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View Full Version : Fire Drill- shoe or not to shoe?



clairer
05-11-2013, 10:44 AM
Fire drills- do you let the children stop to put their shoes on? Or do they go out in their socks or slippers?:jump for joy:

Koala
05-11-2013, 10:59 AM
Is it raining?

Would you go out without shoes?

If there is a fire - no question - just go, but if its a drill - maybe pick a nice day for it and double risk assess for stocking feet beforehand if thats what you think is best. I would probably just make sure everyone has something on their feet beforehand. :thumbsup: Instead of stopping to put shoes on :thumbsup:

mama2three
05-11-2013, 11:04 AM
So you've identified that they wouldn't want to be outside without shoes on. If there was a real fire what would you do? That's the purpose of drills to know how you would all manage in a real situation.
Maybe keep a stock of cheap slippers / wellies in your car boot / shed as an option for when you may need to leave without footwear. Or maybe theres a solution that would work better for you and your mix of children. for example tots wouldn't need shoes if you could pop them in a buggy.
I wouldn't do a shoeless drill as Ive already identified it as a problem. Id think of a solution and then do a drill to test it out.

rickysmiths
05-11-2013, 12:27 PM
No shoes whatever the weather.

You wouldn't stop to put them on if there was a fire and this is how you should practice. Part of my evacuation is that I will put the minded children in the car and run it off the drive to allow the emergency services in. I have a bag in the car with socks, space blankets, biscuits, water, a carton of long life milk and if I have a younger baby a platex bottle with the disposable liners and cartons of formula. In the winter I add several fleece blankets to the boot and a spade. I have also been thinking about investing in a small kettle that plugs into the cig socket so I could warm up baby milk or make a warm cup of tea.

hectors house
05-11-2013, 12:30 PM
I warn the parents that if the children come home and say they went outside in the rain without their shoes on then it means we practised the fire evacuation proceedure - in a real fire I don't want to have 3 little ones making a fuss about putting shoes on. I make sure I tell the children on the way out that we haven't got time to put shoes and coats on in case it was a real fire.

christine e
05-11-2013, 12:54 PM
No shoes whatever the weather.

You wouldn't stop to put them on if there was a fire and this is how you should practice. Part of my evacuation is that I will put the minded children in the car and run it off the drive to allow the emergency services in. I have a bag in the car with socks, space blankets, biscuits, water, a carton of long life milk and if I have a younger baby a platex bottle with the disposable liners and cartons of formula. In the winter I add several fleece blankets to the boot and a spade. I have also been thinking about investing in a small kettle that plugs into the cig socket so I could warm up baby milk or make a warm cup of tea.

Would it be safe to start up a car that was positioned outside a building that was on fire?

clairer
05-11-2013, 12:58 PM
Hmn I must say I thought the same. Sparks and all that.

hectors house
05-11-2013, 01:00 PM
Hmn I must say I thought the same. Sparks and all that.

I would hope Rickysmiths would have evacuated long before the sparks and flames are on the outside of the house!

The fire engine will need to park close to the house and you never hear of them catching fire.

rickysmiths
05-11-2013, 01:30 PM
Would it be safe to start up a car that was positioned outside a building that was on fire?

My car isn't that close to the house and in fact the drive has a sufficient enough slope that if I release the brake it will roll back to the road which is 50-70 feet from the house. However I doubt very much that starting the engine would have an effect on an already burning house. The Fire Brigade were happy with my plan when they last did an inspection.

kellyskidz!
05-11-2013, 01:36 PM
I think the car idea is really good, will be loading up other halfs car with emergency supplies when he gets in from work! Also thinking of having a plastic box outside filled with 'Just in case' stuff, nappies, shoes, baby jars etc not only for fire but also if we ever get locked out, or I leave the door on the latch which I'm a b for!
In my case though if there was a real fire I wouldn't even think about their shoes, they'd be out before their feet could touch the ground anyway! Sure parents would rather they have soggy feet than the alternative!

rickysmiths
05-11-2013, 01:47 PM
I think the car idea is really good, will be loading up other halfs car with emergency supplies when he gets in from work! Also thinking of having a plastic box outside filled with 'Just in case' stuff, nappies, shoes, baby jars etc not only for fire but also if we ever get locked out, or I leave the door on the latch which I'm a b for!
In my case though if there was a real fire I wouldn't even think about their shoes, they'd be out before their feet could touch the ground anyway! Sure parents would rather they have soggy feet than the alternative!

Oh I like the idea of a box outside though mine would be in my car it might be an idea to have a small one hidden somewhere.

kellyskidz!
05-11-2013, 02:05 PM
Oh I like the idea of a box outside though mine would be in my car it might be an idea to have a small one hidden somewhere.

I know that's what I'm thinking, as I don't drive and my oh is at work until around 4 so it'd be no good if he was miles always with the box lol, might stash one at the side of the garage, although knowing me I'd forget it was there!:blush:

AdeleMarie88
05-11-2013, 02:06 PM
Yes I have an emergency bag outside, it's in my pram shed in the front garden, and in there I have supplies, dried food and long life milk, and 6 pairs of cheap pumps from local charity shop. X

FussyElmo
05-11-2013, 02:08 PM
I know that's what I'm thinking, as I don't drive and my oh is at work until around 4 so it'd be no good if he was miles always with the box lol, might stash one at the side of the garage, although knowing me I'd forget it was there!:blush:

No use doing a box in the car if you don't drive :D

Couldn't you do a bag with the basics in by your front or back door?

I don t make the children take their shoes off so its not an issue for me :D

kellyskidz!
05-11-2013, 02:14 PM
No use doing a box in the car if you don't drive :D

Couldn't you do a bag with the basics in by your front or back door?

I don t make the children take their shoes off so its not an issue for me :D

But we do sometimes use his car on outings if he's got a day off, I'm thinking if we get stranded somewhere its be an idea to have an emergency box with spare clothes and food and maybe some drinks cartons
Then a separate one for outside
I mean I suppose it could go on for ever, have an emergency box at every playgroup we go to lol!

k-tots
05-11-2013, 03:06 PM
Thinking about this. ..might start leavibg the change bag coats and wellys in the car when we have been out as it would have all the emergency stuff in it......thanks for the reminder

muffins
05-11-2013, 04:44 PM
I get why we have emergancy supplies in the car but why hide them in your gardens, with emergancy food, drink, blankets etc??

Ok some of you might live in the sticks but surely most of us have neighbours we could rely on in these situations? I dont have anywhere in my garden I could any such stuff but I do know out of the 20 odd houses in my street at least half of them would be home, willing to help and have some biscuits!

mrstom
05-11-2013, 05:06 PM
I get why we have emergancy supplies in the car but why hide them in your gardens, with emergancy food, drink, blankets etc??

Ok some of you might live in the sticks but surely most of us have neighbours we could rely on in these situations? I dont have anywhere in my garden I could any such stuff but I do know out of the 20 odd houses in my street at least half of them would be home, willing to help and have some biscuits!

I'm the same. Both sets of my neighbours are home all day (most days) and we have loads of stay at home mums and retired couples on our road. Plus all my mindees parents work no more than 10 mins away so it wouldn't be long before mindees were picked up.

Daisy1956
05-11-2013, 05:18 PM
I think the box is a good idea if no at home near you I'm lucky my daughter lives close by so would go there although I take the point about shoes my find some cheap wellies.

AdeleMarie88
05-11-2013, 05:48 PM
I get why we have emergancy supplies in the car but why hide them in your gardens, with emergancy food, drink, blankets etc??

Ok some of you might live in the sticks but surely most of us have neighbours we could rely on in these situations? I dont have anywhere in my garden I could any such stuff but I do know out of the 20 odd houses in my street at least half of them would be home, willing to help and have some biscuits!

I only know two sets of neighbours and they leave house at half6am to get to the city, so no use to me, plus I have a basement which I can get to from outside that has an outdoot shed so really easy to store things in there!

clairer
05-11-2013, 07:41 PM
Don't you have half this emergency stuff in your bag..I know I do!

Not six pairs of slip ons though. How'd you know what size to get?!!:panic:

TooEarlyForGin?
05-11-2013, 08:10 PM
I get why we have emergancy supplies in the car but why hide them in your gardens, with emergancy food, drink, blankets etc??

Ok some of you might live in the sticks but surely most of us have neighbours we could rely on in these situations? I dont have anywhere in my garden I could any such stuff but I do know out of the 20 odd houses in my street at least half of them would be home, willing to help and have some biscuits!

I am also slightly struggling with this thread. In 11 years of minding my house has never had a fire yet. If it did catch fire, my neighbour is my emergency back up, I don't have any room in my car for so many extras (7 seater with no boot, buggy fills it up, with the odd blanket and motoring emergency things, which would be more likely), stuff outside would soon get damp, mouldy, out of date, I would probably be quite concerned my whole life was going up in smoke and am sure if the police and fire brigade arrive they would help if the situation was that dire.

clairer
05-11-2013, 08:48 PM
I shall definitely review my fire drill system and think about supplies in my car. Thanks all x

AdeleMarie88
05-11-2013, 09:04 PM
It does sound daft, however, should the worse happen you want to be prepared. If you have a car that is the obvious choice to keep supplies, I don't however. My front door also slams very easily, and I have been locked out before with children in the push chair, so emergency bag was amazingly useful then! It's preparing for that just in case scenario, I suppose you have to weigh up what would more useful for your own situation! X

dawn100
05-11-2013, 09:05 PM
My car is an aladdins cave, with nappies, wipes, bottled water, snacks, blankets, spare jumpers, air pump, first aid kit, small amount of cash, umbrella, colouring books and crayons, sticker books, small toys etc all well packed into door pockets and any spare space, has always been like this even before I started childminding my friend use to mock me for it until she got stuck on the motorway with her young kids, was only meant to be a 20 minute drive only going one junction so didnt have very much with her however she got stuck in a jam after a very bad crash it was almost 5 hours she was stuck there and the first thing she said was I wish I had been stuck in your car!
So my plan is to evacuate to my car and no I wouldn't be stopping for shoes so we don't stop for shoes in a practice.

Tulip
05-11-2013, 09:42 PM
rickysmiths and dawn100 your cars sound fantastic I almost want to move in! :laughing:
Seriously though having all these essentials handy is a great idea, fire or no fire
Mrs forgetful here would probably forget the car keys though! :doh:

miffy
05-11-2013, 10:24 PM
Mrs forgetful here would probably forget the car keys though! :doh:

:laughing::laughing::laughing:

Imagine everything you need in a car you can't get into! :laughing:

I suppose you could always ask the fire brigade to break into it once they've put your house fire out :rolleyes:


Miffy xx

julie w
05-11-2013, 11:11 PM
I do the fire drills when they have slippers/shoes on just so they know the drill, what to do and where to go etc. However in a real emergengy I wouldnt stop to put shoes on but at least they would know what to do.

clairer
07-11-2013, 02:27 PM
I once broke down due to an engine fire. I had a single packet of raisins and it took three hours to get home :( I now have first aid kits, wipes, drinks and snacks at all times. I used to always carry a pottete too so handy for toiletting emergencies!

gef918
07-11-2013, 08:55 PM
We have a welly rack just outside the front door, so our drill involves putting those on when we leave the house.

KatieFS
07-11-2013, 11:43 PM
My plan is leave the house quickly and safely as poss, grabbing my bag, phone and house keys. If it was real fire then we are all getting in the car and calling the parents to arrive ASAP.

An emergency bag is quite a good idea, biscuits water nappies wipes. In the car.. Ill do that!! :)