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lovemykidstoo 03:46 PM 01-23-2013
How does everyone do their fire drills in the winter? We do them once a month. What do you do as far as coats and shoes? I know that if the house is truly on fire, then we're not putting shoes on, but during practices (drills) I just can't have them running outside with no shoes on. I live in Michigan and the wind chill this week has been 4 degrees. But, I'm concerned that I will get in trouble because it takes too long to get them out.
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Abigail 03:51 PM 01-23-2013
It's only a drill, not the real thing. You practice then regularly so I wouldn't worry about it taking too long. I'm in ND and it's -30 today! We will NOT practice drills if it's below 15-20 degrees because we know we would do fine with all the practice we've done so far. Last drill was about 3 weeks ago. We "conveniently" did it right before we were going outside in the morning and it was cold about 20 degrees. We don't do spur of the moment drills, but we always have talked about practice drills and fires and what to do. In the summer we talked about how we don't stop to bring our favorite toy and don't stop for our shoes. In the winter I just plan it accordingly so it's still fresh in the child's mind and that is what is most important. With each practice gives me practice also incase we run into tantrums and such it's helpful to know it could happen.
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melilley 03:52 PM 01-23-2013
You could have them put their shoes on but don't tell them why. Pretend you are going to play a game that has to do with shoes. Have them dance in them or what ever for a few minutes and then sound the alarm. That way they already have shoes on and you're telling them you are going to have a drill. As for coats, they will be fine for a min. outside. I've had to bring babies in rolling cribs outside in the winter before and they were fine.

I meant to say you are not telling them you're having a drill.
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lovemykidstoo 06:38 PM 01-23-2013
I think that's what I'll do is plan it around going outside. I was kinda thinking that. Definately wouldn't worry about coats because I think that would take 20 minutes and we would burn up by then LOL!

The kids I have right now are mostly 2 and under so I could have their shoes on and just hanging out in the house and they wouldn't even think twice about it.
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dave4him 08:27 PM 01-23-2013
I have three or four two year olds on any given day... getting them to go outside takes less then 15 seconds.
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Play Care 03:20 AM 01-24-2013
Originally Posted by dave4him:
I have three or four two year olds on any given day... getting them to go outside takes less then 15 seconds.
I'm assuming that there are no snow suits, hats, mittens, and boots involved?

Even with lining everything up before hand and having the kids "help" as much as possible it takes at least 5 minutes to get out in the winter. I plan firedrills for days when it's warmer. Today will be in the single digits, so we won't be doing a drill. I also get kids ready to get outside and then press the fire alarm. We do "real" drills in warmer months and like a pp we talk frequently about the fact that they are not to try to take anything but to get OUTSIDE when they hear the alarm.
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dave4him 03:32 AM 01-24-2013
I grab the jackets and suit them up outside, if i am realistic about having a real fire no kid is going to be safer standing inside than out in the cold... but its been 40-50 here lately anyway
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lovemykidstoo 04:35 AM 01-24-2013
We are told here that we are not supposed to help the kids at all ie open the door/window etc because what happens if I'm knocked out and they are standing there waiting for me to help them get out. They have to 100% do it themselves. I think our time is around 30-40 seconds. I also tell them that they are to take nothing with them at all and they are not to look to find me, just get outside.
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My3cents 04:40 AM 01-24-2013
you should plan fire drills at all times, not just when convenient because a real fire is not going to wait until you have your shoes on-
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lovemykidstoo 05:31 AM 01-24-2013
Originally Posted by My3cents:
you should plan fire drills at all times, not just when convenient because a real fire is not going to wait until you have your shoes on-
I definately do when the weather is non-hazardous. They don't stop to get shoes on, but when it's 1degree outside right now and that's not taking into account the wind chill, I'm not going to have them stand outside in the snow with bare feet. I would say it's about 3-4 months (once a month drill) that they cannot go outside without shoes on.
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itlw8 05:35 AM 01-24-2013
I cheat in the winter we tend to end the drill at the door and then later if we are going out I may say what if there is a fire what do we do???? they are already to go out so someone says we walk and go to the meeting place and they all walk out and go to our meeting place.

Then on a warmer day we practice a whole drill.
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momofsix 05:47 AM 01-24-2013
Originally Posted by lovemykidstoo:
We are told here that we are not supposed to help the kids at all ie open the door/window etc because what happens if I'm knocked out and they are standing there waiting for me to help them get out. They have to 100% do it themselves. I think our time is around 30-40 seconds. I also tell them that they are to take nothing with them at all and they are not to look to find me, just get outside.
Wow,I never heard that! I was only told that schoolagers left alone in the basement had to be able to open the egress window and get out by themselves. I never heard that the kids had to be able to do it 100% on their own-I'm sure that on some days (younger group days) we'd probably fail that!
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lovemykidstoo 06:31 AM 01-24-2013
Originally Posted by momofsix:
Wow,I never heard that! I was only told that schoolagers left alone in the basement had to be able to open the egress window and get out by themselves. I never heard that the kids had to be able to do it 100% on their own-I'm sure that on some days (younger group days) we'd probably fail that!
I think it's mainly the age that actually could do it. I think that at the time I had my inspection I had 3 and 4 year olds and they could definately do it on their own. I'm up for renewal and my rep will be coming out within the next couple of months. I'm going to clarify it with her. Maybe she said that because of the age of kids I had at the time. I can't imagine my 20 month old opening the door by himself.
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KEG123 06:47 AM 01-24-2013
Luckily we have a front porch/sunroom/mudroom type thing. We just go out there for a few seconds. (which is what licensing told me to do...)
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dave4him 07:18 AM 01-24-2013
I remember my sixth grade teacher was told to lay down next to the fence like she was unconscience during an earthquake drill.... im not so sure i understoof the point of that.... i still dont
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My3cents 10:02 AM 01-24-2013
Originally Posted by lovemykidstoo:
I definately do when the weather is non-hazardous. They don't stop to get shoes on, but when it's 1degree outside right now and that's not taking into account the wind chill, I'm not going to have them stand outside in the snow with bare feet. I would say it's about 3-4 months (once a month drill) that they cannot go outside without shoes on.
Yes of course, common sense

When it is too cold to go out, we go to the door and then we talk about what we do from there. We don't go out either. My Fire Marshall told me to plan drills at all times of the day so that the kids know that when the alarm goes off they move to get out.
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lovemykidstoo 10:04 AM 01-24-2013
Originally Posted by My3cents:
Yes of course, common sense

When it is too cold to go out, we go to the door and then we talk about what we do from there. We don't go out either. My Fire Marshall told me to plan drills at all times of the day so that the kids know that when the alarm goes off they move to get out.
that's a good idea to go to the door and maybe even open it to make sure the older kids can do it. When I get my audit here soon I'm going to ask if that's acceptable.
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kitykids3 10:58 AM 01-24-2013
I have them get their shoes on. Then I test the alarms and we go. When it's warm outside we talk about what we do outside. If it's cold, we go out, count, and come back in. No coats, nothing except the timer, kids and attendance sheet.
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