Junior
Fire Safe
Teacher Resource for Years Prep to 2
Junior Fire Safe
Teacher Resource for Years Prep to 2
July 1997
ISBN 0 7311 0607 5
© Copyright CFA
Country Fire Authority
PO Box 701
Mount Waverley Victoria 3149
Acknowledgments
Junior Fire Safe was produced by the CFA Risk Management Department. The CFA gratefully
acknowledges the assistance of the teachers who provided feedback during the development of
this resource.
Written by Fiona Gray.
Illustrated by Terry Denton.
Layout and design by Brouhaha Design & Copywriting.
2
Contents
Acknowledgments
2
Introduction
4
Home Fire Safety
7
왘 Home Fire Hazards
8
왘 Good Fires and Bad Fires
14
왘 A Match is a Tool
19
Personal Safety
23
왘 Fire Safe Practices
24
왘 Fire Exit Procedures
30
왘 Fire Warnings
36
Fire Safety in the Community
39
왘 Role of the Firefighter
40
왘 Firefighting Equipment and Clothing
47
Junior Fire Safe Songs
55
왘 Hot Means Danger
55
왘 Good Fires, Bad Fires
55
왘 Matches and Lighters
56
왘 Stop, Drop and Roll
56
왘 Clothes on Fire
56
왘 If You Ever Get a Burn
57
왘 Smoke Alarm
57
왘 Fire Truck
57
Resources
58
Contacts
59
3
Introduction
Junior Fire Safe has been developed to teach fire safety to students in years Prep to 2.
Both Junior Fire Safe and Fire Safe (teacher resource for years 3–6) are resources of ideas and
activities designed to assist teachers in preparing fire safety programs for primary school
students.
Junior Fire Safe aims to develop the following understandings:
왘 an awareness of the importance of fire safety;
왘 an understanding of the dangers of fire and its consequences;
왘 a respect for other people’s rights and property; and
왘 an understanding of the role and function of firefighters in the community.
Organisation of the Resource
This resource is organised into three main areas:
왘 Home Fire Safety
왘 Personal Safety
왘 Fire Safety in the Community.
Curriculum Standards Frameworks
Junior Fire Safe has been written to address specific learning outcomes at Levels 1 and 2 contained within the Health and Physical Education, Studies of Society and the Environment and
the Science Curriculum Standards Frameworks. The learning outcomes addressed can be found
in the Table on page 5. (Curriculum and Standards Frameworks, Victorian Board of Studies, 1995).
Learning activities have been included for the Key Learning Areas of: Health and Physical
Education, Science, Studies of the Society and Environment, Art/Craft, English and
Mathematics.
Junior Fire Safe has been written to reflect current teaching methods, using an integrated
approach to curriculum.
4
Explain and demonstrate
options to improve personal
safety and the safety of others.
왎
2
Explain why there are
particular rules about what is
right or wrong, good or bad
behaviour for different groups
and situations.
왎
Describe different environments,
explaining feelings about them.
왎
Identify the safe use of a range
of services and products used to
maintain health.
왎
Safety
1
Health of
individuals
and
populations
1
2
2
Science
Natural and
processed
materials
1
2
Identify and describe changes
in materials.
왎
Identify and describe changes
involving melting and dissolving.
왎
Identify common electrical
appliances and their power sources.
Earth and
beyond
1
Describe how weather influences
daily life.
왎
Describe weather conditions over
a period.
왎
Resources
2
Discuss how individuals and groups
can participate in the care of places
in a community.
왎
왎
왎
왎
왎
왎
왎
왎
왎
1
Place and
space
왎
왎
The physical
world
2
Studies of
Society and
Environment
Explain how the places where
people live, work and play can
influence their health.
왎
왎
왎
왎
1
Examine work done by others.
왎
2
Describe ways in which people
co-operate with, and depend on,
one another in their work.
왎
Natural and
1
social systems
2
Describe how rules influence
daily life.
Compare ways people obtain goods
and services in the local community.
Firefighting Equipment
and Clothing
2
Health and
Physical
Education
Role of the Firefighter
왎
CSF
Level
Fire Safe Practices
왎
Strand
Fire Warnings
Good and Bad Fires
Identify what makes a
familiar environment safe.
Learning Area
Fire Exit Procedures
Learning Outcome
Home Fire Hazards
Fire
Safety
Education
Topics
A Match is a Tool
Fire Safety Education in the Curriculum Standards Frameworks
왎
왎
왎
5
Using the Fire Safety Resource
Each main section contains a number of fire safety topics. For each topic, the learning outcomes are stated and a number of activities are provided. Some activity sheets are graded in
level of difficulty with ★ being less difficult, and ★★ being more difficult, to cater for varying
learning abilities.
The first activity outlined in each topic, highlighted in a stippled box, aims to meet all or most
of the identified learning outcomes for that fire safety topic. Additional activities are intended
to further develop those key understandings.
Suggested methods for use of this resource:
왘 selecting a different fire safety area each year to focus on during Fire Awareness Week or in
a thematic unit of work;
왘 teaching several topics from each main area to develop a broad understanding of fire
safety;
왘 focusing on fire safety topics most relevant to the needs of the class.
A list of resources that may assist in teaching fire safety and a number of useful contacts can
be found on pages 58 and 59.
6
Hom
ety
e
r
i
Saf
F
e
7
Home Fire Hazards
Learning Outcomes
Identify what makes a familiar environment safe.
Explain and demonstrate options to improve personal safety and the safety of others.
Explain how the places where people live, work and play can influence their health.
This will be evident when the student:
왘 identifies burn and scald hazards in and around the home;
왘 identifies rules at home and in the wider community regarding the safe use of fire; and
왘 recognises that ‘hot’ means danger.
Health
Class discussion
Encourage students to identify the rooms in their home that contain things which get hot. The
kitchen can be a dangerous room in your home because it contains many hot things – stove,
oven, kettle, hot tap, toaster, sandwich maker, grill and other ‘hot’ cooking appliances. In the
bathroom you need to take care when using the hot tap and the hair dryer. In cold weather an
open fire or heater are ‘hot’ items in living areas.
Emphasise the idea that ‘hot’, means ‘dangerous’. Discuss the burn hazards associated with
cooking meals, for example: hot pans; boiling liquids; and hot cooking appliances. Point out
that electric elements on stoves and heaters do not have to be glowing red to be hot; an element that is black may still be hot enough to burn, even after it has been turned off.
Focus questions
왘 What ‘hot’ things can you think of in your home?
왘 What makes these things hot? (Electricity, match, gas.)
왘 What can happen if you touch these ‘hot’ things?
왘 How should you behave when you are near these ‘hot’ things?
Student activity
Encourage students to identify things at school that get ‘hot’. Students then identify things
around their home that get hot. Students draw pictures of some of these things and paste them
onto a class pictorial bar graph showing ‘hot’ things at home and ‘hot’ things at school.
Using magazines, students cut out pictures of ‘hot’ things around the home – heater, fire place,
toaster, hairdryer, oven, stove, hot liquids, kettle, hot tap, etc.
Make a class collage showing these ‘hot’ things. Label the collage – ‘Danger – hot things. Take
care when using …’
8
home fire
safety
Related Activities
Health
Student activity
Every home contains many fire dangers. Encourage students to identify safe and unsafe uses of
fire on Activity Sheets 1 or 2. In groups of three, students discuss what makes these fire situations safe or unsafe. Group members identify additional fire dangers found in their homes.
SOSE
Class discussion
Draw up a list of fire safety rules using suggestions from students. These could include:
왘 Hand matches/lighters to an adult.
왘 Play with toys, not matches.
왘 Stay away from hot stoves and ovens.
왘 Take care when using the hot tap.
왘 Cool a burn with cool water.
왘 Don’t sit too close to a fire.
Focus questions
왘 Why do we have fire safety rules? Who are they for?
왘 Do we have any rules at school? What are they? Why do we have them?
왘 Where else do we have rules?
왘 What would happen if there were no rules?
Student activity
Make fire safety rules into slogans. Decorate slogans sticking small pieces of coloured paper to
the letter outlines; mould plasticine around the letters or sprinkle coloured glitter over the
letters.
English
Student activity
Students role play situations showing ‘hot’ means ‘danger’ at school or around the home. For
example, warming hands on the classroom wall heater; mother placing a hot drink on a low
table near a young child; a young child turning on the hot tap while having a bath; and finding a box of matches on the coffee table.
Demonstrate the safe thing to do in each of these situations.
9
Science
Student activity
Sources of power or flame are needed to make things hot. Matches, lighters, electricity and gas
have the capacity to make appliances and other things hot. Students identify sources of heat
required to make a selection of items hot on Activity Sheet 3. Some items may fall into more
than one category.
Maths
Student activity
Biggest to smallest.
Teacher to collect items in the staff room kitchen which can get hot when connected to a power
source. In groups, students place the items in order from largest to smallest.
10
Activity Sheet 1 ★
Danger and Safety
home fire
safety
Watch out for danger. Be careful around flames and hot things to
avoid getting burned.
Colour the picture in each row that shows safety.
Put a cross through each picture that shows danger. Watch out for
these things at home.
Talk about what makes these pictures safe or unsafe.
Danger
Safe
11
Activity Sheet 2 ★★
Fire Dangers in Your Home
Help make your house a safe place from fire by looking out for
dangers.
Two safe and two dangerous ways of using fire are shown on this sheet.
Draw three other safe and dangerous uses of fire in the ‘safe’ or
‘danger’ column.
Talk about what makes these situations safe or unsafe.
Danger
12
Safe
Activity Sheet 3
What Makes Me Hot?
home fire
safety
Some things need electricity or gas to become hot. Other things
need to be lit by a match.
Sort the items below into three columns showing how they get their
heat.
What other things need gas, electricity or a match to become hot?
13
Good Fires and Bad Fires
Learning Outcomes
Identify what makes a familiar environment safe.
Explain why there are particular rules about what is right or wrong, good or bad behaviour for
different groups and situations.
Describe different environments, explaining feelings about them.
Identify and describe changes in materials.
This will be evident when the student:
왘 understands the benefits and dangers of fire;
왘 knows that some fires are good fires while others are bad fires; and
왘 understands the characteristics of fire.
SOSE
Class Discussion
Fire has many uses, some good and some destructive. Teacher to display some pictures showing
fire being used in a variety of ways – cooking, heating, lighting candles, to start a steam train.
Focus questions
왘 What is fire?
왘 What do you know about fire?
왘 How is fire being used in these pictures?
왘 How does something feel that has been touched by fire?
왘 What are some of the uses of fire?
왘 What are some good things about fire?
왘 What are some bad things about fire?
왘 How can you tell if a fire is a good fire or a bad fire?
Student activity
Collect pictures showing different uses of fires. Classify the fire pictures on a class chart showing ‘Good uses of fire’ and ‘Bad effects of fire’.
14
home fire
safety
Related Activities
Language
Class discussion
Good or Bad Fires.
Make up a good and bad fire story similar to the one below. Students respond appropriately as
you go along.
Tim found a box of matches on the coffee table and handed it to his mother.
That’s good.
Tim’s father is cooking sausages on the barbecue for lunch.
That’s good.
Tim’s father leaves the barbecue to watch cricket on TV.
That’s bad.
Sarah, Tim’s sister, is very hungry and goes to check on the sausages. She reaches up to touch a
sausage.
That’s bad.
The sausage is hot and burns her finger.
That’s bad.
Her finger stings.
That’s bad.
She goes inside and cools it under the cold tap.
That’s good.
The cool water makes her finger feel better.
That’s good.
She tells her mother what happened.
That’s good.
Sarah’s Mum checks her finger and then goes outside to check on the barbecue.
That’s good.
Tim’s father is very sad when he hears what happened to Sarah’s finger and promises to never
leave the barbecue again when he is cooking on it.
That’s good.
Sarah has also learnt not to touch anything hot on the barbecue.
That’s good.
15
Focus questions
왘 When was this fire a good fire?
왘 How did this fire become a bad fire?
왘 What happened when this fire became a bad fire?
왘 How could this fire be made a safe fire?
왘 What have you learnt from this story?
Student activity
Write a poem, story, words, phrases, etc. describing good or bad fires inside a fire outline. Fire
outlines could be drawn on yellow, orange and red cardboard.
Student activity
Using paper tearing, students illustrate different uses of fire to be compiled into a class ‘Good
Fires, Bad Fires’ book.
Student activity
Make a list of ‘fire’ words – glow, shine, light, heat, warm, hot, orange, yellow, red, fiery, angry,
burning, sizzling, spitting, leaping, crackling. Place these descriptions within a flame shape.
Health
Student activity
Safe and unsafe uses of fire.
Students differentiate between good and bad fires and describe how they would feel in each of
the situations pictured on Activity Sheet 4.
Science
Student activity
Record daily weather conditions in a class journal or on a wall chart over a period of two to
three weeks. Using the weather chart, draw a pictorial bar graph showing the number of
sunny, windy, cloudy, rainy, hot and cold days recorded. List outdoor activities suitable for
these conditions. Discuss reasons for selecting certain activities for particular weather conditions. Make a collage of these activities.
Focus questions
왘 What sort of day would you light a barbecue?
왘 What does fire need to burn? (heat from a match/lighter, dry fuel – wood, paper, twigs and
air).
16
home fire
safety
왘 Why wouldn’t you light a barbecue in the rain?
왘 What happens to a fire when it rains?
왘 What gets wet?
Class discussion
Predict, observe and describe changes that occur when a candle is lit, when butter is placed in
a hot pan and when a heater is switched on.
Compare foods such as toast and eggs before and after cooking. Discuss effects of heat and
direct and indirect flame on foods.
Focus questions
왘 What changes have taken place?
왘 What has made these changes take place?
Student activity
In small groups, students make a cake or cook pikelets. While cooking, observe and describe
the changes in the ingredients when mixed together and again when cooked.
17
Activity Sheet 4
How Does Fire Make You Feel?
Fire is a good tool. We use it to cook. We use it to celebrate. Fire can
also be dangerous. People must be careful with fire.
How do you feel?
Draw a happy face for a good fire.
Draw a sad face for a bad fire.
18
A Match is a Tool
home fire
safety
Learning Outcomes
Identify what makes a familiar environment safe.
Explain why there are particular rules about what is right or wrong, good or bad behaviour for
different groups and situations.
Identify the safe use of a range of services and products used to maintain health.
Describe how rules influence daily life.
This will be evident when the student:
왘 recognises that matches/lighters are ‘tools’ to be used by adults;
왘 understands the difference between a ‘tool’ and a ‘toy’;
왘 understands that some ‘tools’ are safe for children to use and others are safe for adults to use;
왘 understands that playing with fire is dangerous; and
왘 identifies safe storage places for matches/lighters and returns found matches/lighters to an
adult.
SOSE
Class discussion
Ask students to define ‘tool’. Brainstorm a range of tools and their uses on the blackboard. For
example, a saw is used to cut wood, a knife is used to cut food and a pair of scissors is used to
cut paper, string or material. From this list, categorise tools used by adults and tools used by
children.
Tell students that a match is a ‘tool’. Ask students to name some ways a match can be used as
a tool. For example, to start a barbecue or a campfire, to light candles on a cake and to light a
fireplace.
Tell students that matches should be used by an adult.
Talk about the tools which are safe for children to use. For example, scissors, pencils, glue and
Lego.
Discuss safe storage of matches and lighters. Matches / lighters should be kept on a shelf or in
a cupboard out of reach of young children.
Talk about what to do with matches if they are found left lying around within reach of young
children.
19
Focus questions
왘 Name some of your favourite toys.
왘 What do you do with your toys?
왘 What is a match used for?
왘 Why is it dangerous to play with matches?
왘 Who should use a match?
왘 What is the safest thing to do when you find matches/lighters lying around?
Student activity
Using pictures from magazines, in groups, students make a collage showing tools that only
adults should use and a collage showing tools that are safe for children to use.
Students draw a young child doing the safe thing when he/she finds a box of matches on
Activity Sheet 5.
20
Activity Sheet 5
Matches Are for Adults
home fire
safety
Matches, lighters and open flames can
burn you.
What should you do when you find
matches or lighters lying around?
Draw a young child doing the safe thing when he/she finds a box
of matches. Put the drawing on the match box lid.
21
22
Per
ty
l
S
a
a
n
f
o
e
s
23
Fire Safe Practices
Learning Outcomes
Identify what makes a familiar environment safe.
Explain and demonstrate options to improve personal safety and the safety of others.
This will be evident when the student:
왘 demonstrates an understanding of basic first aid; and
왘 knows safe actions to undertake in a fire emergency – crawl low in smoke and stop, drop
and roll if clothing catches fire.
Health
Class discussion
Show the picture of a girl and boy playing cards in front of an open fire – Activity Sheet 6
(enlarge for discussion use). No fire guard is protecting the fire. The girl’s pyjama pants have
caught alight. Discuss this fire emergency.
Focus questions
왘 What are the boy and girl doing in this picture?
왘 What has happened to the girl?
왘 What should she do to put out the flames?
왘 How does ‘stop, drop and roll’ put out a fire?
왘 How do you think her clothes caught fire?
왘 What should she do if she has burnt herself?
왘 Is it safe to play near fire?
왘 How could this fire be made safer?
왘 Where should they sit next time they want to play cards?
왘 What other things have flames that you should be careful of?
Student activity
Teacher to demonstrate the correct procedure to follow when clothing catches alight – stop,
drop and roll. Explain what you are doing and why you are doing it.
Stop where you are, as running fans the flames.
Drop to the ground, as flames travel upwards towards the face and hair.
Roll on the ground with hands covering the face. This protects you from the flames and heat
and prevents gases from damaging your eyes and lungs.
Select a child to demonstrate correct actions. Whole class to practice stop, drop and roll.
24
personal
safety
Related Activities
SOSE
Student activity
Rearrange and paste in correct sequence pictures demonstrating what to do if your clothes
catch fire on Activity Sheet 7.
Physical Education
Student activity
Fire Tiggy.
Two students represent flames. These students chase the others in a defined area. When tagged,
children ‘stop, drop and roll’ to smother the imaginary flames.
Student activity
Music Man.
Practice ‘stop, drop and roll’ and ‘crawl low in smoke’ on command when the music stops.
Science
Student activity
Teacher to switch on a small table lamp. Select a student to carefully place their finger near the
light bulb in the lamp and feel the radiated heat.
Focus questions
왘 What do you feel?
왘 Is this light bulb safe to touch?
왘 What would happen if you touched it?
Student activity
Turn off the light and chose another child to now place their finger near the light bulb and
explain what he/she feels.
Focus questions
왘 Is this light bulb now safe to touch?
왘 When do you need to take care around this light?
왘 What other hot things do you need to be careful around?
25
Student activity
Crawl low in smoke.
Teacher to demonstrate this activity. Light a candle. Using tongs, place a tissue folded into a
4 cm square over the flame. Carefully hold a glass jar over the candle without smothering the
flame. Watch the smoke from the burning tissue rise to the top of the jar first, then completely
fill the jar. Remove the jar. Notice the clear glass has become smokey. Turn the jar upside down
and watch the trapped smoke rise up out of the jar.
Focus questions
왘 Where did the smoke go?
왘 What colour is the smoke?
왘 Can you see through the smoke in the jar?
왘 Where is the cleanest air in the jar?
Class discussion
Discuss experiences students have had with smoke in the home – burning toast in the toaster,
cooking on the barbecue or an adult smoking.
Imagine this jar is your bedroom and the smoke from the burning tissue completely filled your
bedroom. How would you feel? Why? What would you do?
Discuss the difficulties in breathing and seeing in thick smoke.
Demonstrate correct procedures to follow if there is smoke in the house:
왘 Get down on your hands and knees and keep your head low to the floor.
왘 Crawl low alongside the wall, so you don’t get lost, to the door.
왘 Feel the door before opening. If the door is hot to touch or smoke is entering under the door,
make your way quickly along the wall to the window. Open the window and climb out.
Emphasise to:
왘 Crawl low in smoke, clean air is nearest the floor.
왘 Always move away from the smoke.
왘 Try not to breathe in the smoke. Cover your nose and mouth with a handkerchief or piece of
clothing.
Student activity
Students practice crawling low along the classroom wall to the classroom door or windows.
26
personal
safety
Health
Class discussion
Cool a burn.
Talk about the kinds of accidents that could cause minor burns. For example, touching hot
surfaces, spilling hot drinks and playing with hot taps.
Ask students what they should do to treat burn injuries. Some may suggest using ice, butter or
bandages. Tell students that cool water is the best treatment for burns.
Using a doll, pretend the doll has burnt its hand on a hot oven door. Demonstrate correct first
aid to carry out on the burn injury:
왘 act quickly by placing the burn under cool water for at least 1–2 minutes (should be at least
15 minutes to cool the heat in the burn); and
왘 show an adult the burn.
Let students know that some burns are serious and may require treatment by doctors. However,
most burns are minor and cooling with water is the best first aid to perform.
Student activity
Using sticky labels, design a sticker that shows how to cool a burn. Attach the sticker to your
project book, refrigerator or notice board. Practice cooling an imaginary burn on different parts
of the doll’s body.
27
Activity Sheet 6
Fire Danger!
Sally’s pyjama pants have caught fire. What should Sally do to stop
herself from getting burnt?
28
Activity Sheet 7
Stop, Drop and Roll
personal
safety
My jeans are on fire.
What should I do?
Colour each picture.
Trace over the words.
Cut out and paste the pictures in order
showing what to do if your clothes catch
fire.
29
Fire Exit Procedures
Learning Outcomes
Identify what makes a familiar environment safe.
Explain and demonstrate options to improve personal safety and the safety of others.
This will be evident when the student:
왘 understands and demonstrates safe actions to take in a fire emergency;
왘 identifies and describes safe exit procedures; and
왘 recognises those who can help in a fire emergency.
Health
Class discussion
Display a picture of a house or draw a simple house outline on the board. Ask students to
identify all safe ways of getting out of this house – through external doors and windows. Point
out that in emergencies when people are trying to leave their homes or other buildings quickly,
they often forget that there are a number of safe ways out. Look at alternative exits in the
classroom.
Remind students that, in the event of fire, it is important to exit their home or building safely
by crawling low in smoke, feeling doors for heat before opening them, closing windows and
doors behind them to stop the fire from spreading, meeting at their pre-arranged meeting spot
and once out staying out.
Emphasise the importance of looking for “two ways out” of any room by quizzing students
about alternative exits they could use in an emergency from other rooms they visit in the
school or while on an excursion.
Focus questions
왘 Where are the safe exits in our classroom?
왘 Which would you try to use first?
왘 Why is it unsafe to use the door if the door is hot to touch?
왘 Where is the school safe meeting spot?
왘 Which is the nearest door in the corridor to get out to the safe meeting spot?
왘 If that exit was blocked, which other exit could be used?
왘 Talk about exits from other rooms in the school.
30
personal
safety
Student activity
Using a shoe box, individually or in pairs, students recreate their bedroom. Cut flaps out for
the window(s) and door and make bedroom furniture using material scraps and art materials.
Stick a model smoke alarm to the ceiling of the room (underside of the box lid). Make a model
person using pipe cleaners. Students role play their model person crawling low in smoke, feeling the door for heat and exiting the room through the window and door.
Encourage students to look at and talk about alternative emergency exits they have in their
own homes with other family members. Suggest students plan a home fire escape plan with
their family and carry out their own home fire drill making sure everyone knows what to do in
a fire emergency.
31
Related Activities
English
Student activity
Story Starter.
A fire in the kitchen.
Beep, beep, beep ….
It’s the smoke alarm. Everyone’s asleep. It’s 2 a.m.
What happens next? Finish the story.
Class discussion
Read the following poem:
Beep, beep, beep …
Smoke alarm goes off
Roll out of bed
Crawl to the door
Feel if it’s hot
It’s cold.
Open the door and crawl to safety.
The door in this poem was a safe door, it was cold to touch. How would you get out of the
room if the door was hot to touch? Talk about what the children should do once they have
safely exited their home.
Focus questions
왘 Where would be a good place to meet up with other members of your family? (letter box or
street light at the front of the house);
왘 You’ve left your favourite teddy inside. Should you go back and get it? (once out, stay out.
Stress the importance of not going back into the house for any reason – pet, favourite toy,
family member); and
왘 Who should you tell about the fire? (report fire emergencies to the fire brigade by ringing
000 from a neighbour’s phone).
Student activity
In small groups, students role play the safe procedures to carry out when safely exiting their
home in a fire emergency as described in the poem.
32
personal
safety
Student activity
In pairs, students write an acrostic poem using the letters in:
F
I
R
E
E
X
I
T
Student activity
Safe actions in a fire emergency.
Make a set of situation cards, similar to those described below, outlining correct actions to take
in a fire emergency. Read each card and select a group of students to role play what they
would do in each situation. Discuss correct actions displayed.
You are asleep in bed when
the smoke alarm goes off. Show
how you would get out of bed.
You go to your bedroom door.
It feels hot. Go to another
safe exit in your room.
Your clothes have caught
fire. Put out the flames.
You burned your hand on
a hot barbecue. Cool
your hand.
Your house is on fire. Your
dog has been left inside.
What should you do?
You have got out of your burning house safely. How do you
find your mother and father?
You need to let the fire
brigade know your house is
on fire. What should you do?
33
Student activity
Make a concertina book illustrating the correct sequence of safe actions to carry out when
exiting your home in a fire emergency.
Smoke alarm beeps – Crawl out of bed – Crawl low to door – Feel for heat – Get out quickly –
Meet at a safe meeting spot – Report the fire (ring 000).
SOSE
Class discussion
Conduct a school/class fire drill.
Prior to the fire drill, familiarise the students with appropriate actions to carry out in a fire
drill. Refer to your School’s Disaster Plan to locate the arranged school meeting spot and correct
exits to leave the building.
Stress that everyone must co-operate to leave the building safely and in the quickest time to
avoid being trapped in a fire. Discuss appropriate ways to behave in a fire:
왘 siren sounds
왘 stop what you are doing
왘 listen to teacher instructions
왘 quietly line up at the door in pairs
왘 make sure windows are closed
왘 leave your personal belongings where they are
왘 move out sensibly with your class mates, to the arranged school meeting spot
왘 wait quietly while teacher reads student names from the class role and counts class members.
Student activity
Identify alternative exits in the classroom. Divide the class in two groups and see how sensibly
and quickly the students can stop what they are doing and move to the door ready to leave the
room. Students resume working and wait for the sound of the fire siren to carry out their fire
drill.
Student activity
Reporting a house fire.
You look out of your kitchen window and see lots of smoke coming out of your neighbour’s
house – through the windows and under the doors. Your neighbours are out. Report this fire to
the fire brigade by filling in the information you need to give when reporting a fire on Activity
Sheet 8.
34
Activity Sheet 8
Fire, Fire!
personal
safety
Who are you going to call?
Write the fire brigade number on the
phone.
Details to give the fire brigade when reporting a fire
Type of emergency: ____________________________
Location: ______________________________________
________________________________________________
Name: _________________________________________
Phone Number: ________________________________
Other information about the fire: ______________
________________________________________________
________________________________________________
35
Fire Warnings
Learning Outcomes
Identify what makes a familiar environment safe.
Explain and demonstrate options to improve personal safety and the safety of others.
This will be evident when the student:
왘 recognises fire warning signs and knows appropriate actions to carry out in a fire emergency.
English
Class discussion
Fire warning sounds – what is making them, what can we tell from them and what should we
do about them?
Collect a few items which warn us of fire – smoke alarm, whistle blown to alert family members at night and the school hand bell.
While students’ eyes are closed, activate the sound and ask students to:
왘 identify the sound;
왘 describe dangers the sound may signify; and
왘 outline actions to take if at home, school or playing outside when the warning sound is
heard.
All the things that make a warning sound do so for an important reason. The warning sounds
should be acted on immediately.
Focus questions
왘 Which vehicles make warning sounds? (fire truck, ambulance, police vehicle, SES)
왘 When is the siren sounded?
왘 Which objects at home make warning sounds? (telephone, door bell, oven and microwave
timer, alarm clock, smoke alarm)
왘 What sort of sound do they make?
왘 When do they make this sound?
왘 What could happen if they didn’t make a warning sound?
Student activity
Make a class collage picturing vehicles and objects which make warning sounds. Draw a fire
outline around those things which alert us to fire.
36
personal
safety
Related Activities
SOSE
Class discussion
Smoke alarms.
Place a smoke alarm in a feely box. Choose students to feel the smoke alarm and describe its
attributes. Activate the smoke alarm in the box. Students try to identify the object.
Show the smoke alarm. Find out how many students have seen smoke alarms and know their
use.
Focus questions
왘 What sound does the smoke alarm make?
왘 Where would you find a smoke alarm in your house? (ceiling)
왘 Why are smoke alarms found on the ceiling? (smoke rises)
왘 What would you do if you heard a smoke alarm?
왘 What other things in your home make a loud noise?
왘 What is different/similar about these sounds?
왘 Which of these things make a noise to tell us something important?
Student activity
Activate the smoke alarm while students role play correct safety procedures.
Maths
Student activity
Using Activity Sheet 9, students count the number of smoke alarms recommended to place in
the house shown, and locate the possible external and internal exits to use in a fire emergency.
37
Activity Sheet 9
Where are the exits and alarms?
How many smoke alarms are there in this house? ______
Which rooms are the smoke alarms in? _______________
_____________________________________________________
How many inside doors are there? _____________________
How many outside doors?_____________________________
How many windows? _________________________________
How many inside and outside doors are there? _________
How many windows and doors are there in this house?
_____________________________________________________
38
y
nit
Fir
in t
he
ty
a
S
f
e
e
u
Co m m
39
Role of the Firefighter
Learning Outcomes
Discuss how individuals and groups can participate in the care of places in a community.
Examine work done by others.
Describe ways in which people co-operate with, and depend on, one another in their work.
Compare ways people obtain goods and services in the local community.
This will be evident when the student:
왘 knows firefighters are our friends and helpers; and
왘 understands the varied duties of firefighters – both paid and volunteer.
SOSE
Class discussion
Invite a firefighter from your local brigade to visit the class and talk about their role as a firefighter. Prior to the visit, advise the firefighter of any specific clothing or equipment you would
like shown and demonstrated to the class group. Ask the firefighter to describe the varied duties
they carry out as a firefighter, show and explain the purpose of special clothing worn to fight
fires.
Fire brigades are bigger in the cities and towns than in the country as they have more people
and houses to protect. Encourage the firefighter visitor to talk about the composition of the
local brigade – number of paid and volunteer firefighters – and make general comparisons
with city brigades.
Ask the firefighter to talk about the volunteer nature of the CFA. The majority of the CFA is
made up of volunteer firefighters. Ask the firefighter if fighting fires is their paid job. If not, ask
them what they do during the day. How do they know when there’s a fire when they’re not at
the fire station? Who let’s them know? Why did he/she become a firefighter? What does he/she
like about being a firefighter?
Focus questions
왘 What does a firefighter do?
왘 How do firefighters know when there’s a fire?
왘 What protective clothing do firefighters wear?
왘 What makes this clothing special?
왘 What equipment is used to put out fires?
Student activity
Concluding the visit, write a class thank you letter to the firefighter. Students draw a picture
illustrating something they learnt from the firefighter’s visit. Include a brief sentence underneath the picture.
40
community
fire safety
Related Activities
SOSE
Classroom discussion
Role of the Firefighter – Volunteer and Career Firefighters.
Firefighters perform varied duties throughout their shifts. See how many varied duties the students can think of while passing a ‘kooch’ ball amongst themselves. A different duty is to be
named before they pass the ball on. List these duties as they are called out. Classify these under
common headings such as jobs at the fire station, helping people, caring for the fire truck and
fighting fires.
Some firefighters are paid while others are volunteers. Many large country towns and some
metropolitan areas have career firefighters as well as volunteers. Most country areas are protected entirely by volunteer firefighters.
Who are your firefighters? They may be your local banker, butcher, nurse or farmer. When
there is a fire they leave their jobs and become firefighters.
Focus questions
왘 Who fights fires?
왘 Can anyone become a firefighter?
왘 How do you become a firefighter?
왘 Why do most country towns have mainly volunteer firefighters?
Student activity
Students identify various roles carried out by firefighters on Activity Sheet 10.
Student activity
Using an enlarged CFA logo (logo pictured below), students draw pictures of different roles the
CFA carry out in their local community. Paste pictures on the chequerboard squares. Display
around the school.
Focus questions
왘 Which other emergency service has a similar logo? (police).
왘 What is the same/different? (blue and white chequerboard).
41
English
Student activity
What do firefighters do?
Students fill in the firefighter cloze activity on Activity Sheet 11 to better understand the firefighter’s role.
Student activity
Jigsaw Poem.
Read the poem below which outlines a fire scene. Discuss what is happening in the poem.
Students put the puzzle back together on Activity Sheet 12 and read the completed fire poem to
a partner.
Stop!
Listen to the siren.
Where is the sound coming from?
Look – here comes the fire truck.
Ladders up, hoses out.
Higher, higher, higher.
Water squirts.
Fire out.
Classroom discussion
Various aspects of fighting fires.
Use the “At the Fire” discussion poster included with ‘Fire Safe’ to promote discussion about
various aspects of firefighting. This poster shows two fire scenes – one in the city and one in the
country. Different types of fire fighting vehicles are pictured in the two scenes. Explain that
while the fire fighting vehicles, uniforms and equipment may differ slightly in appearance, the
firefighters still have the same function.
If your school is in a CFA area, you might also talk about the volunteer basis of the CFA, i.e.
the people fighting the fires have other jobs and attend fires without being paid just to make
sure the community is safe.
Focus questions
왘 What is happening in the top picture?
왘 What is happening in the bottom picture?
왘 What is the same about the two pictures?
왘 What is different about the two pictures?
왘 What do firefighters do at a fire?
42
community
fire safety
왘 What equipment do they use to help put out fires?
왘 What special things do they wear to protect themselves?
왘 If you saw a fire like this, what should you do? (Make sure the children understand they
should stay well away).
왘 How might these fires have started?
왘 How do the firefighters find out about the fire?
왘 What kinds of things does a firefighter have to be careful of?
Student activity
Follow up this discussion by having the children write a story about a fire, using the poster as
inspiration.
Health
Classroom discussion
Draw up a list of health care providers in your local community and describe their work
through role play, painted murals or fabric pictures. Health care providers could include: firefighters, police, doctors, community nurses, dentists, child care workers and teachers.
43
Activity Sheet 10
Firefighters
Firefighters have many jobs.
In the boxes below, draw four
jobs firefighters do.
Volunteer firefighters have day jobs. They may be
butchers, bankers, farmers, teachers or nurses. When
there is a fire they leave their jobs and become
firefighters.
Draw two firefighters you know at their day jobs.
44
Activity Sheet 11
Firefighters …
community
fire safety
Fill in the missing words from the list below.
Firefighters are our _______________________________.
Firefighters put out _______________________________.
Firefighters ______________ people in car crashes.
Firefighters wear special __________________________.
Firefighters drive the _____________________________.
____________________ fires are put out by firefighters.
help
clothing
fire truck
House
friends
fires
45
Activity Sheet 12
Jigsaw Poem
Put the puzzle back together.
Read the mystery fire poem to a friend.
.
he
r
g
hi
ho
.
ou
t
se
s
he
t
s
e i
r
e
ere
Wh
h
–
k
o
Lo
es
e
th
m
co
s
Lis
te
op
!
n
to
out
.
Fire
ter
squ
irts
.
fire truck.
Wa
sound
the siren.
coming from?
,
er
gh
hi
,
St
r,
up
he
ig
er
dd
La
H
46
Firefighting Equipment and Clothing
community
fire safety
Learning Outcomes
Identify the safe use of a range of services and products used to maintain health.
Explain how the places where people live, work and play can influence their health.
This will be evident when the student:
왘 recognises and knows the purpose of protective clothing worn and equipment used by firefighters; and
왘 recognises the fire truck and location of the local fire station.
SOSE
Classroom discussion
Encourage students to visualise their local fire station and what they might find there. In
groups, students draw or list what they would expect to find at the fire station. Discuss these
lists as a class and combine in a class list. Categorise this class list under general headings such
as firefighting clothing, firefighting equipment, fire truck and fire station.
Focus questions
왘 What do you know about fire trucks?
왘 What do you hear when a fire truck goes to a fire?
왘 Why do fire trucks sound their sirens?
왘 What should you do when you hear a fire truck siren?
왘 Where do firefighters sit in the fire truck?
왘 Where is the fire fighting equipment stored?
왘 What equipment is used to put out fires?
왘 Where do fire trucks get their water?
왘 What jobs do you think firefighters do at the fire station?
왘 How do firefighters know when a fire is reported?
Student activity
Students visit their local fire station. Point out distinguishing features of the fire station – CFA
logo, fire emergency number displayed. Arrange for a firefighter to conduct a brief tour showing the communications room (where emergency calls are received and passed on), storage
rooms containing protective clothing and equipment, firefighters’ sleeping quarters and the fire
truck. The firefighter will also show and talk about the function of the fire truck, including
47
general equipment carried on the truck – fire ladder, fire hoses, truck cabin, tools held in the
storage lockers and will sound the siren.
Ask the firefighter to show and explain the function of special protective clothing worn to fires
– woollen jacket, overalls, boots, and helmet. Show the breathing apparatus which provides
oxygen to the firefighter so he/she can breathe safely in smoke – explain how it works,
whistling sound made when the air cylinder is turned on and voice change when talking
through the mask.
Related Activities
SOSE
Student activity
Where is our fire station?
Using playdough, blocks or Lego, build your local fire station and significant landmarks close
by. Not all fire stations look the same – some are brick buildings while others are small tin
sheds. However, they all have similar identifying features. Students write/stick the fire emergency number on the fire station – 000.
Focus questions
왘 How do you know this building is a fire station? (CFA sign, fire brigade number displayed,
fire trucks parked inside, firefighters inside …)
왘 What would you find at the fire station?
English
Student activity
Protection from heat, flames and smoke.
We wear different types of clothing for different occasions or activities. In summer, a sun hat
protects the face from burning. In winter, a warm coat is worn to keep out cool wind and rain.
In pairs, students list special clothing worn and equipment used to protect them from: getting
burnt in summer, getting wet on a rainy day and freezing on a cold wintry day. Students discuss the protective qualities of their listed clothes and equipment in each of these situations.
Focus questions
왘 Would the clothes you are now wearing stop you from getting burnt in a fire? Why/why not?
왘 What do firefighters wear to stop themselves from getting burnt in a fire?
왘 What do firefighters wear to help them to breathe in smoke filled buildings?
왘 What equipment do firefighters use to help them put out fires?
48
community
fire safety
Student activity
In groups of four, students list clothing worn by firefighters when fighting fires. Discuss how
this clothing protects the firefighter from heat, flames and smoke. Students then list firefighting
equipment used to put out fires.
Students separate firefighting clothing from firefighting equipment on Activity Sheet 13.
Student activity
Sing a song about the fire truck.
Write the lines of the song below on poster paper. Sing or chant the lines. Divide the class into
two or three groups and sing the song as a round. Add some of your own lines.
The wheels
Round and
Round and
The wheels
on the truck go round and round,
round,
round.
on the truck go round and round.
The fire ladder goes up and down,
Up and down,
Up and down.
The fire ladder goes up and down.
Firefighters climb in and out,
In and out,
In and out.
Firefighters climb in and out.
Focus on movement words – round and round, up and down, in and out or opposites – up and
down, in and out, over and under, front and back.
Student activity
Fire Riddle Flip Pictures.
Students read the fire riddles on Activity Sheet 14. Reproduce this sheet on thin card. Students
cut out the box with the fire riddle and paste it on top of their illustrated answer to the riddle.
Students may like to create some of their own fire riddles.
Student activity
Memory Game.
“I went to the fire station and I saw …”
In turn, students recall named items and add a new item to the list.
49
Student activity
Write a class wall story about your visit to the fire station. Make the wall story into a big book.
Students illustrate the pages using collage. Reproduce the wall story into individual books for
students to illustrate and read at home.
Student activity
Words Linked by Meaning.
As a class, brainstorm a list of fire-related words which either have ‘fire’ as a common part of
the word or are linked to another word which tells us something about firefighting.
For example:
fire station
firefighter
fire siren
house fire
fire
bushfire
fire hose
fire ladder
fire truck
Art/Craft
Student activity
In groups, make a model fire station, a fire truck and some items of firefighting equipment
using materials such as, play dough, plasticine, clay, boxes, pipe cleaners, coloured paper,
paint and material scraps.
Student activity
Make fire trucks using large cardboard boxes with the top flaps cut off, red and white paint,
paper plates for wheels and lights, heavy string or cord to hook the fire truck over the head,
paper fasteners to fix paper plates on the sides of the fire truck and cardboard tubes or stuffed
stockings to act as fire hoses.
Students race each other in their fire trucks to the imaginary fire outside the classroom. Once
at the fire they extinguish it with their pretend water hoses.
50
Activity Sheet 13
What Firefighters Wear and Use
community
fire safety
Firefighters wear special clothing and use special equipment to fight
fires.
Separate the firefighting clothing from the firefighting equipment.
Match the words with the correct pictures and stick in the correct
boxes on the next page.
helmet
fire truck
boots
jacket
hose
ladder
pants
gloves
shovel
axe
socks
t-shirt
Place these words in alphabetical order:
Firefighter’s Clothing: ___________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Firefighter’s Equipment: _________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Write a sentence describing how this special clothing protects
firefighters at a fire.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
51
Activity Sheet 13 continued
Firefighter’s
Clothing
52
Firefighter’s
Equipment
Activity Sheet 14
Fire Riddles
community
fire safety
What am I?
Read the fire riddle.
Draw a picture showing the
answer to your fire riddle in
the bottom half of the box.
Cut out the fire riddle along the dotted lines.
Paste your riddle on top of your picture.
Read your riddle to your friends.
✄
✄
I am red, big, make a
loud noise and carry a
ladder on top.
I fight fires.
✄
I put out fires.
✄
I am red and very, very
hot.
Surprise your friends with some of your own fire riddles.
53
54
Junior Fire Safe Songs
Hot Means Danger
(to the tune of Frere Jacques)
Hot means danger
Hot means danger
So watch out
So watch out
Kettles, taps and ovens
Kettles, taps and ovens
Can burn you
Can burn you.
Hot means danger
Hot means danger
So watch out
So watch out
Toasters, stoves and heaters
Toasters, stoves and heaters
Can burn you
Can burn you.
Good Fires Bad Fires
(to the tune of Pop goes the Weasel)
Some fires are good fires
They help to keep us warm
Barbecues and birthday cakes
Some fires are good fires.
But some fires are bad fires
They can burn our houses and forests
They burn our skin and make us sad
Some fires are bad fires.
55
Matches and Lighters
(to the tune of Hey Diddle Diddle)
Matches and lighters are only for adults
They use them as a tool
They light up our campfires and candles too
Only grownups should use them not you.
Stop, Drop and Roll
(to the tune of Farmer in the Dell)
Stop, Drop and Roll
Stop, Drop and Roll
If your clothes should catch fire
Stop, drop and roll.
Clothes on Fire
(to the tune of Baa Baa Black Sheep)
Clothes on fire?
Stop where you are
Drop to the ground and
Cover your face
Roll on the floor, flames put out
Roll on the floor, flames put out
Clothes on fire?
Stop where you are
Drop to the ground and
Cover your face.
56
If You Ever Get a Burn
(to the tune of Old McDonald Had a Farm)
If you ever get a burn
This is what you do
Run it under the cold water tap
That is what you do
Then you tell your mum
Or you tell your dad
Hurry up, hurry up
Take me to the doctor
If you ever get a burn
This is what you do.
Smoke Alarm
(to the tune of Three Blind Mice)
Beep, beep, beep
Smoke alarm goes off
Beep, beep, beep
Smoke alarm goes off
Roll out of bed and
Crawl to the floor
Feel if its cool then open the door
Crawl all the way to the letter box
And then you’ll be safe.
Fire Truck
(to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star)
Stop and listen to the siren
Can you hear the sound coming?
Look, here comes the fire truck
Ladders up, hoses out
Higher, higher up they go
Water soars
Fire out.
Words by Penny Wolf
57
Resources
왘 Good Fires Bad Fires, Mary Flahavin, included in the Project Fireguard Kit, Country Fire
Authority, Melbourne, 1988.
A big book which discusses the difference between good and bad fires, and the danger of
playing with matches.
왘 The Firefighter Series, Lorraine Wilson, Martin Educational, Sydney, 1986.
A selection of books describing the work of firefighters: Country Volunteers Fight a Grass
Fire, Fire Officer O’Brien Attends a Car Accident, Fire Officer O’Brien Attends a Chemical
Spillage, Fire Officer O’Brien Goes Underground, Fire Officer O’Brien Attends a Gas Leak and
Fire Officer O’Brien Attends a House Fire. Accompanying teacher reference material is
included in the package.
왘 Fireman Sam and the Treetop Adventure, Caryn Jenner, Heinemann, London, 1993.
Fireman Sam rescues a boy trapped in a tree.
왘 Fireman Sam Rescues Trevor From a Muddy Ditch, Caryn Jenner, Heinemann, London,
1993.
Fireman Sam carries out an accident rescue.
왘 Fireman Sam and Trevor’s Big Break, Caryn Jenner, Heinemann, London, 1993.
왘 Fire-Engine Lil, Andrew & Janet McLean, Allen & Unwin, Sydney, 1989.
Lil the fire engine helps to put out an Australian grassfire, saving the farmhouse, people
and the animals.
왘 Fire Dog Kitt Gets His Badge, John Laverick, Metropolitan Fire Brigade Fire Prevention
Department, Melbourne, 1994.
Fire dog Kitt learns about good and bad fires, safe procedures to carry out in a building fire
and how fires are extinguished at the firefighters’ training college, so he can teach children
about fire safety.
58
Contacts
Offices
CFA Headquarters
PO Box 701
Mount Waverley 3149
Ph: 9262 8444
Fax: 9262 8399
MFB Public Education Department
619 Victoria Street
Abbotsford 3067
Ph: 9665 4464
Fax: 9420 3890
Brigade visits to schools
Contact your local CFA brigade or Regional Office.
59
Notes
60