Shannon Harvey Insurance

According to a recent fire safety study conducted with kids ages 5-8, most families don't talk about fire safety at home. So, that means:

·        No escape plan designed

·        No meeting place identified

·        No home fire drills called

·        No emergency numbers posted

·        No regular smoke detector battery checks

It's sad but true - just because your kids learned about fire safety in school, doesn't mean they know what to do if a fire occurs at home. This is especially disturbing because 80 percent of all fire deaths take place in a home, and an average of three children die as a result of fire each day in the United States.

Parents, here are some ideas to help you teach your children about fire safety.

Keep it simple. Children learn best when the rules are straightforward and easy to remember. If you have preschoolers, you may want to introduce just one or two of the rules at a time.

Use teachable moments. Reinforce your discussions about fire safety whenever the topic arises- for example, when there's a fire in the news or in a book, or when you see a fire. Ask your children what they would do if they were in that situation.

Do it, don't just say it! Children learn by doing and by following your example. Make a game of practicing a fast escape from each room in your house, especially at night, when most deadly fires occur. Use a stopwatch and wait until everyone has gathered at your family's designated meeting place before you stop the timer. Work together to set a family record.

Repeat yourself. Children need to hear and do things over and over before they remember them. Practice your family's escape plan once every season.

Don't scare small children with too much responsibility. In a dangerous situation, it's normal for 3- to 6-year-olds to forget things they've learned. Make a game of practicing fire safety so they become very comfortable with all the rules. Remind them never to hide from firefighters because the firefighter's job is to help people.

Like many of the things we insure against (car accidents, theft, cancer), fire is something few of us think about routinely. It's easy to hope for the best, but I believe it's best to plan for the worst. Having conversations with your family about fire safety is easy to do and it could go a long way toward keeping your family safe.