Little lessons. Lifelong safety.

Hey, Umatilla families! Ready to put your fire safety skills to work?

You don’t need a helmet or a fire engine to help keep your family safe. Learning the sound of a smoke alarm, knowing your way outside, and telling a grown-up about a hazard are great places to start.

At Umatilla Rural Fire Protection District, we want children to feel confident asking questions and practicing safe choices.

Grown-ups: join in! Fire safety works best when the whole family learns together.

Hear the Beep? Head Outside!

Your smoke alarm has an important job.

A smoke alarm warns you when there may be a fire. When it sounds, follow your family’s escape plan and get outside.

• Leave toys, backpacks, and other belongings behind.
• Go straight to your outdoor meeting place.
• Stay outside. Tell firefighters if a person or pet is missing.
• Never hide under a bed or inside a closet.

Family activity: Ask a grown-up to test your alarms so everyone can learn the sound. Talk about what you will do when you hear it.

Grown-ups: Children may sleep through an alarm. Plan who will wake and help each child, do not assume they will escape independently.

Be an Escape-Plan Explorer

Can you find your ways out?

With a grown-up, explore your home and identify two ways out of each room where possible. One might be a door; another might be an accessible window.

Draw a simple map together. Add doors, windows, and your outdoor meeting place.

Then practice walking your escape route as a family.

Try this: Let each child explain the plan back to a grown-up. Knowing the plan matters more than drawing a perfect picture.

Grown-ups: Adapt routes to your children’s ages and abilities. Keep exits clear and practice at least twice a year. Never ask children to climb out of an upper-story window during a drill.

Pick Your Family’s Meeting Place

One spot. Everybody knows it.

Choose a permanent landmark a safe distance outside your home, such as a tree or mailbox. Pick somewhere firefighters can easily find you.

Family challenge: Finish this sentence together:

“If our smoke alarm sounds, we will meet at __________.”

Once you reach it, stay there. A grown-up should call 911 from outside.

Getting everyone outside is the goal—not winning a race.

Find Matches or a Lighter?

Leave it alone. Tell a grown-up.

Matches and lighters are tools for adults.

If you find one:

1. Leave it where it is.
2. Move away.
3. Tell a trusted grown-up.

You do not need to pick it up or bring it to someone.

Grown-ups: Store matches and lighters out of children’s sight and reach, preferably in a locked location. Praise children for reporting what they find.

Give Hot Things Their Space

Be a helper from a safe distance.

Stoves, heaters, and fireplaces need room around them.

• Stay at least three feet from the stove while someone is cooking.
• Keep toys, blankets, and other belongings away from heaters.
• Ask a grown-up before touching cooking equipment.
• Keep pets out of these areas, too.

Family activity: Have a grown-up show you what three feet looks like. Practice spotting the safe place to stand while dinner is cooking.

Stop, Drop & Roll

Use this if your clothes catch fire.

STOP where you are. Do not run.

DROP to the ground and cover your face with your hands.

ROLL back and forth until the flames are out.

Practice together: Use a clear, open floor area with a grown-up. Pretend only, never use real fire.

Remember: stop, drop, and roll is for clothing on fire. When a smoke alarm sounds, follow your escape plan and get outside.

Learn How to Call for Help

Small voices can share important information.

Teach children how to call 911 for an emergency and tell the dispatcher:

• What happened.
• Where help is needed.
• Their name.

Help children learn their home address and how to use the household’s phone.

Practice with a pretend phone. Never call 911 just to practice.

During a fire, get outside first. Stay on the line and follow the dispatcher’s instructions.

Take the Umatilla Family Safety Challenge!

Complete these activities with a grown-up:

☐ Listen to a smoke alarm test.
☐ Draw your home escape plan.
☐ Choose your outdoor meeting place.
☐ Practice getting outside together.
☐ Learn your home address.
☐ Explain what to do if you find matches or a lighter.
☐ Show where to stand safely while someone is cooking.

Celebrate what you learned and keep practicing!

A Note for Parents & Caregivers

Keep conversations calm, clear, and appropriate for your child’s age. Build confidence through repetition and encouragement.

If your child is experimenting with fire, or you find burned materials or unexplained scorch marks, seek help early. Contact Umatilla Fire for guidance on available youth fire safety resources. An immediate fire or danger requires a call to 911.

Questions are welcome. Asking for help is a protective step for your child and our community.

Safe Habits Grow With Your Family

Today’s practice can become tomorrow’s quick, confident decision.

Thank you for helping us teach Umatilla’s youngest residents how to recognize hazards, ask for help, and get outside safely.

Learn together. Practice together. Keep each other safe.