The facts are red-hot and sobering.
A person dies in a fire approximately every 169 minutes in America, someone is injured every half an hour, smoking is the leading cause of fire-related deaths, and cooking is the primary cause of residential fires, states the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The National Fire Protection Association takes the burn out with a fun-filled, family-friendly approach to fire safety for National Fire Prevention Week — Oct. 5 to Oct. 11 — that will make eager fire-safety captains of even small children.
Kids’ musicians SteveSongs — also known as “Mr. Steve,” co-host of PBS KIDS — and Recess Monkey have created terrific new songs and music videos with fire safety in mind, so that mom, dad, and the kids can bond over the critical world of fire prevention.
But first, fire up your knowledge of the essentials, says Mr. Steve.
“The key to fire safety for children is to teach them that when they hear the beep-beep-beep of a smoke alarm, they need to get out of the house and find a safe, outside meeting place,” says the entertainer, whose real name is Steve Roslonek, and whose music takes audiences on “not just a musical journey, but an entertaining, interactive and educational one,” states the Boston Globe.
Roslonek, Recess Monkey, and national fire-safety mascot Sparky the Fire Dog will help kids, families, schools, and communities learn about how to prepare for a fire and prevent it from happening with engaging apps, music videos, lesson plans, activity sheets, and an e-book and games for kids age 3–10, available for free download at sparkyschoolhouse.org — the Sparky Schoolhouse website.
On SteveSongs’ “Little Rosalie,” kids can sing and dance along, as Rosalie and her little brother learn four important steps to follow when they hear the smoke alarm. Recess Monkey’s “What’s That Sound?” takes a thrilling ride on Sparky’s flying smoke alarm, while kids learn what it takes to stay safe in a fire. View the sizzling videos at the Sparky website or on YouTube.
Don’t forget to check out the “The Case of the Missing Smoke Alarms,” an exciting new app out Sept. 1 that’s jam-packed with games, activities, coloring pages, and lots more. Related lesson plans will be posted on the Sparky website shortly thereafter.
National Fire Prevention Week is a personal wake-up call for Mr. Steve, too.
“It’s a great reminder for our family to create our own fire escape plan, and agree upon an outside meeting place in the case of emergency,” he says.
National Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 5–11; sparkyschoolhouse.org or www.nfpa.org.
