Fire Drills

[Country Kids]

How do you all conduct fire drills? By the time we get all our shoes and coats to much time would have escaped in a real situation. I'm thinking if anything were to happen we would just have to go out in barefeet and no coats which would be horrible-very wet and very cold.

So when you do your fire drills just as it were happening or do you get everyone ready to go outside?

[DBug]

At the center I worked at, all of the kids wore indoor shoes, so all we had to do was take them straight outside (in below freezing temps too). We had a big blanket in our evac. bag to wrap around them (8-10 toddlers). I do the same here without indoor shoes. For our drills in the winter, we just go to the front door. In the summer, I'll have them go right outside, probably with shoes already on.

If there were ever a real fire, I certainly wouldn't be stopping to put stuff on, and I wouldn't want my 2's & 3's thinking they were supposed to put their coat & mitts & hats & snowpants on in an evacuation. They'd all throw fits to put on their stuff. Not exactly what you want in a real evac .

So keep a nice big blanket in your evac bag to keep the kids dry and warm. Picnic blankets are great for this, the ones that are waterproof on one side and fuzzy on the other. You also may want to arrange with a neighbour to have access to their house or garage in case you need shelter in a real emergency.

[melskids]

We are required to keep a fire evac bag by the door to grab on the way out. besides other things, shoes and a blanket are kept inside. They also recommend we keep a rubbermaid tote stocked with supplies somewhere near our "meeting" spot for easy access if needed. Mine is in my garden shed.

I just collected old blankets coats and shoes from donations, and garage sales.

No way would I worry about shoes and coats in the case of a fire.

[Country Kids]

I would take them immediately outside if there were a real fire!

Melskids, how do you practise yours? Do you take yours right outside or do you have them also practice going to an area of the house like DBug? I'm more wondering about the winter months when its cold and everything. The tub idea is good though but our meeting spot is outside away from buildings.

[MrsB]

We are required monthly to do fire drills too. I also have a emergency bag that has flip flops in it. I figure flip flops is better than no shoes. I have a house key to my neighbors house in the bag as well and is one of my escape plans so the flip flops are effecient enough to walk across the street.

As for drill in the yucky weather months I usually do it when we come in from outside or are getting ready to go outside so that they already have their shoes on. So they are not practicing putting their shoes on. Summer or nicer days we go out barefoot.

[itlw8]

we wear shoes in my house so that is not a problem At nap time they put shoes in a bucket next to the door so we can grab and go if needed. I also have an evacuation crib so if needed I would pop the kids in it if needed.

[JenNJ]

I actually take them outside without coats and shoes. I want them to know that when that alarm goes off and I say line up -- they DO it. I don't want to talk about shoes, coats, etc. I don't want them to hesitate, I want them to react.

So I press the alarm button and I watch them line up by the back door while reminding them of the procedure (I have to do this rather loudly since i have a child who is hard of hearing). We walk across the grass in the yard and our meeting place is by the big oak tree at the furthest point in my enclosed backyard (I have a red bush planted under it to remind the kids that we meet by the red bush). From there, we can leave through a gate and go into my detached garage for shelter. I guess I could put a Rubbermaid tote in there with some blankets and spare shoes. But really, their shoes and jackets are the least of my concerns if any alarm goes off. I just want them OUT.

Last year when the carbon monoxide detector went off, we were out in under a minute. Bare feet for all and one child with no pants since I was changing his diaper. We waited outside until the utility company and fire department arrived. The firemen actually said it was great that we got out so quickly. It was a false alarm, but he said that our reaction time is all that matters since the EMTs, police, and fire officials will have any needed supplies like blankets.

[melskids]

Mine are "trained" to line up on a line by the door (its just the carpet bar that seperates the carpet from the tile) as soon as they hear the alarm. Most of them can do this, except for the babies, and occasionally the newest two year old. Then we head out to our meeting spot.

They pretty much know its serious when they hear that alarm. I remember once I burned some food and set it off. It took quite a bit of coaxing to convince them there wasn't really a fire. We ended up heading outside anyway cause they wouldn't take "no" for an answer. But I'm glad they know what to do. happyface

But, in the event we get seperated (I dont even like to think of that but the school agers are allowed in other rooms at the other end of the house) the older ones know to GET OUT and wait for me at the shed. There is a door at that end of the house, and the windows in my son's rooms can come right out, so I've even shown the SA how to do that.

[WImom]

We just line up at the door in the winter without jacket and shoes but in the summer we go out the door without them on. I also don't practice getting those things on. If it was a real fire I don't want lots of questions on why we aren't getting the coats on this time. I just want them to line up quick.

[mema]

During the summer, spring, and fall we go out without shoes and coats. During the winter they just line up at the door and then we talk about where we would go if we had to.

[Sunchimes]

At what age can the kids do this? I haven't done them, because I never have more than 3, and rarely even that. We are usually all in the same room. I just planned to throw them in the pnp and wheel them outside. My 17 month olds have finally grasped the idea of holding hands and walking in a line. Maybe I need to push the alarm button and start working on this.

[PitterPatter]

Right now I don't make the kids rush out becuse it's cold and we don't wear shoes inside so I stop them at the door and tell them good job. Summer we drop everything and rush out as is to our safe spot at the end of the yard. Still safe inside the fenced yard but very far away from the house. I use a spare alarm and hold the button down to make it go off that way they know the actual sound that will occur.

[DBug]

At what age can the kids do this? I haven't done them, because I never have more than 3, and rarely even that. We are usually all in the same room. I just planned to throw them in the pnp and wheel them outside. My 17 month olds have finally grasped the idea of holding hands and walking in a line. Maybe I need to push the alarm button and start working on this.

I have them do the drill a few times in a row, sometimes walking, sometimes crawling (in case of heavy smoke). The ones that aren't quite walking yet crawl right alongside the walkers either way. They think it's a game ::. But it's good to know that even the crawlers know what to do when they hear the alarm.

My problem is that I really need to do it more than once a month to keep it fresh in their minds. They're still so young that they quite often they forget what they're supposed to do.