According to statistics, homeschooling in the United States has increased 74% in the last eight years.
Why? We do not believe that it is because of a lack of faith in our public school systems as much as it is a growing desire to see MORE education and more focus on real issues that will eventually effect the home.
We have toured this country for many years teaching and presenting in thousands of schools and have addressed not only hundreds of thousands of school students but their very concerned parents. Disaster preparedness is always an issue that raises more questions than it provides answers. How do I teach it to my children without frightening them? How do I deal with the tough issues after a disaster? Do I allow my kids to see the news of current disasters? How do I involve them in our planning?
We have found that the world of disaster preparedness is a wide world of educational opportunity filled with science, history, social science, mathematics and literature. It is through this new blog that we intend to provide those tips, stories and insights that we have shared as we toured. Stay tuned here for programs, guides and curriculum additions as well.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Fire Prevention Month

Each year firefighters travel throughout their communities and visit the schools preaching fire prevention.  October is Fire Prevention Month and this tradition has gone on for years, but as a home school family, your children do not receive that visit!

Call your local fire department and see if perhaps you can arrange a field trip for your family or a group of homeschoolers this month. Sometimes, especially with younger children, it is important that they become familiar with the "scary" firefighter in his mask and bunker gear so that if ever the need arises, they know to run TO the firefighter and not AWAY.

Do a special study this month on fire prevention tips, perhaps a book report on the Chicago Fire? How about a look at the wildfires from this year?  Another idea is to assign a fire marshall in the home. Each child can take turns wearing a badge they have designed and see if they can spot fire threats around the home!

Every day, at least one child dies from a home fire and every hour approximately 14 children are injured from fires or burns. Ninety percent of all fire-related deaths are due to home fires, which spread rapidly and can leave families as little as two minutes to escape once an alarm sounds.

Make sure that a part of your curriculum this month is to have several fire drills with the entire family.

Need some Fire Prevention tips to focus on?

  • Working smoke alarm reduce the chances of dying in a fire by nearly 50 percent. They are a critical first step for staying safe, but in order to be effective, they have to be working properly. For the best protection,  install smoke alarms on every level of your home and in every sleeping area.
  • Teach kids never to play with matches, lighters or fireworks. Depending on the age and maturity level of your child, it may be reasonable to use the items with the supervision of an adult. Just be sure that a fire extinguisher and a phone are close by in case of an emergency.
  • Create and practice a home fire escape plan with two ways out of your house in case of a fire. Get a stopwatch and time how fast your family can escape. The kids will love it.
  • Children should know how to respond to the sound of a smoke alarm. Teach them to get low and get out when they hear it. A child who is coached properly ahead of time will have a better chance to be safe.
  • Use common sense in the kitchen. Limit distractions when cooking and don’t leave a hot oven or stovetop unattended.
We could not end this post without a shout-out to Denschool.com. Go visit and take a look at their Fire prevention Month activities! http://blog.denschool.com/fire-prevention-day-october-9th/
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