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DFRS Logo Fire Kills Dorset Fire and Rescue Service

    working in partnership to make Dorset safer

Reception and Key Stage 1

We are keen to fully support all schools with their safety education.

Fire is the biggest cause of accidental death and serious injury of children in the home. You can help by bringing fire safety education into your classroom in a number of ways.

1. Deliver fire safety education yourself using the SAFE-D
2. Request a tailor made SAFE-D from us for your class
3. Take Year 2 students to LV=Streetwise (entry fee funded by DFRS)

The visit will be delivered using DFRS’s" Safety Awareness and Fire Education –Dorset" (SAFE-D) programme and will cover aspects of our five safety aims:
  • Fire prevention in the home
  • Smoke alarms and escape plans
  • Calling 999
  • Not playing with fire
  • Road safety
We also understand that you will have your own learning outcomes. Our visits can be adapted to cover any subjects you wish, provided we are able to deliver our safety messages. Please indicate on your booking form any topics you are focusing on such as:
However we are happy to adapt our session for any topic you wish, please contact us to discuss your requirements.
 
SAFE-D sessions, DFRS visit your school: 
 
All our sessions are fun and interactive and where possible a fire engine and crew will attend, however this may not always be possible and in some cases the fire engine may have to visit on a different day to the classroom session. Please discuss this with when arranging your visit.
 
During the visit the class will be introduced to Seb the Safety bear, Seb will be left with you and you are welcome to use him for any further safety work. We also encourage you to let the children take him home for the night to help them check their home is fire safe. Each child will be given an activity sheet and letter to take home, which they are encouraged to do at home with heir parent/carers.
 
Following the visit your class will be awarded the Bronze Level SAFE-D Award Certificate, you will be informed on how to achieve the Silver and Gold Awards during your visit.
 
We encourage the children to take an active part in the visit, however we understand that children may not wish to and no children is pressured to take part in the activities.
 
Pre or post visit we encourage you to have a look at the different activities  we have for teachers to deliver further safety work, please adapt these activites as you see fit for your class. To request a SAFE-D visit please fill in the request form. If you would like further information, please contact our Education Officer who has responsibility for schools, Jon Sweet. Email jon.sweet@dorsetfire.gov.uk or call 01305 253043
 
 
The Great Fire of London
 
We can support your Great Fire of London topic with DFRS SAFE-D visit which will look at how life has changed since 1666 and we are now much safer as part of the general fire safety messages.
 
This website has a fun game for the children helping them learn about the Great Fire of London and further teaching resources and website links which you may find useful. This website was created through a partnership of five institutions, the Museum of London, The National Archives, London Fire Brigade Museum, National Portrait Gallery, and London Metropolitan Archives.
 
If you wish, and if a fire crew are available we can offer a practical activity to show the difference between how much water can be obtained from a "bucket line" and how much from a modern fire appliance. Please note this activity will depend upon a suitable location in the school grounds and the children may get a little wet. If you wish to discuss this activity please contact our Education Officer with responsibility for schools, Jon Sweet (jon.sweet@dorsetfire.gov.uk)
or call 01305 253043
 
Activities involving fire in school
Dorset Fire and Rescue Service are keen to fully support Dorset schools where we can. If you are intending to use real fire in your school lessons, please consider some of the following safety issues:
  • Please make sure you have fully risk assessed the activity in order to keep everyone safe. Ensure you have considered the location of the event, location of the children (including the spreading smoke), what other flammable items are around (including the ground surface and items above such as trees or cables), the weather and importantly how you will ensure your fire is fully extinguished.
  • Please note that Dorset Fire and Rescue Service can not attend your "fire event" to either supervise, be involved in, or as part of your risk assessment.
  • Please talk to the children to help them understand of the dangers of playing with fire. Every year many fires are started by children and many are injured whilst playing with fire. As part of the session please teach the children about the dangers of fire and that they must not attempt to copy this. For Key Stage 1 children this rhyme is helpful: "Matches, Lighters, never touch, they can hurt very much."
  • We encourage you to book an interactive visit by Dorset Fire and Rescue Service which covers important fire safety points. Your visit can be linked to topics such as the Great Fire of London.
  • Please consider the emotional impact on children – we suggest that you check with parents/carers that no child has been involved/ affected by a fire and could be upset.
  • Please consider a letter home to parents/carers. 
Other activities to consider
    • Ask a child to run a pre-determined length (with some "flames") as fire spreads faster than a person can run 
    • Make 'flames' using material, paper, tissue paper, (or just use hands). Line the children up and 'spread the fire' like a Mexican wave.
    • Chalk flames onto a suitable wall, the children then line up and pass buckets of water down the line and throw the water at chalk until the "fire is out" . (This could be done in teams as a race)

 

If you do undertake a real fire activity, please do carefully consider all the safety elements. If you would like to book a visit by DFRS please email jon.sweet@dorsetfire.gov.uk
 
If you are concerned about a child or young person being interested in fire or playing with fire please consider our firesetters intervention programme.