Fire Safety, Fire Extinguishers, PASS, Tragedy in Haiti, Main Idea

Well it is fire safety week again, here at Melissas Homeschool. We do this at least three times a year, and we go over major points, and escape options. The link will take you to some cute kids videos on fire safety. http://melissashomeschool.blogspot.com/2009/11/fire-safety-and-prevention-for-kids.html
There are several points that I would like to make about fire safety. Be sure your children know what they should do every time the smoke detector goes off. My kids know if it goes off, even if I am burning something, to get to the front door. However, they also need to know, that in a real fire, the nearest exit should be used, that may be their window, or a back door. They need to know to stop drop and roll, if their clothes are on fire, or push down your sister, if her clothes are on fire. Do not take toys, or other inanimate objects, getting out alive is what matters. If you can grab the portable phone on the way by, do it, and call 911 as soon as you are out of the home. Scream loudly, to wake up very sound sleeping father. Have a safe area where everyone goes to meet up. This is the front corner of our yard. We are fortunate enough to have a fire hydrant there. Do not re enter the home, for any reason. We have a fire extinguisher in our kitchen, but have never instructed them on how to use it. That will come this time. The PASS system should be taught to anyone who needs to use a fire extinguisher. P is pull the pin, A is aim the nozzle at the base of the fire not the top of the flames, S is for squeeze the lever, and S is for spray in gliding fashion not just one area. There are obviously other things, such as types of extinguishers, how to put out a stove fire, but those things all come later on, once the basics have been learned. The videos in the link, cover general fire safety issues, and prevention of fires.

Unless you never turn on the news, you have heard there has been a very powerful earthquake in Haiti, that has devastated much of the country. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, and obviously will need much assistance, and prayers. The video shows a lot of what has been seen so far.

Writing, and reading comprehension, can be a big problem for some children. The cute song, in the video below, may be able to help your child identify, and remember how to find the main idea in a writing item. Brain Pop, also offers a very nice video that is free, on the Main Idea.