Singing songs around the camp fire, the aroma of fresh caught fish sizzling in a pan over the open flame, the warmth of the fire as the summer evening turns chilly; all of these camping experiences are opportunities to create life long memories. Parents should make sure their family’s camping memories are pleasant ones by teaching fire safety first.
Fire Safety for Kids
Infants and toddlers should never be left near a fire without close adult supervision. Create a visual boundary around the fire and teach them not to cross the boundary. Older toddlers may enjoy some of the preschool fire safety activities.
Preschool children will enjoy learning about Smokey the Bear, the longest running public service announcement in U.S. History. Coloring pages can be printed from the Smokey Website to help preschoolers develop an awareness of fire safety. These can be colored at home before the trip or can be used as fun travel activities while on the road.
Preschool children can also practice stop, drop, and roll. Explain that if anyone should accidentally catch their clothing on fire they need to STOP, quickly cover their face with their hands, DROP to the ground, and ROLL back and forth on the ground to smother the fire. Practice this activity many times and in different settings so that children develop an automatic response when they hear the words “Stop, drop, and roll.”
Elementary age children can learn the eleven basic fire safety rules promoted by the Smokey Bear Ad campaign. Once a child can recite all eleven rules promote him or her to being the official fire warden. It is this child's job to police the family campsite making sure that all fire safety rules are being observed.
Middle school and high school age children who have a basic understanding of fire safety can begin to learn how to use and work with fire. Not all children are mature enough to be trusted with fire starting materials and all fires should be started with adult supervision. Parental discretion is an important factor in teaching fire skills.
Fire Safety Rules
The following are fire safety rules that all children must learn.
- Choose a location away from overhanging branches.
- Circle the pit with rocks.
- Clear a 10 foot area around the fire down to the dirt removing anything that can catch fire.
- Store extra wood upwind and away from the fire.
- Wait until a used match is cold before discarding it. Discard into the fire.
- An adult should attend the fire at all times.
- Keep a bucket of water and a shovel near the fire at all times.
- Only put wood into the fire.
- Wood and sticks in the fire, stay in the fire.
- Rocks uses as a fire ring are not chairs and should not be sat on.
- To put a fire out, dump water over the fire until the fire appears to be out. Stir the wet coals and ashes with the shovel. Dump more water on the fire. The fire area can be left once it is cold.
More Information on Fire Safety
Many useful activities and printouts can be found at the Smokey the Bear website. Older kids can learn fascinating fire facts at Wild Land Fire. A few moments spent on fire safety will help to ensure that the family adventure is safe and fun for everyone.
CAM101
Jamie Hobbs - Jamie Hobbs has been working as a freelance writer since 2008. Graduating with a BA of Education in 1998, Jamie went on to become a ...
