Kids Safety: Fire Escape Plans

1/6/2022 (Permalink)

Follow these advices to create a good Fire Escape Plan for your family. Someday these tips could save lives.

What does every parenting book on the planet stress the importance of? Kids safety. However, aside from maintaining doctor appointments and learning practical first aid, how many parents reach beyond to learn and interject more safety protocols into their children's lives?

Many parents instinctively act in their child's best interest, which is excellent. However, what does that teach the child, especially in terms of emergencies like fires?

Advices that might be vital in case of Fire Escape

Many families do not see house fires as realistic threats, but they are; just ask any restoration service in Pueblo, CO. Teaching children escape strategies through repetition and exercises is the best way to keep the family safe. Learning to protect themselves can also serve as a psychological boost as it:

• Improves confidence
• Incorporates decision-making skills
• Reduces anxiety

Kids Safety: Fire Escape Training

While intuition can play a role in safety, it should not become the sole influence. The body's fight or flight response is not always dependable and can lead to greater risks of injury in disaster situations. Instead, parents should help their children create, incorporate, and practice real-world strategies for escape during fires. These plans should include several exit routes and the elimination of obstacles.

Additionally, a plan is only as effective as its practice runs. During a disaster or crisis, people panic. Unfortunately, panic can lead to indecision. Repetition can reduce the risk of a panic-induced freeze, helping your entire family get to safety.

Specific Objectives

A home fire is dangerous, but knowing how to design and implement an escape plan can reduce the risk of serious injury. A plan should focus on multiple exits and the elimination of obstacles.

Every room in your home should have a minimum of two exits. A bedroom, for instance, will have a window and a door. When creating your family escape plan, your job is to identify these exits and teach your children.

Additionally, your escape path out of each room or area of the home needs to be clear. Smoke is thick and hard to see through; you do not want to run into a bookshelf, table, or another item while trying to make a quick escape.

Importance of Repetition

Because of the potential for low visibility and the threat of panic-induced freezing, you should practice your escape routes several times throughout the year. A good rule of thumb is to practice at least once every six months. However, you might want to practice monthly with little ones.

By practicing, you are essentially creating muscle memory and eliminating the need for too much thinking during a fire. It is the confusion and overthinking that will lead to extensive injuries.

Kids safety depends on preparation and commitment, and each is up to the parents. The younger you start teaching your children about escape plans and fire safety, the easier it will be to instill good habits. You can talk to the local fire department or a fire mitigation specialist to determine the best escape routes through your home and learn other fire safety tips and tricks. However, it would be best to remember to practice what you learned.