Family Fire Drills
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When I was a little girl, I lived in fear of a house fire destroying our family home. There was even a time when I prepared a small little backpack of my favorite things. This would be the one thing I would grab before escaping from our burning home.
Thinking back to this memory makes me wonder if maybe my struggles with anxiety began much earlier than I think. ha! That poor little girl! I wish I could go back and tell her that everything was going to be okay.
Now with four little ones of my own, I am doing my best to help them not feel scared in the same way I was, but prepared. In fact, from the time our little ones can walk and talk and escape from their toddler beds, we try to weave in opportunities to educate them about fire safety.
During those early years, fire truck toys are a favorite around here.
Into the preschool years, fire truck-themed books…
…and puzzles keep the conversation going…
…and until they’re able to recall them by memory, we keep emergency numbers posted in their bedrooms for them to see and review with us often.
Now that the boys are getting older (and we’re starting to talk to the girls about these things), fire-safety chit chats and drills are just a normal part of conversation in our house.
Recently, we received a shipment from First Alert and this made for the perfect opportunity to review and run through our family’s fire escape plan.
We chatted about our smoke detectors…
…and why we’ve placed them where we have.
We gathered our crew together and explained to them how our new devices worked – even testing it all out for everyone to hear. See the girls holding their ears and saying Loud! in unison? ha! Yes, if there is a smoke or carbon-monoxide emergency in our home, our kids are going to know it.
Our Family Fire Drills always include a quick review of how to use our fire extinguishers…
(We keep one on each floor of our home.)
as well as how (and when) to use the fire escape ladders we house in our bedroom area.
It’s never too late to begin the discussion and make a fire safety plan with your family!
Consider the layout of your home and the needs of your family. What items do you feel your family would need in an emergency? Don’t wait! Your family is counting on you!
Begin by installing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on every level and in every bedroom of your home.
Next, plan and practice an escape route with your family.
If there is a fire, do your kids know what to do? Where to go?
My kids love seeing how fast we as family can make it outside to our meeting spot (the mailbox). This time around, we all made it out in under 20 seconds! My competitive crew was jumping up and down over this new record! Needless to say, they can’t wait ’til our next Family Fire Drill.
Want to read more about our family’s Lifestyle of Homeschooling? Our daily schedule? A look at our week? I would be honored to share with you how we have adopted a lifestyle of living and learning together and how you can do the same with your own family:
