It was fire safety week in our school last week. We were taught about fire safety and performed various drills to keep ourselves and others safe in case there is an emergency. Our teacher said all of us must learn about the dangers of fire and how to respond when there is a fire outbreak.

We learnt a lot of things and I would love to share them with you.

Prevention

Prevention is the best way to prevent fire hazards. We must get the electric outlets, electric appliances and other things that might lead to fire hazards inspected at least twice every year. All malfunctioning appliances must be repaired without delay to prevent fire hazards. We must also have fire extinguishers installed in every room, especially in the kitchen, garage, and near a fireplace; so that we can take control of small fires and put them off quickly. The room heaters must be kept away from paper and curtains.

Respond to the Alarm

Most schools, office spaces and houses have smoke alarms installed inside them. The smoke alarms start ringing as soon as they detect fire; so the first thing that we need to do is to get out of our houses, classrooms or office spaces to protect ourselves from fire. Next the fire department must be informed as soon as possible.

We must never hide under the bed, chairs, tables, or behind furniture when there is a fire outbreak. We must look for the nearest exit and get out of the space immediately. We must also cooperate with the fire extinguisher personnel without fear. They are helpful people and would help us even if they have to put their lives in danger.

Fire Safety Drill

We did some fire safety drills to understand what to do if there is a fire outbreak in school. Our teacher got the floor plan of our school and pointed out the exit ways from each class. We also decided a outside meeting place where all the children would gather once out of their classes. Our teacher told us we should not rush or push each other when evacuating the classrooms since it can cause further confusion and make the situation worse. We must walk quickly but without pushing anybody. Our teacher said if the exit passage is smoky, then we must get down low or crawl under the smoke, so that we can breathe some clean air. In case the clothes catch fire, then we must stop, drop and roll to put the fire off.

One of our school staffs rang the fire bell and we all started evacuating the classrooms to practice how to respond during a fire outbreak. All of us quickly came out of our class and started moving towards the main exit and then to the location where we were instructed to gather.

The same things should be followed if there is fire in your house or office. It is essential that you respond quickly and wisely to keep yourself and others safe in case of fire.

Every time we go out our house, it is an opportunity for us to learn about our surroundings and Mother Nature – our teacher told us. It was a great day at school; out teacher took us out for a nature walk so that we could observe the nature and learn new things. She also said, children of all ages can go out for nature walks and enjoy.

But before we went out, our teacher said we must understand the benefits of walking in the nature. Then she started explaining the benefits one-by-one:

• Nature walks are extremely enjoyable and it offers opportunities to learn new things. For example, you can how the bees make honey, how new plants grow and a lot more things.
• Nature walks improve health. Children who do not go out of their home to play suffer from obesity and many other health issues. When you go out and walk into the nature you breathe fresh air and get exposed to sunlight (a rich source of Vitamin D). Walking and playing promotes good health as well.
• You can also uplift your moods when you go out and walk in the nature. Studies show that people feel happy when exposed to green spaces. Moreover, you feel happy when you see colourful butterflies, listen to the birds chirping and feel the wind blow through your hairs.
• Finally, you get to meet lots of new people, connect with them and share your experiences. This helps you enrich your knowledge and increases your urge to learn as well.

It was very interesting to hear about the nature walk. I have been playing outside my home for quite some time, but I never knew about the benefits. Finally it was time to go out for a nature walk with my friends. We made a queue and walked to the nearby park.

Once we reached the park, our teacher said – today we will observe the weather, the plants, the animals and the soil. We were also asked to carry a notebook and a pencil so that we could write down our observations. Our teacher took some magnifying glasses so that we could take a closer look at the tiny things. We had a great time looking at the dew drops on the leaves, seeing how new plants are born and how the insects help in creating fruits. We also saw a swarm of bees that were busy sucking nectar from the flowers. We saw some caterpillars, earth-worms and tiny insects that live in all parks and gardens, but are almost invisible to naked eyes.

We observed several types of leaves and played in the puddles. We also visited a kitchen garden and tasted some fresh vegetables. We were told in class that carrots grow below the soil, but we saw it for the first time during our nature walk. It was a fun day and we had a lot of fun. I will tell mumma and dadda and we will go out for more nature walks.