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Firefighters' Rules for Kids' Safety

Many children love the opportunity to sit in a fire truck or wear a firefighter's hat. Firefighters bring important safety messages to children. Knowing the rules of safety when there's a fire can mean the difference between life and death. Teach children the basic rules that firefighters want them to know, and reinforce that knowledge on a regular basis.

  1. Don't Play with Fire

    • Fire is interesting, but it can be dangerous. Teach children to stay away from fire and anything in a house that could cause it, such as matches, candles, stoves, and grills.

    Devise an Escape Plan

    • It's important for your family to create an escape plan in the event of a fire. Your plan should include two ways out of every room and a meeting point outside. Hold regular fire drills to ensure that everyone understands and remembers the plan.

    Don't Hide

    • Tell your child that if he can't make his own way to safety, he should stay in the center of a room close to the floor and listen for approaching firefighters, who are trained to search houses to find children who haven't yet escaped. Though he may be scared, he should never try to hide, which could mean that a firefighter won't be able to find him.

    Stay Low

    • Children should understand that smoke rises. If they are ever caught in a burning building, the place with the clearest air will be close to the floor. By crawling from room to room, they can avoid inhaling too much smoke and are more likely to find their way out.

    Touch the Door

    • If your child is trapped in a room duing a fire, tell her to touch the door before she opens it. If it's hot, there's fire on the other side of it and she shouldn't open it. She should escape through a window instead.

    Stop, Drop, and Roll

    • Stop, drop, and roll is the message that children should remember if they ever catch on fire. Running---which is, of course, a normal reaction when we panic---will only fan the flames, making the situation worse. Instead, instruct your child to stop, drop to the ground, and roll around to smother the flames.

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