Note: Safety of children must be the top priority when conducting tours of fire stations, apparatus and equipment. Reference Child Safety Guidelines for prevention measures.

Item	Description	Fire Safety Reminder
General Tips	ü Keep descriptions simple. ü Try to use words & terms kids understand and give examples/comparisons of things in their lives. ü Be ready to move quick and change to another subject to hold interest. ü Throughout the tour, try to ask questions. (i.e. what do you think this is for?) This will hold their interest & attention.	ü When possible try to slip in a review of fire prevention or emergency preparedness education.
SCBA	ü Firefighters take good clean air with them to breathe in smoke. ü Air in the bottle on the backpack. Compare to back packs kids might have for school to carry lunch & things. ü Air through hose to mask. ü Mention the air pack each time you get to one (i.e. jump seat, cab, cabinet etc.) Mention how important SCBA is because of smoke. ü Jump seat. Mention how firefighter can don while seated on way to fire.	ü Firefighters have air masks to breathe in smoke. Ask children how they can breath. ü "Stay Low & Go!" ü "Don't hide! Go Outside!" ü Smoke detector reminders (every room, batteries & tests) ü Escape plan & practice. (crawl, 2 ways out, use door, meeting place, 911) ü Mask might look scary & air may be noisy. Don't be afraid. ü Don't hide go to the firefighter with mask.
Tools	ü Used to open walls & ceilings to get to hidden fire. ü Open doors or windows that are locked. ü	ü Discuss that 911 should be called if smell of smoke or small fire. Let the firefighters find and fight fire.
Ladders	ü Used to rescue people ü For going in windows. ü For getting to roof to cut hole to let smoke & fire out.	ü Best way to get out is to crawl low and go out a door, not a window. ü Need to have an escape plan developed and practiced with an adult.
Cab	ü Point our radios for communication, switches, etc. ü Preplan books with floor plans, etc.	ü Point out seat belts that firefighters use & that they & their parents should too. ü Compare FD documented preplans with escape preplans.
Hose	ü Hard suction is like a big drinking straw for a fire truck. ü Compare hose & nozzle to garden hose. ü Hose is flat when not full with water so it can be folded and out in the "box" on the truck. Compare with folding clothes to put is closet or drawer.
Pump/Tank	ü Compare 500 gal. tank to 1/2 gal. or gal. milk containers. ü Water moves so fast, it could fill a bathtub in 3 seconds. ü Pump is machine that pushes water through hose to fire.
Lights		ü Mention safety while apparatus is responding. Do not run to street, etc.
Salvage Covers	A blanket to protect toys, floor & things, like when mom or dad paint the house.	ü Don't take toys or things with you. Get out and stay out! ü Things that firefighters can't save or protect can be replaced. ü Animals usually stay low & escape themselves. (DO NOT say that animals hide and are later found OK)