Fire Safety Topics

National Fire Safety Council publishes a new poster & color / activity sheet each year as part of it's Annual Fire Prevention materials. These materials can be used year 'round although many fire departments find them especially useful during Fire Prevention Week in October.

Many of NFSC fire safety materials promote arson prevention to increase awareness about the dangers of intentionally started fires. Arson prevention encourages discussion of reasons why people may commit arson and teaches ways to be aware and what kids should know for reporting possible arson to the proper authorities.

Burns from hot drinks, electrical appliances, campfires, the sun, etc., can be prevented. Burn prevention makes children aware of things that can burn them and emphasizes the importance of telling an adult and running COOL WATER on a burn RIGHT AWAY. 

Teach children that their actions while camping affect not only their safety, but also the safety of the forest and the animals who live there. Campfire safety lessons can also teach kids and adults ways to supervise a campfire and to make sure the fire is completely out before going to bed or leaving the campsite.

Carbon monoxide, or “CO,” is an odorless, colorless gas that can kill. CO is found in fumes resulting from burning fossil fuels. CO can build up indoors and poison people and animals who breathe it. Carbon monoxide detectors can alert you in the event of a CO leak in your home, allowing you to get to safety before it's too late.

Children should be made aware of and understand the potential dangers of electricity, especially when near water. Learning that downed power lines are dangerous and to never touch them as well as basic first-aid for electrical burns may also be included in NFSC Electrical Safety lessons.

Children need to know what to do in an emergency situation. A selection of 9-1-1 emergency number safety awareness materials have been created by NFSC, Inc. as a guide to help explain to children the emergency situations they may one day have to face with or without adult guidance. Lessons include recognizing different types of emergencies that require dialing 9-1-1 and how to report the emergency to get the help they need fast.

We all should have at least one fire extinguisher at home. Having a working fire extinguisher can greatly improve our ability to keep our family and property safe if faced with a small fire. Fire Extinguisher lessons may include learning how to use an extinguisher if adults are not nearby, keeping them charged, and learning about different categories of extinguishers for different types of fires.

Any teen that is baby or kid sitting needs to know how to be a Fire-Safe Sitter! Knowing what to do in a fire emergency, how to report a fire, practicing a Home Fire Escape Plan, and having other emergency phone numbers & parents contact info handy are vital skills for any one in charge of children.

National Fire Safety Council's Firefighter Heroes Program provides departments with a specific set of materials that explain the vital job members of local fire departments perform every day to help keep us safe. Fire Departments will find the materials helpful in presenting programs to daycare facilities, pre-schools, and elementary schools.

Heating appliances like wood stoves or kerosene & electric space heaters are a source of heat for many homes. Understanding the several dangers that can accompany their use is imperative for children and adults in any home. While they should only be operated or re-filled by adults, children need to understand the dangers to avoid when portable heating is used.

Holidays that involve candles, paper decorations, hot water, flames or fireworks can be especially dangerous to children. Holiday Safety lessons can make children aware that precautionary steps can prevent a fire or burn injury and give children examples of step to take to ensure safety during these special times.

Preparing and practicing a Home Fire Escape Plan is arguably one of the best tools available to help our families escape a fire safely. Children need to learn the steps to follow in case of a home fire. Lessons can teach children to realize the importance of having two exits from each room, waiting at a Safe Meeting Place, and remind them to practice their Home Fire Escape Plan during the day and at night.

Fire hazards can be found in any home. Lessons help children become aware of the importance of safety and how to keep their home fire-safe. They can help children learn to identify, avoid, and report hazards found in the home to adults so they can be corrected. 

A hotel or motel is an unfamiliar place. Unlike your home, you have no planned escape route. Reviewing posted escape routes, and never using the elevator in case of fire are some of the lessons learned with the Hotel/Motel Fire Safety topic. Children will learn how to have a safe visit to a hotel or motel.

Having properly displayed house numbers on a home can help firefighters find your home quickly in the event of a home fire. Children can learn proper sizes and locations and help adults replace and/or install house numbers that can easily be seen from the road. Updating your house numbers is a simple inexpensive way to encourage children to participate in making your home fire safe.

These may be some of the most important topics to cover in fire safety with children. These lessons can teach children that matches, candles, and lighters are not toys but tools used to start "controlled" or "good" fires and they should only be used by adults. Learning that serious damage or injury may occur when used improperly or unsupervised can help children to "Be fire safety smart."

Being prepared for natural disasters can give any family an advantage when disasters strike. Basic information on natural disaster safety, like tornado safety, is presented with interesting facts, tips, check lists, and other info to help you survive.

According to the CDC, over 300 children in the U.S. ages 0 to 19 are treated every day in an emergency department, and two children die, due to being poisoned. Common items found in every home, such as household cleaners and medications, can be poisonous, especially to children. Lessons can include basic information on poisons and first aid treatments for various types of poisoning, and how to contact poison control centers & report a poisoning.

Persons over the age of 55 can be at a greater risk of injury from fire and other household hazards, especially those living alone, and these risks increase as they age. Safe Senior lessons can help to remind them of important safe living tips, rules, and how to get help in the event of an emergency or injury. 

School Fire Drill lessons emphasize the importance of paying attention and following instructions during a fire drill. Children can learn the rules to follow in case of a fire drill and learn procedures to follow if a child is in another room or area of the school. Many of these rules can be applied when planning and practicing a Home Fire Escape Plan.

Smoke from a fire can be very dangerous, even deadly. Kids should learn that if they are ever in a room filled with smoke they need to crawl below the smoke to get to safety quickly. These lessons also remind kids that whenever they exit a building or home that is on fire or filled with smoke, they are to go directly to their prearranged Safe Meeting Place.

NFSC has developed a comprehensive program of educational materials addressing the single most important defense against injury by fire -- smoke alarms. 94% of all homes in the U.S. have at least one smoke alarm, but surveys show that up to 1/2 of these smoke alarms do not work because the battery is either dead or missing. Adults and children can benefit from materials which address a wide variety of information concerning smoke alarms. Even though adults buy, install, and check smoke alarms, children can learn about smoke alarms and help remind adults what to do. NFSC has specifically developed the character, "Smokee™" the Smoke Alarm to help Firepup® bring the rules of smoke alarm safety to younger children while making learning fun.

Avoiding panic if someone's clothing catches fire is very important and can reduce the extent of injuries sustained. The NFSC Stop, Drop, (Cover), and Roll lessons can help teach children exactly what to do, step by step, in the event of a clothing fire. While "Stop, Drop, & Roll" is a common fire safety lesson these days, we have found that "Covering" one's face and eyes is an important addition that can greatly reduce injuries.

NFSC Water Safety materials cover vital information concerning water safety including swimming, diving, and boating safety for all ages. While not specifically a fire safety topic, firefighters can often be the first responders in case of drownings, and fire departments have asked for educational materials to help. These lessons may include basic accident prevention tips as well as the dangers of trendy water challenge events.