Fire Safety Awareness for Kids

#ChangeYourClock #CollectiveBias

Did you know that the National Fire Protection Association reports 71% of non-functioning smoke alarms had missing, disconnected or dead batteries? Something so simple as changing the batteries when the time changes can save the lives of your precious children. That is why I am teaming up with Energizer® to remind you that if it is time to change your clock, it is also time to change your batteries.

We randomly talk about fire safety and do fire drills in our home but it has been a while. Way too long for little minds to forget these important lessons.

So, as we approach Daylight Savings Time on November 1st, I am adding a fire safety lesson plan to my list of things to do each time we change the clocks right under changing the batteries in our smoke detectors.

My uncle was a fireman. Actually, before he retired, he had worked his way up to being offered the role of Fire Chief, but he declined. He was happy being the Captain and the firemen under his leadership affectionately called him “Captain Spot” because of all his freckles.

I remember being acutely aware every time we drove past a fire house and I never feared their strange uniforms because I knew that my uncle was under one of them.

Unfortunately, my own children do not have that familiarity with the firefighters. They see them in Walmart on Tuesdays because we just happen to be shopping for groceries at the same time. But, otherwise, they have no idea of everything that goes on behind the scenes when a fire happens.

I do. I was in the fourth grade when I woke to a snapping sound. My window was glowing a strange color for the wee hours of the morning and I slowly made my way across the room to see what was happening. The house across the street was completely engulfed in flames… and I was paralyzed in fear.

My parents, finally awakened by the noise, immediately called the fire department and my uncle.

I watched as he and the other firefighters battled the blaze, but I often wonder what would have happened if my parents had slept through the incident since I was too frightened to even wake them up.

Sadly, the majority of children who die in a fire do so because they are afraid. Afraid of what is happening. Afraid about what they should do or not do. Afraid of the strange clothes firefighters wear. That is why fire safety education is extremely important, just as important as making sure your smoke detectors are working properly.

Fire Safety Lesson Plan

Saturday night before the time change, gather your children together and focus on fire safety together as a family.

1) Have an older child read through the Household Tips and Checklist, guiding any younger children through the recommended activities (like checking to see where fire detectors are located and/or needed.)

2) Show children how to test the smoke detector so they can be aware of the sound and what the sound means.

3) Assist a child in changing the batteries in the smoke detectors. Energizer® MAX® batteries are an excellent choice for your smoke detectors since they are designed to protect against acidic leaks for up to two years even after fully used and left in low-drain devices.

4) Create a plan for what children should do in case of a fire in your home. Emphasize that they “do not hide but get outside.” Pick a designated meeting spot outside your home.

5) Demonstrate how smoke rises and show children how to “get low and go,” crawling from their bedrooms to the door and running to the meeting spot.

6) Encourage the children to use the fire safety coloring pages (download below) as a reminder of all they have learned.

Fire Safety Printable Pack

This fire safety printable pack includes over 35 pages of educational activities, including pages provided by Energizer® with household safety tips and fire safety coloring pages.

Download the free printable here.