Babysitters' Fire Safety Tips
Babysitters:
Be prepared. Know the address of where you are babysitting and the following contact numbers:
- What number the parents can be reached at.
- An alternative number, like a neighbor, family member, etc.
- 9-1-1.
If There's a Fire
Stay calm. You will be able to think better and faster is you remain calm. Your first job is to get yourself and the children outside.
- Then stay outside.
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Do not go back for anything. When everyone has arrived at the designated meeting place (like the tree on the front yard), take the children with you to call the fire department (9-1-1). Use a neighbors phone or call from a portable phone if you have one.
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Give the fire department the exact address of the fire and stay on the phone until they tell you it is okay to hang up.
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Then call the adults who hired you.
Escape Tips
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If you run into smoke while you're escaping, try another way out. If you can't avoid the smoke, crawl low on your hands and knees with your head 1 to 2 feet above the floor.
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Test doors before you open them - if there's fire on the other side, it will feel warm around the cracks of the door. If the door is warm, do not open it and try another escape route. This is why you always have two exit locations from a room or location within the residence.
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If the door feels cool to the touch, open it with caution.
An Escape Plan
Ask the adults who hired you about the household's fire escape plan, you'll find out what they expect you to do, and you'll be reminding them to plan ahead for fire emergencies.
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Have them give you a home tour. Learn where all the windows and doors are and make sure you can open them.
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Find two ways out of each room - especially bedrooms.
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Make sure the family has decided on an outside meeting place where everyone is supposed to go when they've escaped a fire. This is so that you can count everyone to make sure everyone is out safely. If not, never return inside the house but be sure to notify the fire department when they arrive that someone is still in the residence and the location of where thier last location was.
Stay with the Kids
Supervise the children when they're awake and check on them often when they're in bed. Once they're sound a sleep, stay close enough to hear them if they wake up.
Basic Precautions
- Don't smoke.
- Put matches and lighters away - up high where children can't reach them.
- Keep any space heaters at least 3 feet away from anything that can burn. (Keep the children away from any heating source.)
- If you are allowed to cook, always get permission first, declare the "kid free zone" 3 feet around the stove or microwave. Turn pot handles in toward the centre of the stove so children can't grab them. Never leave the room when you're cooking and keep toys, clothing, paper and other clutter off the stove.
- Follow all instructions for cooking and never leave anything unattended.
Parents:
For more information on what you and your babysitter need to know, refer to Canada Safety Council
Do you know of an outstanding babysitter who should be recognized as a hero. For more information refer to the Canadian Redcross Babysitter Hero Award.
If you have any fire safety inquiries, please contact the Fire Prevention office at (905) 637-9536 or via email to firedepartment@burlington.ca.