As dads, we have the privilege of teaching our kids several skills. Some of those skills include how to change the oil on your own car or how to play a sport. At the same time, dads also need to teach their kids how to react in various emergencies like a fire without completely scaring the kids. If you’re searching for some of the best ways to teach kids about fire safety, we’ve got you covered in the guide below.
Show your kids the smoke detectors
Every home should have at least one smoke detector per floor, and your kids should be familiar with them and what they sound like. Make sure your kids understand that smoke detectors are there for their safety and that they need to get somewhere safe when they hear them. To avoid scaring the kids, you should probably let them know that you have to test them to make sure they work. Otherwise, your kids are going to run out of the house when you’re testing them.
Have a plan and practice
By developing a basic plan, your kids will feel much safer and more confident if they had to react to a fire. Your plan should involve the basic steps to fire safety, like getting low to the ground and feeling doors for heat before opening them. Additionally, you should have a meet-up point that’s a safe distance from the home; many people make that point at the bottom of their driveway or sidewalk. Having a plan without execution isn’t going to cut it though, so you need to practice with your kids too. Teach them the safest routes to get out of the home, and what it means to stop, drop, and roll.
Take your kids to a local fire station
Most fire stations welcome visitors to learn about fire safety during field trips or community events. By taking your kids to a fire station, you’re going to expose them to firefighters and fire trucks, in addition to safety lessons. Of course, we hope you’ll never be in a situation where you need a firefighter to rescue your kid. But in the event of an emergency, the last thing you want is for your kids to be afraid of a firefighter in their gear. A fire station will typically let kids try on firefighter personal protective equipment, and explain why the gear is important.
All things considered, the best way to teach kids about fire safety is to talk about it. Communication is going to be the hardest part of fatherhood, especially when you have teenagers, so build that muscle today.
