US fire departments respond to roughly 353,100 residential fires every year. Teaching your kids fire safety is essential to prepare your family for a fire emergency. Creating a plan and practicing it at least once a month will keep your kids as safe as possible.
Create an escape route
Figure out an escape route from each room in your home and teach them to your children. In most cases, this'll be either a door or window and ideally, if possible, plan two escape routes from every room. However, you may discover potential entrapment situations if you have any rooms without windows. So, evaluate the layout of your home and create a plan for the more difficult rooms. If an escape route is blocked, teach your children to lie on the floor (possibly near a bed); firefighters wil find them there. Also, establish a designated meeting place outdoors (like your driveway or mailbox) and teach your children to find that spot and wait for you.
Evacuating safely
Children naturally want to hide in response to fear. Help them avoid this impulse by using the catchphrase: "don't hide, go outside". Teach them to properly test doors to see if they're cool enough to touch. They should find and use a towel to touch or grasp items and avoid burns. Towels can also cover and protect the face and mouth. Also let your children practice evacuating your home in the dark or blindfolded. This can be a fun game - you could create an obstacle course and encourage your children to "feel" their way to your designated meeting space while you provide helpful hints. Reward them with a treat.
Know what to do after a fire
If the fire was caused by the negligence of someone else like an apartment landlord breaching fire safety laws, you can sue for compensation, explains FVF Law. Burn injuries typically result in emotional and physical damage, expensive medical bills, and lost wages, and insurance companies and landlords usually minimize payouts. Contacting an experienced personal injury lawyer after the fire is essential to get the compensation your family deserves. Additionally, the fire department can provide you with a copy of the "fire report" and let you know when it's safe to re-enter your home. Document all fire damage by taking photographs and notes.
Teaching your children fire safety is the only way to prepare for a potential fire. A smart fire escape plan can provide practical and safe tips, ease worries, and give you peace of mind.
