Writing a fire drill..

[MissTinkerbell]

What sort of things do you put in this?

Melanie

[crazybones]

I got the children to write my fire drill because I found involving them made them understand and learn it. It is on the playroom door attached to a large pastel drawing they did of a "fire"

It reads like this:

DANGER

Kids rules for Fire or Smoke

If you smell smoke, hear the alarm or see fire you must

1 Shout in your loudest voice

2 Move out of the room towards the safest exit taking the hand of anyone with you, especially younger children

3. Listen to Anne-Marie's instructions and stay together as we leave the house

4. Wait at the evacuation point, depending on the door we leave by
Front door - Front Garden Wall
Back door - Back Garden fence

5. Everyone must act sensibly. We leave what we are doing and do not try to collect anything on the way.

As I say the kids wrote this themselves and I find it works well for the children who can read. I also give parents a copy and they seemed pleased that the children understand it better from their own point of view.

[miffy]

That's lovely Annie

miffy xx

[flora]

That great annie,

we did fire practise the other day. We talked about what we would do etc etc.

The kids thought it was hilarious me banging on a cooking tray shouting "fire" . (We were trying to make the point without scaring the two "littleies")

They were brilliant though. Even Hannah who's not even 2 took it very seriously and walked out hand in hand with her brother

[crazybones]

Its funny here when the sausages set the alarm off and Will is strapped in the high chair. I have to get him out the chair whilst he is shouting "fire fire fire" and go through the drill so he doesnt get complacent and ignore it if its for real.

[MissTinkerbell]

Thanks Annie, I wasn't quite sure how to word it.

Made me smile about your little one. I just know that my 2 darlings will be just the same evrytime the grill sets off the smoke alarm!

Melanie

[sarah707]

I have a sausages and smoke alarm issue too!

My drill says the same as Annie's - stop what you are doing, look at Sarah, go out of the nearest door together etc

Hope this helps!

[Tatia]

Yeah, everyone knows when dinner is ready around here! The smoke alarm goes off!

I absolutely love the idea of involving the kids in writing fire policy! They've written the house rules with only gentle suggestions from me and they remember them better than I do! Oooh, thanks so much for the suggestion!

[tulip0803]

When I had my last OFSTED inspection the inspector was asking questions and asked about fire drills - a small voice piped up (4 years) "If the fire is in the kitchen or at the back of the house we go out the front door. If the fire is at the front we go out the back door. We take the telephone and dial 999 and ask for the firemen." It showed we practiced more than the log did.

My ECP training inspector said that she did the fire drill one day and one of the older children collected the phone on the way out and did dial 999. She had to explain that it was a drill and not an emergency to the operator who did not know whether to be cross for a false call or pleased that the children knew what to do.

[Ripeberry]

Can i ask a dumb question? You all say that you head out of the door either to the back garden or front garden, do you get all the kids together with you and then YOU open the door, as i thought all doors had to be locked whilst the children are with you.
Also OFSTED say you should keep a key next to the door, but i like to keep keys on myself with a metal keychain (feel like a jailer!) and as my door locks itself i have to keep a spare key in a keysafe on the wall outside, just in case i get locked out!
How do you do fire drills upstairs if theoretically the stairs are on fire? Do Ofsted ask you about that

[sarah707]

Can i ask a dumb question? You all say that you head out of the door either to the back garden or front garden, do you get all the kids together with you and then YOU open the door, as i thought all doors had to be locked whilst the children are with you.

Not dumb.

Keys should be in an immediately locatable place ... My front door is locked and the key is in a specific pot - Fire officer was happy that I risk assess the pot every morning to check it's safe there.

I don't lock my back door, it's alarmed

We stop what we are doing and walk to the nearest door together.

I keep my mobile in my pocket with all the emergency numbers in the memory rather than collect my phone as it is by the front door and we might be exiting through the back.

Also OFSTED say you should keep a key next to the door, but i like to keep keys on myself with a metal keychain (feel like a jailer!) and as my door locks itself i have to keep a spare key in a keysafe on the wall outside, just in case i get locked out!

They do that at my local nursery. I always think it looks funny - sorry

How do you do fire drills upstairs if theoretically the stairs are on fire?

Again your mobile should be fully charged and in your pocket. Fire brigade advice to me was to get children into a room, shut and seal the door, smash the window if necessary and wait for rescue.

If the keys are on you, you could have a problem with a child downstairs while you were upstairs... the one downstairs would not be able to get out ... I'm thinking you might need to re-think if you use upstairs.

Do Ofsted ask you about that

Ofsted will refer you to your local fire brigade for advice I'd get them out anyway to do a free inspection - the children enjoy the experience

Hope this helps

[Bushpig]

Hi there, I am busy going over my fire drill now.

If you live in a flat 2 stories above ground... and there is a fire in the stairwell, is it best to secure ourselves in a room with door closed and sealed with wet towels at the bottom... or to go onto the balcony?

I would think rescue from the balcony would be easier, but if they take their time a bit then staying in a room would be safer than a more exposed balcony???

What are your thoughts?

Many thanks!

[miffy]

Hi there, I am busy going over my fire drill now.

If you live in a flat 2 stories above ground... and there is a fire in the stairwell, is it best to secure ourselves in a room with door closed and sealed with wet towels at the bottom... or to go onto the balcony?

I would think rescue from the balcony would be easier, but if they take their time a bit then staying in a room would be safer than a more exposed balcony???

What are your thoughts?

Many thanks!

I think I'd ring the local fire station and ask for some advice - they might send some nice hunky firemen out to see you

Don't think going onto the balcony would be a good idea unless rescue was imminent (but that's probably because I'm scared of heights! ).

Miffy xx

[mrsb]

When I was registered for upstairs my drill was to get all the kids to one of the rooms with the fire windows, shut the door then sit the children near the wall and I open the window and shout for help - ofsted said it was fine

[Bushpig]

I think I'd ring the local fire station and ask for some advice - they might send some nice hunky firemen out to see you

Don't think going onto the balcony would be a good idea unless rescue was imminent (but that's probably because I'm scared of heights! ).

Miffy xx

*Jen phones the fire department...requesting immediate service from some hunky firemen!!!!*

[tulip0803]

[Bushpig]

I am merely conducting a (real) firedrill!

[tulip0803]

I am merely conducting a (real) firedrill!

Of course you were

I was lucky enuogh to have a fire engine full of firemen come to my fire check Strangely all my friends wanted to come round for a cuppa that afternoon