Fire Drills At School

Children with autism can be very sensitive to particular sounds. About 40 percent of children with autism have some abnormality of sensory sensitivity (Rimland 1990). There is now evidence to suggest that the incidence may be the same for Asperger’s Syndrome (Garnett and Attwood 1995; Rimland 1990). Some sounds for children with ASD are perceived as unbearably intense. The mere anticipation of these sounds for some ASD individuals can lead to intense anxiety or panic and it can escalate to major melt downs.

Fire drills at school can be scary for younger children, especially ones with ASD. Teachers and anyone that come in contact with a child with ASD must be aware that fire drills can be unbearable for them. Teachers and parents should explain fully to the child about fire drills and what they should do to minimize their anxieties.

Teach your child about fire safety including making escape routes, holding mock fire drills, and what they should do if there is a fire drill at school. Doing it at home will give your child confidence and alleviate any worries that they may have. At school find out what your child must do during a fire drill and practice it so they will know what to do. If possible have the school ring the fire alarm so your child will know what to expect.


ehow.com- How to Prepare Your Autism and Asperger's Students for Fire and Tornado Drills

autism-pdd.net- Fire Drills




*A social story might be beneficial for a child with ASD.


lianro.googlepages.com

When the Fire Alarm Goes Off

Sometimes as I sit in class I hear a loud noise.
This noise is a fire alarm.
The alarm means we are having a fire drill.
A fire drill gives students a chance to practice for a real fire.
Usually there is not really a fire.
My teacher waits for me to line up with my class at the door.
I walk quietly down the hall with my class.
I walk outside and wait until my teacher says that we can go back inside.
The fire drill is over when my teacher leads us back inside.


polk-fl.net- What To Do In A Fire Drill

judyanddavid.com- What do I do when there is a fire drill? 2 examples

setbc.org- Fire Drill Boardmaker and pictures (visual sequencing of fire drill routine)

books.google.com- The New Social Story Book by Carol Gray
What do I do in a fire drill?




Fire Safety Links:

essortment.com- The complete guide on teaching your child about fire safety, including making escape routes, holding mock fire drills, and more.

atozteacherstuff.com- Fire Safety lesson plans, printables, discussion points, and a list of fire safety sites for kids.

usfa.dhs.gov- U.S. Fire Administration for Kids
Learn about home fire safety, smoke alarms, and escaping from fire. Games and activities are posted as well.

teachingheart.net- Fire Safety Theme Ideas: videos, books, poems songs, finger plays, bulletin board ideas, crafts, links, activity sheets, products,

webtech.kennesaw.edu- Fire Safety activities, coloring, prevention, etc.

childcare.about.com- Top 10 Fun Activities for Teaching Fire Safety for Kids

llr.state.sc.us- Freddie’s Fire Safety Curriculum: The “Freddie” curriculum is a comprehensive fire safety curriculum developed to teach children in kindergarten through fifth grades important fire prevention and survival skills. The series consists of three curricula, one for kindergarten and first grades, one for second and third grades, and another for fourth and fifth grades. *There is an adapted curriculum for children with autism.



Books About Fire Drills:

Arthur's Fire Drill (Step-Into-Reading, Step 3) by Marc Brown- When D.W.'s teacher announces that they will have a fire drill, D.W. is afraid the school is going to burn down! So Arthur gives her his fire fighter's hat, a whistle, and a few tips on fire safety, and appoints her their home fire warden. She then sets off to school prepared to take charge. Includes two pages of word stickers to reinforce word recognition and to help beginning readers create their own Arthur stories.


schools.nyc.gov- What To Do During A Fire Drill by Margret Depaula


Miss Mingo and the Fire Drill by Jamie Harper- Miss Mingo, a pink flamingo, and her diverse animal students are back. As she begins to prepare the class for fire drills, they become anxious. "Panda started barking. Elephant trumpeted." Miss Mingo assures them all that with practice, they will know what to do. Fire Chief Grizzly visits and talks about "Stop!" "Drop!" and "Roll!" When the teacher leaves the room for lunch and the cafeteria monitor takes her place, an enormous sneeze from Hippo sends the other students into evacuation mayhem. Fortunately, their mistake prepares them for the real drill later in the week. Throughout the book, factual notations about the animals' defense mechanisms appear in small print. "When danger threatens, the proboscis monkey honks loudly, and its large, fleshy nose swells and turns red." The accompanying watercolor-and-ink illustration shows a comical creature whose nose is twice the size of his head. Harper's silliness helps deliver the well-articulated and important lessons about emergency behavior. Children will love the story for its charm and rollicking fun, and the salient points will make a lasting impression. A top choice for Fire Prevention Week.


Fire Drill by Paul Dubois Jacobs- Simple rhyming text paired with colorful, upbeat art offer children an accessible overview of general fire-drill rules. In a busy classroom, students read and play, but then a fire alarm rings, and the rhythmic lines give instructions: “Out the door. Down the stairs. Stay in line. Stay in pairs.” After their teacher's OK, the kids return inside for stickers and hugs. The story's realistic elements include the children's diverse responses to the noise—hands over ears; running to the teacher—and their excitement to be outside, although they are reminded, “Stop right there. Find your place. Do not climb. Do not chase.” All concludes with, “That was fun. What a thrill! Fire drill!” Appealing, cheerful illustrations in elemental shapes and colors and vibrant patterns portray the multicultural group and familiar school settings. Although some may object to the view of fire drills as a fun activity, the book does provide a general introduction for adults to help kids understand the importance of the exercise. Preschool-Grade 2.