Fire! Would You Know What to Do?
Published: 19th September 2025
Updated: 26th September 2025
Published: 19th September 2025
Updated: 26th September 2025
Leading Firefighter Kylei Holmes-Lewis, who has been a firefighter for 15 years and is based at London Fire Brigade’s Forest Hill Fire Station in South London, shares her top tips for talking with your children about fire safety. Here’s what she recommends.
Don’t try to fight it yourself
Try to leave and call 999 to tell us where the fire is and what’s on fire. Be ready to give your address and what the fire looks like so the emergency services can decide how many fire engines to send.
If you smell smoke…
If you need to get out of the room you’re in, touch the door handle with the back of your hand. If it’s cold, open the door and crawl to the nearest exit. If it’s hot, block the bottom of the door with a duvet, blanket or towel and go to the nearest window and shout “Fire, Fire, Fire” as loud as you can.
I always recommend having an escape plan so that you know what to do in an emergency.
Make sure you have working smoke alarms throughout your home. I’d recommend everyone has one fitted in every room where a fire can start.
Push the button, not your luck!
Test smoke alarms regularly to check they’re working. Some smoke alarms need batteries so remember to replace them if they don’t work.
Do you know the best route out of your house in an emergency? I encourage you to sit down with your family and chat about the best route out. Then, practice your fire escape plan with your whole family so they know what to do.
Here are some handy hints for your escape plan:
Sometimes items you use every day could become a fire risk if used incorrectly.
See how much your child has learnt about fire safety by asking some of these discussion questions:
If you were home and smelled smoke, what steps would you take to stay safe until firefighters arrived?
If the smoke alarm went off tonight, what’s the quickest and safest way out of our house?
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