As the babysitter, you are responsible for the children in your care. Here are some important points you need to know if there’s a fire emergency in the home where you babysit.
Before the parents leave:
- Write down the complete address and phone number of the place where you are babysitting and phone numbers for:
- Fire, Police, Ambulance, Poison Control – often one number – 911.
- Where the parents can be reached.
- Neighbour(s).
- Keep this information in your pocket so that it’s with you at all times and handy in case
of an emergency.
Plan Your Escape
If there is a fire while you are in charge, you must know what to do:
- Is there a fire escape plan? If not, develop one.
- Â Identify all escape routes.
- Â Find at least two ways out of each room.
- Â Plan how you and the children will escape safely.
- Â Decide on an outside meeting place.
- Â Ask for a demonstration of the smoke alarm.
Guide to Fire Safety
The best way to keep fire safe is to be watchful of the children in your charge:
- Never leave children unsupervised.
- Â Check on sleeping children regularly.
- Â Keep matches and lighters out of their reach.
- Â Do not light candles while babysitting.
- Â Don’t smoke on the job.
- Â Keep children away from the stove, hot liquids, electric lamps and space heaters.
- Â Keep space heaters at least 1 metre (40 inches) from drapes, furniture and bedding.
- Â Cook safely and only if you have permission.
- Â Turn pot handles in to avoid children knocking them over or pulling them down.
- Â Smother a pan fire with a lid. Never use water.
- Make sure you know what cooking materials can be used for the microwave.
Burn Prevention
- Always test hot foods and liquids before feeding.
- Fire Safety: What to do, because fire spreads fast – don’t delay!
- If your clothes catch fire, STOP, DROP & ROLL on the floor to smother the flames.
- Cool minor burns with cold water. If your skin is blistered, charred or dead white, get emergency help immediately.
- When you see flames, smell smoke or hear the smoke alarm, get everybody out of the house.
- Feel the door first. If it isn’t hot, open it very slowly.
- If there is fire or smoke use another exit.
- Crawl low under smoke – the air near the floor is safer to breathe.
- If you cannot escape, close the door and seal around it with cloth to prevent smoke from entering the room.
- Always use the stairs and never the elevators.
- Designate a meeting place a safe distance from the house and make sure everyone is there.
- Take the children to a neighbour.
- Phone the emergency number from the neighbour’s home.
- Give the complete address, describe the situation and inform the operator if anyone is still inside.
- Stay on the phone until you are told to hang up.
- Do not go back to the house for any reason.
EMERGENCY NUMBERS
FIRE:
POLICE:
AMBULANCE:
PARENTS:
NEIGHBOUR:
THIS ADDRESS:
Source: Fire Prevention Canada
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