Students should learn the basics of fire safety, including how to evacuate a building quickly. They should also know where to go if they hear a fire alarm or smell smoke.
The most effective way to teach kids about fire safety is through instruction, modelling, rehearsal and feedback. These strategies are known to enhance the cognitive processes of children (Cakiroglu & Gokoglu 2019, Dukes et al. 2016).
Educate on the Characteristics of Fire
In many cultures, fire is central to everyday life and children are often exposed to it at a young age. This is a common example of child-centred disaster risk reduction (CCDRR) learning, where children are empowered to participate in the development and implementation of safety programs.
For fire to occur, it needs three basic components – oxygen, fuel and heat. These are known as the fire triangle and must come together for combustion to occur.
Make a Fire Safety Book
In order to teach students about fire safety, you need to find a way to connect it to their lives. That can be challenging, but it’s important to make connections so that your students understand the importance of fire safety.
One way to do that is by making a book about fire safety. Then, students can read the book and think about what they would do if there was a fire at their home. Then, they can put their thoughts into action by creating a fire escape plan.
Have a Fire Safety Drill
Having a fire drill in your workplace is essential to ensuring that all employees know how to evacuate in the event of a fire. It also helps you to see if your fire safety procedures are working as intended.
You should plan on having fire drills at least once a year. New employees may have joined the team since your last drill, and they’ll need to be reminded of evacuation procedures in the event of a fire.
Before the drill, make sure everyone has received a copy of your emergency plan in writing or in an accessible format. In addition, ensure that all evacuation routes, fire alarm pull stations and other emergency equipment are clearly marked.
Have a Fire Safety Game
Firefighters save people from fire and smoke, but their job also involves preventing fires in the first place. They also provide medical assistance in emergency situations and educate the general public about fire safety.
Fire games can be a great way to teach students about fire safety. Many games focus on saving people or extinguishing fires, while others use classic puzzle games to teach problem-solving skills.
Kids often misuse fire and matches in their play, so it is important to teach them about fire safety and the consequences of their actions. Fire Safe Zone is a great game to help them learn about making safe choices and recognizing the risks of using fire.
Have a Fire Safety Day
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has an annual campaign that encourages people to look, listen and learn about fire prevention. Its observance, called Fire Prevention Week, is celebrated October 7-13 every year.
FPW's focus is to remind the public about three basic but essential steps they can take to reduce the likelihood of having a fire and how to escape safely in the event of one.
Work with local fire officials to develop written evacuation routes and post-evacuation maps for your workplace. Also, provide employees with copies of these routes before conducting drills.
Create an in-house safety committee that includes a representative from each work area or department who will serve as a team leader. This person will ensure that everyone in his or her group evacuates the building in the event of an emergency. They will meet everyone at a designated outdoor meeting place.