Safety from fire

Contents

• What could you do?
• Check list - preventing burns and scalds
• Important
• Using emergency phone numbers
• Dr Kate says  

Fire is something that we all need to know about. Home fires can cause serious burns and even death, so homes should be as safe as possible from fire.

What can you do to make sure that your home is safe from fire?

Every work place and school has a person who is in charge of the safety of the people in that place. It is his or her job to check for things that might lead to accidents or people getting hurt.

Your mum and dad are the people who are responsible for your safety in your home.

They have lots of other responsibilities as well. Why don't you ask if you can be an assistant safety officer for your home?

What could you do?

	Print the check sheet below about preventing burns and scalds.
	Have a walk inside and outside the house with mum or dad, looking for any things which could burn people, especially kids.
	Check them off on the sheet.
	Add any other things that could be a fire hazard around your home. Eg. if you live in the country you might need to think about danger from bushfires.
	Ask mum and dad to make an emergency plan with you, and have a family fire drill so that everyone will know what to do and where to go in an emergency.
	Get your parents to write emergency numbers on a card that is kept next to the phone [eg. fire, police, ambulance, mum/dad's work, doctor, trusted neighbour].
	Look up other safety topics on this site.

Checklist - Preventing burns and scalds

to get the checklist

 
Always use a fire guard.

Important!

If you are 'in charge' at home and a fire starts:

	Get yourself and anyone else out of the house.
	Close doors behind you to stop the fire following you.

If there is smoke - cover your nose and mouth with a towel or your jumper and crawl along the floor to the door. There is fresher air down on the floor and it is easier to see where you are going.

	Go to a nearby house and ask for help from the nearest adult. They will put out the fire or ring for the Fire Department.
	Do not try to put the fire out by yourself.
	Your job is to make sure everyone is safe.

Things can always be replaced but people can't.

Using emergency phone numbers

Remember that emergency numbers should only be used in real emergencies. Ask yourself these questions.

What would happen if you sent for the fire engine and there wasn't really a fire? What would the firemen say when they came and there was no fire? What could happen if there was a fire somewhere else and the firemen were at your house [where there wasn't a fire]?
Emergency numbers are only to be used when there is a real emergency. In South Australia the number to dial in an emergency, where someone could be hurt or injured, is 000.

Dr Kate says

"Injuries can happen when people are not taking care. You can help to make and keep your home a safe place by noticing what could be dangerous and talking about it with your family."

We've collected this information to help you to understand important things about staying healthy and happy. However, if you feel sick or unhappy, it is important to tell your mum or dad, a teacher or another grown-up.