Fire safety awareness and prevention remains a key issue for students and educators alike. In observance of Fire Prevention Week starting October 8th, we’ve compiled a few important precautions that you can share with colleagues and students to reinforce fire safety in and outside the classroom all year long.

Fire Safety: Prevention and Knowledge

Nothing cuts down the risk of fire loss like education. Arm your students with the knowledge and skills they need to approach fire safety effectively, including:

Recognizing Alarms

You might take for granted that a child understands what a fire alarm sounds like – teach children to identify your school’s alarm early so that they can’t confuse it for any other sound. For students with hearing problems, identify other, non-auditory cues to alert them to a fire emergency.

Escape and Evacuation Routes

Each room should have a sign that identifies two ways out of the room in case of fire. Hallways, stairwells and other areas should also clearly indicate evacuation routes and protocols. Make sure that your students understand not only where the exits are located, but also how to use them. Demonstrate how to use alternate escape routes in an emergency.

Practice Drills

Drills are essential in a school environment. Kids need to be taught how to respond to a fire well before an actual emergency occurs. Fire Rescue Magazine offers “homework” for kids to share with their parents after fire education seminars, and it’s an excellent resource for teachers looking to reinforce the message of fire safety at home and in the classroom.

The Right Equipment for Fire Safety

According to the National Fire Protection Association or NFPA, approximately 60 percent of house fires between 2010 and 2014 took place in homes without working fire alarms or smoke detectors. Along with alarms, other equipment can enhance your protection, including:

• Smoke detectors
• Fire extinguishers
• Fire escapes

The NFPA also notes that a working alarm cuts the risk of dying in a reported house fire by half. Installing and regularly maintaining fire alarms is essential to keeping kids and property safe.

You may not have control over the fire escapes in your school building, but check with your building manager or superintendent to ensure that escapes are up to code. Upgrade the escapes right away if there are flaws or defects.

Rules, Regulations and Fire Safety Standards

Public buildings must adhere to local fire codes in terms of occupancy and activity. If you’re not sure about your school’s occupancy limits, check with the local fire department, and conduct a thorough investigation to make sure you’re up to code. You should know:

• When the last time the building was thoroughly inspected
• Where critical signage is located, such as exit signs and evacuation routes
• How many people can fit in the building as a whole and in classrooms and staffrooms

Teach older kids to recognize evacuation routes and to read maps that can lead them to safety during a fire. The U.S. Fire Administration offers a bevy of educational resources to help kids and adults understand what to do during a fire.

Students need to be taught to recognize the dangers of fire – to themselves, others and property – and how to prevent it from happening. “Stop, Drop and Roll” has been the official safety stance of fire education for decades, but that approach is only one line of defense among many. Proper education and a proactive approach to fire safety will mitigate long-term risk and damage caused by fires.

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Beth Kotz is a freelance writer and contributor for numerous home, technology, and personal finance blogs. She graduated with BA in Communications and Media from DePaul University in Chicago, IL where she continues to live and work. You can find her latest work here: homeownerguides.com