Thursday October, 16 2014

Nature: Fire Prevention Activities @ Long Neck Elementary – Smoke House

Fire Prevention "Exit Drills in the Home" @ Long Neck Elementary School

The Indian River Volunteer Fire Company continues to promote fire prevention at the Long Neck Elementary School and has re-scheduled the various fire prevention activities due to inclement weather last week. This year’s theme focuses on the importance of working smoke detectors save lives as well as fire escape planning and practice.

The Indian River Volunteer Fire Company is asking each and every resident, student, - child, parent, brother, sister and grand-parents to assist in sounding the alarm that working smoke detectors save lives.

The Indian River Volunteer Fire Company offers an educational and recreational fire prevention program for the students at the Long Neck Elementary School during the entire fire prevention week. These activities include various fire prevention awareness techniques, tour of the fire house, tour of the Delaware State Fire School – Georgetown Campus, and actively participates in simulated fire suppression tactics, simulated 9-1-1 telephone calls; and grade level specific fire prevention awareness measures including but not limited to escaping the smoke house. In collaboration with the Blades Volunteer Fire Company, the smoke house activities returned to the Long Neck Elementary.

Additional fire safety tips include to check for kids and families! NFSA provides the following fire safety tips for families:

EXIT DRILLS IN THE HOME WHY EXIT DRILLS IN THE HOME? (E.D.I.T.H.)

The U.S. has one of the highest fire death rates in the industrialized world.

+ - Almost 4,000 people in the U.S. die in fires every year.

+ - Each year fire kills more Americans than all natural disasters combined.

+ - Over 80% of these deaths occur in the home (the place where people feel the safest).

From the time a fire starts you have only 4 minutes to reach safety

HOW TO…

+ - Draw a floor plan of your home.

+ - Find two (2) escape routes from each room (usually the door and window).

+ - Pick a safe meeting place (out front and away from the house) for the entire family to meet at. Some examples are: a large tree, mailbox, or the neighbor’s front door.

+ - Go over the plan carefully with all members of the family and make certain everyone knows what to do.

PRACTICE THE PLAN paying attention to any obvious problems that arise.

+ - Make the practice realistic.

+ - Do it at different times of the day (including at night).

+ - Pretend that some of the exits are blocked by smoke and fire.

BE PREPARED

+ - Make sure smoke alarms are installed (and working) on every level of your home. The most important areas are inside each bedroom as well as the hallways outside of them.

+ - Sleep with the bedroom doors shut. This can prevent fire and poisonous gases from entering the room. This can also buy you extra time if you are trapped in your room.

+ - Make sure everyone in the household can unlock and open all doors and windows quickly.

+ - Make special arrangements for children, older adults, and those with disabilities.

+ - Lower children down from a window before escaping yourself. Otherwise they may get scared or confused and remain in the home.

+ - Keep all of your exits (doors and windows) clear and accessible at all times.

+ - Crawl low under smoke.

GET OUT AND STAY OUT!!

TAKE SOME TIME NOW & PLAN AHEAD!!

Illustrated herewith a various photographs of the activities with the fourth grade students at Long Neck Elementary School which included the fire safety house. Students were instructed on safe exit of a room or house, gaining egress through windows, and the use if ladders, making escape plans and having a meeting place when exiting to ensure accountability of family and friends