Tips for Teaching Fire Safety

By Brittany Juban, Ph.D., LABA, BCBA-D                                                              

[This column was published in the West Springfield Republican on July 25, 2024.]

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), local fire departments responded to an estimated 1.5 million fires in the United States in 2022. Fire poses a real danger to our children and teaching them about fire safety is of the utmost importance. This applies to all children, including autistic children and those with other special needs.

Although our children practice fire safety in the school setting at least four times per school year, the NFPA also recommends that families schedule fire drills at home at least twice a year. The more opportunities children have to practice fire safety across a variety of settings, the more likely it is they will know what to do when faced with a true emergency. Preparation is key!

Preventive Safety Measures

• Smoke Detectors: Install detectors on every floor of your home, ensuring they are interconnected so that when one alarm sounds, all do. Regular maintenance checks are crucial. Consider models that can send alerts to your phone or use a familiar voice, which can be particularly reassuring for children who are comforted by familiarity and may be less ambiguous than a generic siren or alarm sound.
• Fire Extinguishers and Fire Blankets: Position these tools in easily accessible locations. Familiarize yourself with the NFPA’s guidelines on types and placement of fire extinguishers. Teach your child the PASS technique – Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep – where appropriate.
• Fire Ladders: Store fire ladders in an accessible location if your home has multiple levels, offering a secondary escape route. When possible, consider having bedrooms near exits or on the first floor to facilitate quicker escapes.
• Secure Storage: Keep all potential fire hazards such as matches, lighters, and candles in a secure, child-proof location. Consider keeping oven knobs locked to avoid accidental or unsupervised use of the stove or oven. 

Proactive Safety Measures

• Routine Drills: Conduct fire drills at home twice a year as recommended by the NFPA. These drills ensure that everyone knows how to exit the home quickly and safely and gathers at a predetermined meeting location. If leaving the home is challenging for your child, practice leaving the house quickly and unexpectedly without bringing items with you more frequently than a routine drill. 
• Adapted Escape Plans: Develop an escape plan to meet the needs of non-verbal or sensory-sensitive children if relevant. Consider including pictographs for individuals who cannot read. For children for whom it is unsafe to teach to leave the house independently, come up with a plan with the other household members on how you will ensure that everyone can leave the house safely.
• Report Fires: If appropriate, review how to report a fire with your child. This may be as simple as yelling “fire” or notifying an adult. It may be more complex, such as calling 911. Also, teach them to stop, drop, and roll if their clothing catches fire, and to touch doors with the back of their hand to check for heat before opening.

Community Engagement

• Local Emergency Services: Introduce your family to local firefighters and police officers to familiarize them with your child's specific needs. Many communities offer "touch a truck" events or opportunities to tour the fire station that allow children to meet emergency responders in a non-threatening environment.
• Emergency Preparedness Registration: If your local emergency services offer a special needs registry, enrolling your child can provide first responders with vital information in advance, ensuring a quicker and more effective response in emergencies.

By practicing and reviewing these preventive measures, your family can be better prepared for a fire emergency. For more safety tips (such as home fire escape safety, grilling, and firework safety tips and more) visit the NFPA website or consult with your local fire department. 

Brittany Juban, Ph.D., LABA, BCBA-D, is Clinical Director at the May Center School for Autism and Developmental Disabilities in West Springfield. She can be contacted at bjuban@mayinstitute.org.

About May Institute
May Institute is a nonprofit organization that is a national leader in the field of applied behavior analysis and evidence-based interventions, serving autistic individuals and individuals with other developmental disabilities, brain injury, neurobehavioral disorders, and other special needs. Founded nearly 70 years ago, we provide a wide range of exceptional educational and rehabilitative services across the lifespan. May Institute operates five schools for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities, including one in West Springfield, Mass. For more information, call 800.778.7601 or visit www.mayinstitute.org.