Children’s Fire Safety Tips
* Don't play with matches and lighters. They’re not toys and should never be played with. If you see matches or a lighter where you can reach them, don't touch them. Go tell a grown up right away.
* Ask your parents to install smoke detectors on every floor and in the sleeping areas of your home. Smoke detectors can save lives. Ask your parents to show you where each one is at in your home.
* Remind your parents to test your smoke detectors every month. Make sure everyone in your family knows what sound it makes. Teach them that this sound means danger and they must escape quickly.
* When your parents change the time on your clocks for Daylight Savings, ask them to change your smoke detector batteries. Give it fresh batteries and your smoke detector will stay awake and watch for fire while you are sleeping.
* In case of fire: DON'T HIDE, GO OUTSIDE! Fires are scary, but you should NEVER hide in closets or under beds when there is a fire. Firefighters are your friend and won’t hurt you, even though they look and sound very different when wearing their safety equipment.
* To escape during a fire: Fall & Crawl. When there is a fire, it is easier to breathe if you stay low while getting out. Use the back of your hand to test if a door is hot or warm before you open it. If it is hot, try to use another way out, like a window. If smokes comes into your room when you open the door, shut it quickly and use your other exit, like your window.
Remember - Don’t stop to look for or take anything with you, like pets or toys. If you can’t climb out of your window easily, signal firefighters below using a flashlight or a light colored piece of clothing so they can rescue you with a ladder.
* Make an escape plan and practice it with everyone in your family. Find two ways out of every room in case one way is blocked by fire or smoke. Practice escaping by both routes to be sure windows are not stuck and screens can be taken out quickly. Most fires happen at night and the lights in the house may not work if there’s a fire, so practice in the dark to make sure you can find your way out.
* Choose a meeting place outside, such as a big tree, a shed or the end of the driveway, so you will know that everyone has gotten out safely. NEVER go back into a burning building for any reason. If someone is missing, tell the firefighters. They have the clothing and equipment to safely rescue people.
* Know your local emergency number. Put stickers and magnets with emergency numbers on your refrigerator and on every telephone in the house. If there is a fire at your house, choose one family member to leave your meeting place and call the fire department from a neighbor’s phone.
* If your clothes catch on fire, don’t run. Instead, you should STOP, DROP, and ROLL by stopping immediately, dropping to the ground and covering your face with your hands. Then roll over and over or back and forth to put out the fire. If someone is unable to get on the ground, use a blanket or rug to tightly wrap around the victim to smother the flames. Immediately cool the burn with cool water for 3 to 5 minutes and seek emergency medical care.
* Don’t run or play near the stove or where grown ups are carrying or making hot foods or drinks. This will help keep you from getting burned or hurt. Don’t play near heaters or anything that is hot. When you’re old enough, have your parents teach you to cook safely.
Children are particularly vulnerable to the dangers of fire, especially those under 5, who are twice as likely to die in a fire as the rest of the population. Educating children about the importance of fire safety will enable them to respond quickly and appropriately in the event of an emergency.The safety of children is very important to the Bowling Green Fire Department and we have a variety of community programs; visit our education section for more info.
