Throughout my years in emergency services, I noticed something that blew me away every time. When I went over fire safety lessons to a young age group, a lot of the children seemed to be very alert and interested in what I was saying, but some just were there because they had to be.
The way that we explain things to children at the elementary level can last a lifetime. Through years of being a fire prevention officer and teaching lessons to all age groups, I noticed that it’s the younger children who seem to remember the key factors to being safe.
Call 9-1-1
Some questions that I asked are: Do you know your address? Do you know your phone number? Children seem to be shy when it comes to those questions. They either giggle or whisper the answers. It isn’t that they don’t know that information, and some just want to see what reaction it brings. I would laugh and say things to make them feel comfortable but made sure that they were aware that the phone call can make or break a situation when seconds count.
- What’s your name?
- What’s your address?
- What’s your emergency?
- What’s your phone number?
- What service do you need?
I treated the training as the real thing, spoke as a dispatcher would over the phone.
Home escape plan
Some say that the home escape plan is the most important and most practiced fire safety lesson. Whether it’s bringing a safety trailer to the school or watching a movie and having a sit down, keep it simple in regard to this. Ask the children to repeat the steps after you.
- Working smoke alarms. Test them once a month and change the batteries twice per year.
- Have two ways out. Point to the windows and doors.
- Have a meeting place. Explain that it can be the rock at the end of the driveway or their neighbor’s house.
The most difficult part was to keep the children from using the prop or trailer as a toy. A lot of safety trailers have fog machines or strobe lights to simulate fire. For a child this could be fun. At the same time, it could be scary for some. Remember, you know that the smoke and fire are fake, but they don’t. It’s good to reassure the children during your drill that this is only practice and there’s no danger.
If you are at a school, encourage the teacher to join the class in the simulation. Seeing that the adult who they’re with Monday through Friday, someone who they trust is calm and collected, will bring a sense of comfort to them.
Meeting a firefighter
For younger children, it’s important to show them that the person who they meet at an event might not look the same as when that person responds to an emergency. Let them see what you look like in your turnout gear and on air. Get down to their level and let them get a close look. Shake their hands; play Duck Duck Goose with them. I had them surround me and hand me crayons or markers and color with them. Some might enjoy this, some might not. It’s important to take off your mask and helmet and show them your face and state to them it’s still you. Show them that you are there to help and that you are a friend, not an enemy.
Results
My time as a firefighter has ended. I took on a new role as a fire marshal for my local municipality, focusing more on codes and inspections.
An intern came to work with us for the summer. To me, she looked like a stranger. She asked me, “Do you remember me?” I stated, “I’m sorry, no.” She then started to talk about a Junior Fire Academy that I had assisted with almost 10 years ago. She stated that she remembered all of the training and topics that we discussed and that she continues to check her smoke detectors as a result. She had to have been in middle school at the time of the academy.
Legacy
I can write all day about how many people who I’ve run into or young adults who say that they remember when I was in their class teaching, and its crazy to me that all of that information was retained even when it was presented at such a young age.
When these kids grow up and get their own house, they’ll make sure that they have smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms. They’ll have a meeting place for their children. They’ll cook safely. They’ll know how to stay calm, because you taught them when teaching them matters the most.
