.
Here’s how:
- Try to find two ways out from every room in your
home.
- The first way out should be a door. Every way needs to be planned
and practiced with grown-ups.
- Before opening any door in a fire, feel it
first. If it is hot, there may be
fire on the other side. Try to get
out another way.
- Stay low to the floor when escaping a fire.
- Pick a safe and easy-to-remember place outside the
home to meet your family after you get out.
- After you get out, call 911 or the fire department.
- Stay outside no matter what. Don’t go back
for anything!
Plan
Your Escape Route Today!