Teaching Children About Fire Safety

The use of fire is very commonplace and used daily in most households. A child sees fire being used for cooking, with lit candles for birthday cakes, religious services, decorating our dinner tables for special occasions, fireplaces, and campfires. To a child, fire is helpful and used for fun things. Most importantly, they see fire being casually used by their parents and other adults! It's no wonder young children, and children in general, are curious about fire.

When it comes to children and fire safety, not only are they curious about fire, but they like to imitate the behavior of others, have a limited understanding of cause and effect; and can't appreciate that a small flame can quickly grow into a large dangerous fire. It can be difficult for children to understand the danger of a fire.

Often, when faced with a fire, a young child's first instinct is to attempt to hide—a natural reaction when kids are afraid of something. On the other hand, older children overestimate their ability to control fire and underestimate the risks of playing with fire. Taken together and considering that children of any age can act impulsively, it is easy to see the urgency and need for parents and teachers to take the teaching of fire safety to children seriously.

Fire education must start with young children, continue through elementary and middle school, and continue into adulthood (Yes, sometimes adults forget about the basics of fire safety and prevention). It's essential to teach children fire safety basics beginning at an early age to prevent tragedies and keep them safe.

When a house fire starts, children can become terrified and confused. They may not understand what is happening or how they should react. With as little as two minutes to escape unharmed, there is not enough time for a child to figure out a safe escape route when the smoke alarm sounds if they have had no instruction about what to do.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, children playing with fire leads to approximately 300 deaths and $280 million in destroyed property. Most fires started by children are set by preschoolers and kindergarteners, so early education on fire safety is vital.

Some eye-opening behaviors about children and fire that parents and teachers must take seriously are as follows:

• Children are at significant risk for injury in a home fire and are one of the groups with the highest fire-related deaths.
• More than 400 children younger than ten die in home fires yearly.
• Young children, especially those younger than five, cannot be relied on to escape a fire on their own.
• Many children have difficulty waking up to the sound of a tonal smoke alarm. At night, they may sleep right through the alarm. More than half of children younger than five who die in house fires are asleep at the time.
• When a fire starts, children often become scared and confused. They tend to hide somewhere they feel safe, such as in a closet or under the bed.
• Even older children do not always make wise choices during a fire emergency. They can panic or become afraid. They may try to return to the burning house after escaping for something they left behind.

Parents and teachers need to be role models for fire safety and prevention. Children need to see that their parents and teachers are careful with and around a fire and know that there are set rules and consequences about playing with fire, as well as being taught fire safety and specific skills for protecting themselves from fire. Meeting firefighters and learning about their role in society, installing fire alarms, playing educational games, and practicing a fire escape plan are ways to help kids understand fire safety basics.

While parents don't often think of it, teaching their children about fire safety and what to do in case of a fire can make a huge difference if a fire does occur, particularly a fire that occurs at night. Children are naturally scared when faced with disasters. Therefore, it is crucial that they know what to do in case of emergencies, particularly what to do if a fire occurs in the home. Children may learn about fire safety in school, but preparing them at home is equally important. By teaching them basic fire safety facts and how to respond in case of a fire, they'll be better able to protect themselves.

The Teaching Children About Fire Safety "online" teaching resource for parents and teachers and other fire safety and prevention reference and resource materials are designed to do just that, to provide both parents and teachers with a convenient, easy-to-use, and all-inclusive compilation of fire safety and prevention education information. It includes the best in fire safety education materials and compiles them into one centralized, easy-to-access teaching and reference resource. It is a resource that can be accessed and referenced repeatedly to teach children about the dangers of playing with fire, the essentials of fire safety and prevention, and how to act and protect themselves in the event of a fire.

Teaching Children About Fire Safety provides the information and resources necessary for teachers and parents to become active advocates for child fire safety and education.