STOP, DROP, ROLL.

Today I decided that we were due to spend an afternoon going over our Family Fire Safety Plan. It also worked well considering we are into our 5th day of rain and unable to get outside! We started off watching an episode of Finley the Fire Engine who demonstrates the STOP, DROP, ROLL and GET DOWN LOW AND GO GO GO methods of fire safety, both which are part of our family plan. We then spent time reading many of our fire books and fire engine books before we got into some practice. I try to keep it all fun while getting across a really important message to the boys. Below I have listed the 10 things that I work through for FIRE SAFETY in our home:

1. We practice feeling our way out of the home in the dark or with their eyes closed.I turn this into a game by blindfolding them and placing them in a room and asking them to feel their way to a designated area.


2. We practice opening and closing the windows and pushing the screens off in an emergency.


3. We practice getting down low and go go go from a fire in different rooms. That way the boys have to decide which exit to leave by.


4. Consider teaching a fire escape song to reinforce the need to get out of a burning house. This one can be sung to Fr ere Jacques: There's a fire! There's a fire! Must get out! Must get out! Stay away from fire! Stay away from fire! It is hot. It is hot.


5. I teach the boys about smoke detectors, why they are installed, how they work, and the sound that they make. It is important that they be able to associate the sound going off with a fire as part of fire safety.


6. We talk about the fact that once they are out of a burning house or building, they must go to our designated place and never, ever venture back in. If someone or a family pet is missing, they should inform a fire fighter or adult.


7. We practice what to do in the event that their clothes catch fire. Make sure they understand “stop, drop and roll.” Many a fire-related injury could have been avoided or greatly minimized if a child heeded this advice instead of the natural instinct of running.


8. Practice your escape plan at least twice a year with your children.


9. We talk about how we never play with matches or lighters they may find: Tell your child to tell you if she finds matches or lighters, or to bring them to you.


10. Teach your child how to dial 000 and ask for help for emergency services. Teach them his/her full name, address, phone number. Role-play these situations.

Stop, Drop and Roll

If your clothes catch on fire

Your clothes catch on fire

Then you stop drop and roll

If your clothes catch on fire

Your clothes catch on fire

Then you stop drop and roll

Stop drop and roll

Stop drop and roll

Stop drop and roll

Get your self under control

If your clothes catch on fire

Your clothes catch on fire

Then you stop drop and roll

Stop! Drop! And Roll!

By taking precautions, you can make sure your home is as fire safe as possible.To Prevent Fires:

• Store all flammable and hazardous materials properly and out of reach of children. This includes: kerosene, cleaning materials and household products, lighters, matches, candles, pesticides, alcohol, paint. If you have gasoline, paint thinner, ammonia, or kerosene, these should be stored outside of the home.


• Keep matches, candles, and lighters out of reach of children. Child-resistant lighters are not foolproof, children can still light them.


• Use stove and cooking appliances safely or not at all when children are present. Either remove all knobs from the stove, or use safety knobs. If you're using a pot, turn the handle toward the back of the stove or use it on the back burner.


• Keep all electrical appliances and items with electrical cords out of reach of children. Young children tend to reach and pull on items that they see. Make your home safer by removing any temptations.


• Clean and empty all lint filters in dryers and have dryer vents inspected regularly. Dryer lint build-up is a major cause of home fires.


• Limit how much is on walls. Artwork should not cover more than 10 percent of your wall area. Papers or flammable materials on walls or doors can make fires burn faster.

Craft Activity

What you need:

a box, red and yellow paint, Marbles, construction paper (red,black, yellow) scissors

What to do:

1. Put blobs of yellow and red paint in the box.
2. Place about 5 marbles in and roll them back and forth to create a fire look.
3. Cut out a square, a rectangle, two circles and make a fire engine shape. Then I gave Master 4 a piece of yellow paper and some scissors to create the ladder.