Practicing Firedrills

[DCMom]

Like Blackcat, we have the city wide test of the system on the first Wednesday of the month so we always do one that day. The siren is in the park very close to my home, so when the kids hear they know and head for the door.

I also do a second, random drill at some point during the month. I alert my assistant, then I go to the main floor and hold the test button on the smoke alarm and keep it going for about 5-10 seconds. In the winter, I just have them go out the door and on to the patio. Not a full, meet at the mailbox in the front of the house drill, but they get the idea to leave quickly and the sound of the alarm.

MarinaVanessa~LOVE the block idea! I will have to try that for our random drill this month.

[Sunchimes]

This is a stupid question, but when do you start? I just have 2 kids-the oldest is 2 1/2. How do you even start explaining the whole concept? How far from the house do you make the meeting point?

[sahm1225]

Love the idea of the blankets by the door! Thanks for the tips

[MyAngels]

I do the same thing Marina does with the fake fire. I also keep a bag hanging by the door with 6 pairs of kids slippers and three fleece blankets, along with a current list of the parents' phone numbers that I just grab as we go out the door. Our meeting place is two doors down on the neighbor's covered porch (with his permission, of course )

[Blackcat31]

This is a stupid question, but when do you start? I just have 2 kids-the oldest is 2 1/2. How do you even start explaining the whole concept? How far from the house do you make the meeting point?

Our local fire dept comes to my daycare every year in October. They bring the fire truck, a fireman uniform and helmet and lots of goodies for the kiddos.

I partner with a neighbor provider and include her DCK's too.

The kids all get a little lesson in fire safety from the fireman. He puts on the whole fire suit so the kids can see him dressed and then he talks to them about how it is important to never be afraid of the men/women dressed like that as most kids will hide when they see the fireman in all the strange looking gear they wear.

The DCK's also get an opportunity to try on the suit and helmet and they get a ride around the block in the fire truck and get to turn on the siren too!

They love it!

If you don't have a community fire dept that is willing to do that, I would jsut start out by talking to the kids about fire and ask them what they know. Like any theme, there is tons and tons of info out there about fire safety and prevention that you should have no trouble finding stuff.

Definitely start though by asking the kids...I always try and gauge what we are going to learn by what the kids already know about the subject and build from there.

[Sunchimes]

I don't think they will come with just 1 kid old enough to talk. I live on a main street and fire trucks and ambulances scream past all day long, so she knows they are "helpers". I guess that's a good place to start.

Thanks.

[sahm1225]

Do the kids have shoes on when they go outside? We usually do the fire drills when we are already ready to go outside so they have shoes on. Last week I did it with no warning and took them outside w no shoes. They complained, so now I'm wondering what everyone else does!

[Lil'DinoEggs]

We are supposed to do it without shoes but sometimes i cheat and do it right when we come in from outside. i also have a box of plastic slip ons next to my primary exit.

[Sunchimes]

I found an app that we have been using. It is called Sparky's Birthday Surprise. I got it free for Android, I think it may be free on itunes. It is about the fire station dalmation. At the beginning, it talks about the smoke alarms and if you touch the alarm, it sounds much like the one in our house. It's a pretty good place to start helping them get acquainted with the sound.

[Cradle2crayons]

My husband mounted a real smoke alarm by he front door that's battery powered and not wired into the rest. We use that one for drills. We hold the button and it goes through the beeps and verbal warnings.

You could buy one that actually tests like a real one and just bring it out when you are ready and set that one off for drills if you want.

I think the more realistic the better

[Bookworm]

My centered is required to do one every month. The kids know what to do when the alarm sounds. Unfortunately, earlier this year we had a a true fire emergency and the kids did exactly what we practiced. It was proof that fire drills are important.