Your house should have smoke detectors.
A fire safety plan lets everyone know what to do if there is a fire.
In Australia the emergency number for fire, police and ambulance is 000.
How do smoke detectors work?
Smoke detectors have two parts:
One is a sensor that works when smoke or heat enters a room or the space near the detector.
The second part is an alarm that sounds whenever the detector senses smoke or heat. The sound of the alarm will warn you of danger.
Smoke detectors should be in place near the bedrooms of your house and in, or near, the kitchen.
In most cases, the batteries that make the smoke detector work must be changed once each year. It’s a good idea to choose a regular date to change the batteries, a date that is easy to remember. One idea, if you live somewhere that has daylight saving time, is to choose the day when it begins. Find out how to test the smoke detectors in your house.
A family fire escape plan lets everyone know at least two ways to get out of the house. If one way is blocked, people can go an other way to get to safety. If your house catches fire, get out of the house. Don't hide! Go outside!
When you are leaving a burning house, use the back of your hand to find out if a door is hot before you open it. A hot door means that there could be fire behind it. If a door is hot, go another way!
When leaving the house, remember to stay low to the floor. The air is cooler down low, and the smoke will be thinner so it will be easier to breathe.
The fire escape plan should name a meeting place where everybody should meet. It could be at the mailbox, or near a big tree, or another place your family has chosen.
If someone is missing, tell the firefighters. They have clothing and equipment to safely enter the house to look for missing people. NEVER go back into the burning house.
What if your clothes catch fire?
Firefighters have special clothing and equipment to help them safely enter a burning building. Getty Images
If your clothes catch fire, stop, drop and roll. Rolling will smother the fire and put it out. Call for help, but don't run. Running will make fire burn more quickly.
Phone for help
Know the emergency telephone number for your area.
In Australia the emergency number is 000.
It is a free call. The person who answers the call will ask what the emergency is and will send the appropriate help.
It’s a good idea to get information from more than one source!
Read about how smoke detectors work:
http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/household-safety/fire/smoke.htm
Play some fire safety games:
http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/kids-schools/activities/
