Fire Drills In Snow

[kidkair]

Just wondering how everyone does fire drills during the snowy months.

[CKSher]

I do it when we are already getting dressed to go outside. That way we are all warm. I wait until they are bundled and then I push the alarm and we head out. They do not even notice me standing by the alarm until I push it. During the warmer months I catch them at other times, I also practice using the back entrance during the warmer months.

[laundrymom]

thats the awesome thing about drills, I never seem to have them when its 4 degrees with 35 mph winds and snow. =-) I have them on calm days,.. good calm days,.. and we are out and in again in just a few moments.

[daysofelijah]

My licensor said we don't have to go all the way outside in the winter. Just to the door.

[Missani]

daysofelijah-where are you? What county are you in? I was wondering that, too, (if we could just go to the door instead) but I've never thought to ask my licensor.

I also have them when we are getting ready to go outside. Funny that you said no one notices because last time I had a kid say, "Hey, this happened another time when we were going outside." Yep, and I bet it happens next month, too.

My daycare is in my basement, so we practice using the eggress windows and at other times during our day when the weather is nicer.

[kidkair]

Thanks everyone. I just wanted to be sure I wasn't completely off by doing it when the kids are already ready to head out or practicing just getting to the door quickly. I've been having them get to the door quickly and then we get ready to go out. They all were here in the summer when we practiced going out the back door and crawling to the door and getting to our meeting spot outside. I've just been keeping them used to the sound and urgency of getting to the door. I'm much more likely to do it in foul weather during the summer when it's easier to recover from getting cold.

[daysofelijah]

daysofelijah-where are you? What county are you in? I was wondering that, too, (if we could just go to the door instead) but I've never thought to ask my licensor.

I am in Anoka County. That was what my original licensor (I think I'm on my fourth one now in 8 years.) told me and I've never heard different, so that's what I go by.

[MG&Lsmom]

I was also wondering this. Thanks for asking! So do you do the same if you have a no shoes rule? When I did my last 3 drills, we only went to the door. Probably not kosher, but the kids don't wear shoes in my house and only 1 is able to put them on herself (my own dd). And their shoes are all in their respective cubbies. I figure in a real fire we're not stopping for shoes so why teach them when they have them on already right? Or maybe we need to keep them lined up at the door?

[kidkair]

I have a no shoe policy in my house. During the summer I'll have them go out barefoot but we nearly always do that anyway. During spring and fall I make them go out in socks or whatever they have on their feet at the time so they can get some practice in being uncomfortable in an emergency. During the winter though we are bundled or only get to the door so no one gets injured by not being properly dressed.