Helping Kids Prepare In Case Of Fire

Oskaloosa Firefighters Dan Hoy (left) and Quinten Brown (right) help demonstrate how the trailer could be filled with smoke to help teach kids how to escape in cases of fire.

Oskaloosa, Iowa – Learning from firefighters to help kids become more familiar with what to do in case of a fire was the goal of a specialized trailer that has been in town all week.

Blank Children’s Hospital and the Oskaloosa Fire Department teamed up all this week, helping nearly 1200 kids understand just a little bit more about the dangers of fire, and what to do in case there is a fire in their home.

When students enter the trailer, they start off in a kitchen area where they are taught simple things. Things such as making sure the pan handles are turned in a safe direction, to keep hot pads away from the stove, and that “if there is a fire, we don’t put it out. We don’t try to put the lid on the pan, we don’t try to put baking soda on it [the fire]; we just go out,” was one of the lessons Oskaloosa Firefighter Dan Hoy was teaching the youth as they toured. He told them that putting the fire out was for parents or firefighters to do.

Oskaloosa Firefighter Quinten Brown helped explain fireplace safety as the next stop in the customized trailer. Having such things as papers too near the fire, or a lighter that is too near the flame could become too hot and possibly explode or burn occupants of the home.

Brown also talked about having an escape plan and an area for the family to meet, once out and away from the house, in case of a fire. That way everyone knows that the entire family is out safe. Many times family members won’t have a predetermined place to meet and a parent will become panicked that their child hasn’t made it out safely. The parent will then rush back into the home to save them when, unknown to them, the child could be in a different part of the yard, safe all along. Having a safe meeting place can also prevent firefighters from risking their lives, by going into a burning building, if they don’t need to.

Even things like candles can be dangerous to blow out. The hot wax can fly back into the face of the person blowing out the candle. In some cases, the flame can be transferred causing a fire in the home.

The final room in the home represented a bedroom. Hoy said “In this room we’re going to practice how to get out of your house if it was actually on fire.”

Hoy familiarizes them with the sound of a smoke detector. He also lets the kids practice a “hot door”. The specially prepared door actually gets warm to the touch to help teach people to check for fire before opening the door. Once they discuss the hot door, Hoy helps to teach them to use the escape route out the window.

A unique aspect of the room is its ability to be filled with a safe smoke to help demonstrate to kids what a smokey room could be like during a fire.

The special trailer is here until the end of the day on Friday at the Oskaloosa Elementary School.