"Get Out - Stay Out"

"Get Out - Stay Out"
This scenario card lesson plan is designed to teach early elementary school children about fire escape planning and practice in the school setting and the importance of escape planning for children with disabilities.
Each scenario includes a different disability and provides an opportunity for school children to discuss how to assist others or be assisted in escaping. The scenarios are pictorial and can be used in a variety of activities including role playing, sequencing, and story starters.
Materials
• Sequence cards (set of 5 – laminated, if possible). Place each set of cards in a manila envelope
Objectives
• Students will be able to state why it is important to have and practice a fire escape plan for persons of all ages and abilities.
• Students will be able to identify the sound of the fire alarm or the visual alert from a strobe alarm, at least two ways out of the classroom and the outside meeting place at school.
• Students will be able to describe at least one way they could help someone with disabilities get out of the school when the fire alarm sounds or flashes.
Procedure
1. Write the word “Plan” on a chalkboard or whiteboard.
2. Ask students “what is a plan?” (A plan is like a road map. It tells you where to go and gives you ways to get to where you want to go.)
3. Explain that it is important to have a plan for how to get out of every room in the school.
4. Ask who knows what a fire alarm sounds like? Some fire alarms don’t make a sound. Instead, these alarms flash so that persons who are not able to hear are still able to know there is an emergency and that they need to respond. Have students demonstrate the sound of a fire alarm. Also demonstrate the flash of a strobe light. What does it mean? (There is a fire or an emergency – get out)
5. Review how you would get out of your classroom and other areas of the school such as the cafeteria, library or bathroom, or down the stairs. Talk about how a child in a wheelchair would be able to be transferred to a rescue mat or rescue chair for a safe evacuation down the stairs. Talk about how important it is for the students to wear or carry their medical passports (medical records on a flash drive) during an emergency evacuation. Identify two ways out of every room in case of an emergency. Doors should be closed after everyone has left the room. Practice the escape plan from start to finish at your outside meeting place. Practice alternative escape routes in case the primary exit is blocked.
6. Ask why is it important to have an outside meeting place. (So that you know that everyone is safe) Return to the classroom.
7. If someone could not hear the fire alarm, how could we help the person if the fire alarm sounds? (Use sign language or point to the alarm to tell them that we need to get out and then be a buddy to help them get out) . Another course of action would be to have strobe alarms installed at your school so that children who have a hearing disability also would be alerted.

If you are with someone in a wheelchair and the alarm sounds or flashes, how could you help the person? (Remember to always ask the person in the wheelchair if he or she needs help being pushed before doing so. If a teacher, teacher’s aid or personal care assistant already is pushing a person in a wheelchair, ask if you can be of help to make certain they get to the meeting place. You may be able to hold a door open so the wheelchair can get through.)

If someone can’t see and the alarm sounds, how could we help the person? (Have the person hold your elbow and guide the person out of the classroom. Tell the person where you are going and what is ahead so they understand what you are doing.)

If someone has broken their leg and is using crutches and the fire alarm sounds, how could we help the person? (Help the person pick up their crutches, hold a door open for the person.)

If someone is not feeling well and the fire alarm sounds, how could we help the person? (Hold the person’s hand and help him or her leave the classroom. The teacher or school nurse will be bringing medicines and medical equipment that children need once they get to the meeting place.)
8. It’s important to know that sometimes we might need help to get out. Sometimes it’s the teacher who will help. Students can help, too – holding doors, being a good buddy, and being friendly. Who else could be a helper at school? (school nurse, janitor, principal, guidance counselor, librarian, bus driver, etc.)
9. Use the sequence cards to review how students and grown-ups can help each other during a fire drill.
10. Use the sequence cards as visuals as students recite the following poem:

If the fire alarm sounds or flashes, I know what to do.
I can be a helper or you can help me, too.
I know the plan. It’s easy as can be.
If the alarm sounds or flashes, I’ll get out quickly!
11. Plan for any students who may need assistance escaping during a fire or emergency.
12. Teachers, teacher aides, and personal care assistants (PCAs) should hold primary responsibility for helping children who need assistance escaping. However, students, school nurse, janitor, etc. can be helpers, signing instructions to other children, holding doors, leading students out of the classroom, etc.
13. Have students act out each scenario. Allow students to work in a learning center to put the sequence cards in the correct order.
Extensions
Provide each student with a set of sequence cards. Have students cut out the cards and paste them in order on a piece of paper. Older students can write the numerals 1 through 4 to designate the correct sequence.
Using the sequence cards as prompts, have students create a story to go with the cards. This can be done as a activity with the teacher recording sentences on newsprint or students can act out each story or write their own stories in a journal.
Have students identify the beginning, middle, and end of the sequence of events for each set of cards.
Background information for teachers
Every student with a disability needs a personal school emergency evacuation plan. The plan should be part of the Individual Educational Program (IEP) to provide for the safety of the child during a building emergency, including an evacuation. The IEP will specify recommendations from a child’s physician or other medical staff on considerations or special needs that must be planned for during a child’s emergency evacuation. NFPA’s personal school emergency evacuation document provides an overview and checklist to address the specific needs of a child during emergency evacuations.
Some evacuation plans will require safety products to assist in the transfer of children with disabilities down stairs such as transfer slings, rescue chairs or mats. Make certain IEP teams are aware of the Safe Escape Program as a resource for making recommendations for evacuation products and education for school staff and families. See www.escapesafe.org or call +1 888 365-2022 for more information.
A portable health file for each child is important. This file should be with the child so that emergency responders can have access to the information.
Once the child has evacuated to the outside meeting place, if the child needs immediate medical attention, first responders on the scene need to be made aware immediately of the child’s needs.










"Get Out - Stay Out"