Fire Evacuation with two non walkers

[ClaireDalli]

Hi, just something that I've thought about today - I now have two children who are just beginning to walk. I did my fire drill today and discovered an issue, neither of my mindees are walking properly. Anyone got any suggestions on how to keep them safe and under control during a fire drill? I live on quite a busy main road and my front garden is not secure from the road, when I evacuate to the front of the house what am I meant to do; carry them both at the same time out of the building and them hold them both in my arms while I wait for the fire engine? I guess I could leave the double buggy at the front door just in case but them I worry that someone will nick it! Would be interested to hear any suggestions...

[singlewiththree]

I have the same issue so have left a single buggy by the front door so I can put one in and hold another when we get to the door. On a Monday I have a deaf 3yr old, 2yr old, 1yr old (not walking), 6 month old. Its made for a very interesting risk assessment!

The pushchair seems to work except if little one falls asleep in it earlier on and I push it in the house and usually out the back door then forget to put it back by the front door and then it all falls apart again. In a real fire my neighbours would probably take us all in their house while we wait for the fire brigade and parents.

[dette]

Do you have a car ? i evacuate to the car if weather is bad or kids have no shoes on ..which is very likely.just need car keys near the door

[LittleAcorns]

Im interested in this, one day a week I have 3 little ones, I keep the triple buggy in the front porch/garden ready, but its not ideal, I was thinking of getting one of those plastic storage sheds, just big enough to park the triple in but lock it!!

[hectors house]

I suppose you would have to try to carry both of them - in a practice you only need to go just outside the door and pretend to ring fire brigade on phone, in real thing then I agree with "singlewiththree" you probably would be taken in by a kind neighbour or as "dette" says put them in the car.

When ever I do my evacuations, we try a different scenerio each month (fire in different room - how will be get out, different children combinations, different time of day), when I do one where 2 older children are downstairs and baby is in bed and the kitchen is on fire - the fire brigade told me I have to keep all the children together, but it feels really wrong to be taking 2 children upstairs to get the baby and then shut ourselves in front bedroom while I ring 999 on mobile.

I would prefer to take 2 older children outside and lock them in car (quiet cul de sac), while I dash up to rescue baby - this is what fire brigade told me to do but it feels wrong to put 2 older children in danger when they could be saved easily. What does everyone else think?

[AliceK]

I suppose you would have to try to carry both of them - in a practice you only need to go just outside the door and pretend to ring fire brigade on phone, in real thing then I agree with "singlewiththree" you probably would be taken in by a kind neighbour or as "dette" says put them in the car.

When ever I do my evacuations, we try a different scenerio each month (fire in different room - how will be get out, different children combinations, different time of day), when I do one where 2 older children are downstairs and baby is in bed and the kitchen is on fire - the fire brigade told me I have to keep all the children together, but it feels really wrong to be taking 2 children upstairs to get the baby and then shut ourselves in front bedroom while I ring 999 on mobile.

I would prefer to take 2 older children outside and lock them in car (quiet cul de sac), while I dash up to rescue baby - this is what fire brigade told me to do but it feels wrong to put 2 older children in danger when they could be saved easily. What does everyone else think?

I guess it depends on the layout of your house and the age of the older ones. In my house if the kitchen was on fire I would probably push the older ones (7 & 8yr olds out of the front door into my front garden which is walled and big and I would trust them to not move. If I had the 2, 3, 4yr olds I would tell them to stay at the bottom of my stairs whilst I ran up and grabbed the baby. It would be quicker and safer than taking other children up if I knew we would then get out of the front door which is at the bottom of the stairs. Unless absolutely necessary I don't sleep babies upstairs as I prefer to have all the children on the same floor of the house.
xxx
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[2kidsunder5]

Do you have a car ? i evacuate to the car if weather is bad or kids have no shoes on ..which is very likely.just need car keys near the door

I also do this if we need to leave through the back. I have a spare pram in my porch for use through the front.

[The Juggler]

my double is always outside anyway as it doesn't fit in my house but the car is a good second option. or one under each arm?

[Playmate]

We always evacuate to the cars, that way children can be strapped in and moved away for the scene quickly, once this is done the fire brigade can be called. Also we keep our buggies in the boot of the car so they can be accessed easily outside of the house.

[rickysmiths]

We always evacuate to the cars, that way children can be strapped in and moved away for the scene quickly, once this is done the fire brigade can be called. Also we keep our buggies in the boot of the car so they can be accessed easily outside of the house.

I keep my emergency bag in the car and do this as well. I have a spare care key on the key ring in my back door as well.

[christine e]

Just one thing that strikes me here is that getting in a car whilst the building is on fire could be dangerous - what if the car caught fire?

Another point to consider with non walker or even walkers is how would you evacuate if the children were asleep?

[sarah707]

Whenever I have 2 little ones I always have the double buggy up - I use it for the one who likes to sleep outside and as an emergency place to put children.

I know you said it might be stolen but you could get round that by using a bike lock with a number combination or putting a key on your ring and keeping it in your pocket.

hth :D

[muffins]

My car is parked right next to the house so that isn't an option!

I do however live at the bottom of an extremely long no through rd with 8 other houses in a circle, most of these contain stay at home mums, elderly or work from home people so I would go to the nearest house with a car parked outside!

If there was a child asleep upstairs I would go up there but do my best to be in a front bedroom so I could shout to neighbours if need be, this is a very very quiet area so should easily be herd!

Before I moved last year my plan was to go to a neighbour if going out the front and to the playhouse at the end of my 120ft garden if out the back! If trapped upstairs at the front I could have taken children along veranda at the neighbours house!

[justgoodfriends]

Not sure if Ofsted are still expecting us to do drills? I have not seen them referred to in any of the latest reports since Sept. Maybe just having a plan of how you would evacuate the premises with littlies is enough now?

[sarah707]

Not sure if Ofsted are still expecting us to do drills? I have not seen them referred to in any of the latest reports since Sept. Maybe just having a plan of how you would evacuate the premises with littlies is enough now?

I saw one! I couldn't tell you which report it was in but I have used it in my e-book...

a childminder received satisfactory - not good - because fire evacuation procedures were not practiced.

Another report I read refers to how the children ‘confidently talk about their recent fire drill and understand clearly what they have to do.’

You are right though justgoodfriends it doesn't refer to fire practices in the EYFS 2012.

However, it does say to have evacuation procedures in place and I would imagine that as part of that you'd want to check they work! :D

[tamsin]

I think you need to use common sense because there are a lot of variables depending on your house layout and why you are evacuating. If the house is on fire and you are stood near the front door with two five year olds and there is a baby upstairs that you can safely get to, then you chuck the 5year olds outside and tell them to stay put whilst you fetch the baby. Would you do that in any other situation (including a practice) - no, but taking two children up the stairs is going to slow you down considerably and put you and their lives at more risk than being left alone outside the burning building. It's a good idea to have a place to wait decided on and explained, then if you need to tell them to say put there they already have the routine down.

Baby reins would be an option for those too young to be told to stay put - loop them over something (eg gate post), if the neighbour had a fenced front garden dump them over the wall, hand them to a passer-by - again all things you wouldn't do in any other circumstances than their lives are at immediate risk otherwise. Once you've gathered together it's likely people will have arrived and will help with holding if you are short of hands, otherwise knock on doors or flag someone down.

[justgoodfriends]

In that case I'd better continue to do them... thanks Sarah :-)


I saw one! I couldn't tell you which report it was in but I have used it in my e-book...

a childminder received satisfactory - not good - because fire evacuation procedures were not practiced.

Another report I read refers to how the children ‘confidently talk about their recent fire drill and understand clearly what they have to do.’

You are right though justgoodfriends it doesn't refer to fire practices in the EYFS 2012.

However, it does say to have evacuation procedures in place and I would imagine that as part of that you'd want to check they work! :D

[jackie 7]

today my neighbour upstairs fire alarm went off. they are very sensitive! I did a fire drill. 1 kept thinking it was a police car the other just did as I said. will write it up.

[hectors house]

I'm going to scrap taking older kids upstairs then to rescue the baby - I always felt uncomfortable doing it, but fire brigade when they came round said I should keep all children together. I have a large porch, I think I'm going to practice putting older children in there and tell them I'm going upstairs to get the baby - count to 100 and if I don't come back down, open the door and go to a neighbour. I can get up and down the stairs and get the baby in less than a minute and we live at top of a quiet cul de sac so little risk of them getting run over or lost.

How many people teach the children to dial 999 in an emergency - in the summer I was in the garden and stood on the bench to reach something and said to the children what would you do if I fell off this bench and was hurt. One 4 year old said "cry" and 3 year old said ring an ambulance, when I asked what number he would ring - he said 999 - but these days with mobile phones that need unlocking or walk about house phones that need a button pressing before you dial - it isn't as easy as it was with old fashioned phones?

[silvermist]

Can I just ask what you use to let los know theres a fire? I have a whistle but to be honest the los dont know what it means as theyre only 14 months old. x

[dawn100]

I remember being told on a training course I think first aid that most phones override any locks if you type 999, obviously I've never tried this as I haven't needed to dial 999 since being told this and don't want to ring 999 if it does work!

[tamsin]

Can I just ask what you use to let los know theres a fire? I have a whistle but to be honest the los dont know what it means as theyre only 14 months old. x

I think calling out 'fire - lets evacuate' is the best option, plus demonstrating what the fire alarm sounds like and what it means. Unless you carry around a whistle all the time you won't necessarily be able to access it, and rummaging through a draw for a whistle to blow is probably not number one on your list of things to do when you are faced with an actual fire!

[christine e]

I remember being told on a training course I think first aid that most phones override any locks if you type 999, obviously I've never tried this as I haven't needed to dial 999 since being told this and don't want to ring 999 if it does work!

One of my older phones did but the last two I have had don't. Just try pressing one 9 on your keypad whilst phone is locked to see if it displays on your screen

[gegele]

I'm going to scrap taking older kids upstairs then to rescue the baby - I always felt uncomfortable doing it, but fire brigade when they came round said I should keep all children together. I have a large porch, I think I'm going to practice putting older children in there and tell them I'm going upstairs to get the baby - count to 100 and if I don't come back down, open the door and go to a neighbour. I can get up and down the stairs and get the baby in less than a minute and we live at top of a quiet cul de sac so little risk of them getting run over or lost.

How many people teach the children to dial 999 in an emergency - in the summer I was in the garden and stood on the bench to reach something and said to the children what would you do if I fell off this bench and was hurt. One 4 year old said "cry" and 3 year old said ring an ambulance, when I asked what number he would ring - he said 999 - but these days with mobile phones that need unlocking or walk about house phones that need a button pressing before you dial - it isn't as easy as it was with old fashioned phones?

We need to teach the children 112 now as they can do it from mobile phone even if lock i think.