Fire Safety Canvassing
About
The Red Cross responds to more home fires than any other type of disaster, helping the victims of over 170 fires a day. Did you know that if a fire starts in your home, you may have as little as two minutes to escape?ÌýÌýFire Safety Canvassing is an activity in which volunteers will organize activities to spread the message of fire safety to keep people safe.Ìý
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Purpose
Educating others about fire safety can help prevent fires and keep people safe, so bring your device and get ready to learn about fire safety and preparedness!
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How to Get StartedÌý
Step 1: Set Clear Goals and Objectives
Define your desired outcomes for the activity and create measurable goals and objectives to guide the planning process. We encourage you to integrate Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) considerations into your activity and be creative with your approaches.Ìý
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Step 2: Plan the Details
Develop activity ideas. Here are some to get you started:
Ìý Ìý• Present the importance of having a home fire escape plan, guide the participant to create their home fire escape plans, and encourage them to practice their 2-minute drills.
Ìý Ìý•ÌýBuild presentations in teams about ways to prevent and prepare for a home fire, what to do if a fire starts, and/or how to recover after a home fire. Then, present your findings and learnings during a Club meeting.
Ìý Ìý•ÌýBuild emergency preparedness kits that you can use at home or take with you if you must evacuate.
Ìý Ìý•ÌýCreate your emergency plan, so your family will know what to do in a crisis.
Ìý Ìý•ÌýInvite a guest speaker, such as a local Red Cross unit representative/volunteer or firefighter.
Ìý Ìý•ÌýCreate a trivia game about fire safety using Kahoot.Ìý
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More resources to help you with the planning process:Ìý
Ìý Ìý•ÌýTop Tips for Fire SafetyÌý
Ìý Ìý• Fire Safety for Kids
Ìý Ìý• Pet Fire Safety
Ìý Ìý•ÌýHow to Test and Install a Smoke Alarm
Ìý Ìý•ÌýJoin the Home Fire CampaignÌý
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Step 3: Coordinate the Logistics
Set a date and time
Ìý Ìý•ÌýThis activity requires about an hour.
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Secure a venue
Ìý Ìý•ÌýFind a location in your school or a public place with more foot traffic, such as a mall or a park.
Ìý Ìý•ÌýIf you plan to host this activity virtually, select a platform (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams) accessible to the participants.Ìý
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Assign roles and responsibilities
Ìý Ìý•ÌýThis activity requires volunteer facilitators.
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Gather supplies
Ìý Ìý•ÌýCreate a list of needed supplies and plan to acquire them in advance.Ìý
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Spread the Word
Ìý Ìý•ÌýAdvertise the activity through various channels such as social media, email, and school announcements.
Ìý Ìý•ÌýSend a reminder with important details prior to the activity.Ìý
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Step 4: Facilitate the Activity
Ìý Ìý•ÌýRun through Step 2 and Step 3 in advance and engage the participants throughout the activity.
Ìý Ìý•ÌýArrive early to set up for the activity.ÌýLog in early and from a location with a solid and stable Wi-Fi connection if this will be a virtual activity.
Ìý Ìý•ÌýEncourage participants to keep their cameras on and mute themselves during the activity.
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Step 5: Debrief and Thank Your Volunteers
Ìý Ìý•ÌýInvite participants to discuss their experiences and capture lessons learned.
Ìý Ìý•ÌýThank everyone who contributed and participated.
Ìý Ìý•ÌýRemind volunteers to record their hours through Volunteer Connection.Ìý