According to the latest research, kids under the age of five have more chances to be victims of a residential fire. The statistic says that thousands of children are killed or injured in home fires each year. The worst thing is that 40% of them are under the age of five. Kids don’t understand the level of risk and can’t react properly in such situations. So, parents have to teach them general rules that can help kids to escape or just don’t cause the fire in home. How can you do it right? Let’s see.

First of all, tell your kids about things and devices which prevent your home from fire. For example, the simplest one is a fire alarm. For the record, do you have it? If yes, you have to show children where they are placed and explain why we need these devices. Also, as a responsible person in this house, you have to remember to check your fire alarm every year. Make sure that it works properly. The best variant for you is to call a specialist who can propose you to handle a fire alarm system inspection.

Secondly, create an escape plan. You can be creative and try to draw this plan according to your kid’s abilities and hobbies. For children younger than three or those not able to adequately follow detailed instructions, you’ll need a more comprehensive escape plan. But what is more important is practice. When you try to train your child, do it in the dark or with your eyes closed. Kids have to do the same to ensure they can navigate the way out safely and quickly.

The next thing is what children should know about fire. Teach them a right technique of escaping. It means that they have to know how to crawl on the floor when it is home fire. They also have to know if the door is hot, they don’t open it. One more short rule – fire isn’t a toy.

Finally, if you have lived through fire in your home, try your kid to cope with this problem. Children can feel anxiety, chilling or dependency. Moreover, if you lost one of your relatives during the fire it can be more difficult. There are several reasons which can be a signal of serious psychological problems. You may notice that your child has nightmares very often. Maybe, it can be a sudden fear of the dark, unexplained panic and aches. Even if your child wasn’t in the house when the fire occurred, sudden changing of the living environment and the loss of favorite blankets or lovely toys can cause confusion and distress. You may want to consult a professional psychologist to help your child navigate his/her problem.

If you don’t want to face such issues, get used to passing a fire alarm system inspection every year or month in order to make sure that your home is a safe place for all members of a family.