Gracie's Guide to Fire Safety by Headline Books / Zoom Into Books

Fire Safety becomes important to Gracie and her friends after a trip with fireman to a test house to learn how to react when there is a fire! They thought they knew the rules, but were surprised by their reactions to fire danger. Gracie’s Guides -- an award-winning series that helps kids understand and know how to cope with difficult situations. The series has been endorsed by SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) and is used by Police Departments in their summer programs for kids.

About the Author

Award winning author, Angie Wilson, is a veteran elementary school reading teacher. She is the creator of two children's book series, Appalachian Heritage Books and Gracie's Mysteries Series. Her books have received a London Book Festival Award, Readers' Favorite Award, Hollywood Book Festival Award, Indie Book Award for Best Series, Creative Child Magazine’s Preferred Choice Award, and three Mom's Choice Awards. She is very active in the Headline Kids School Show Program and visits classrooms throughout the year. She can often be found traveling with her husband, Derek, a church consultant minister. For more information visit www.AuthorAngieWilson.com

to Fire Safety

About the Illustrator

Award-winning author and illustrator Ashley Teets is a 2012 summa cum laude graduate of AldersonBroaddus College where she earned a B.F.A focusing on visual art with a minor in creative writing. After completing two semesters of graduate work at West Virginia University Ashley continued her graduate study through the Simmons College satellite graduate program at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, Massachusetts. She holds a Masters in Arts Administration through the University of Kentucky. Ashley is also a portrait artist, muralist and art instructor. For more information visit www.AshleyTeetsIllustration.com ISBN 13: 9781951556143 $6.95 CAD 9.42

Headline Kids is an imprint of Headline Books 2018 Independent Publisher of the Year

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Gracie’s Guide to

Fire Safety Fire Safety

Angie Wilson Illustrated by Ashley Teets Headline Kids an imprint of Headline Books, Inc Terra Alta, WV

Gracie’s Guide to Fire Safety

by Angie Wilson illustrated by Ashley Teets copyright ©2020Angie Wilson All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any other form or for any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage system, without written permission from Headline Books. To order additional copies of this book, for book publishing information, or to contact the author: Headline Books, Inc. P.O. Box 52, Terra Alta, WV 26764 www.HeadlineBooks.com Tel: 304-789-3001 Email: mybook@headlinebooks.com Headline Kids is an imprint of Headline Books www.AuthorAngieWilson.com ISBN-13: 9781951556143

P R I N T E D I N T H E U N I T E D S TAT E S O F A M E R I C A

Dedication This book is dedicated to the Princeton Fire Department and all the brave men and women who keep us safe.

“Don’t forget our field trip to the fire station tomorrow,” Gracie’s teacher, Ms. T., yelled as the class left for the day. The kids in the fifth-grade class were not excited about this trip because they had visited the fire station every year since preschool. They thought they knew all the fire safety rules so it wasn’t a big deal. The next morning, however, when the class was divided into two groups for the trip, they didn’t know what to expect. Gracie’s group met with Megan and Emma’s dad, the fire chief in town. He began to explain to them some important fire safety rules. The students repeated the rules as he held up a big poster of each rule: Stop, Drop, Roll- it’s what you do if your clothes are on fire. Get out and stay out- never go back inside a burning house for anything. Have an escape plan and practice it- everyone needs to know how to get out of your home if it’s on fire. Have a meeting place outside your home- make sure all family members know where to gather and wait on the fire department. Don’t play with lighters or matches- these should be put away by an adult and if you see them lying around, tell an adult, and never leave a candle burning unattended. Have an adult check smoke alarms- check the batteries and make sure they are working. Do not cook without adult supervision- children and teenagers should not cook without an adult. 5

The Chief talked to the students about what they needed to do to be safe. The students felt confident they knew all these rules by heart. “This is Kindergarten stuff,” one of the boys in the room stated as he rolled his eyes. “We already know all of this!” Ms. T. lined them up and they loaded the bus for the trip, but they were confused when they drove past the fire station. Within a few minutes they arrived at a little house on wheels which looked like one of those cool little tiny houses Gracie had seen on TV. It had several windows across the front and a little porch on one side. The students were curious as to why they were going to a tiny house instead of the fire station.

There were several firemen awaiting them and directed the students inside the house. They learned that the house was called a fire safety trailer. It was a special house that was built to teach people how to be safe if they were in a house that was on fire. The firemen informed the students that the trailer

was designed to make you think there was a real fire inside, and it allowed the students the opportunity to practice the fire safety rules they had learned. The students thought this was the coolest thing ever, and they had no doubt that they knew all the rules and would pass this little test with ease. They were divided up and placed inside the different rooms.

Gracie, Megan and Emma were in the kitchen when the test began. There was a stove that had a fake fire in the oven. The three girls screamed when real smoke emerged from the stove. Emma opened the oven door and the fake fire quickly spread to the stovetop and even more smoke filled the room. The smoke detector went off, and the girls began to yell for help. They remembered they had to do the proper steps to get out, just like it was a real fire. Megan picked up the fire extinguisher as Gracie and Emma looked for a way of escape. The room was actually heating up and the girls felt like they were in a real fire. The door was not opening for them, so they went to the window. Megan examined the fire extinguisher but didn’t know how to operate it. Finally, they all escaped. Their hearts were pounding as they ran to Ms. T.

The groups of students escaped with a look of total panic. They gathered around Ms. T., out of breath from the excitement, some of the kids even hugged each other and their teacher. They watched smoke roll from the windows and doors of the trailer. They were glad no one was left inside. Ms. T. informed them they would go the fire station and talk about their experience. The Chief started his talk by telling the students he was proud of them for making it out of the trailer. “We didn’t have to rescue anyone inside,” he said. He continued to tell them that some students made good choices and some not-so-good choices during the fire drill. He turned on a large TV in the station and to their surprise the whole experience in the fire escape trailer had been recorded. “We are going to watch each group and talk about what they did right or wrong,” he continued. The first group they watched was the group of boys who were trapped in the bedroom. When they saw the fake fire and smoke coming from underneath the bed, two of them fell to the floor and rolled around. The Chief asked them why they did that. “You taught us to ‘Stop, Drop, and Roll!’,” one of the boys stated loudly. “That rule is only to be used if your clothes are on fire,” the Chief replied. “Every second is important during a fire. Sometimes mistakes like that may cost you your life.” There was total silence in the room.

“This morning when I reviewed the fire safety rules, some of you were whispering to your friends and not paying attention. You probably thought you knew all these rules, so you didn’t listen that closely. What we teach saves lives,” the Chief said. Their attention was turned back on the video where another student touched the door and saw that it was hot, so he ran to the window. There was a fire escape ladder rolled up beside the window, so he opened the window and attached the ladder and unrolled it. Thankfully, they managed to climb out the window to safety.

They watched the second video of the students who were in the kitchen. There was an oven fire. Gracie, Megan, and Emma were in this video. The Chief explained that they shouldn’t have opened the oven door, this caused the fire to spread more quickly. Megan did the right thing when she grabbed the fire extinguisher but unfortunately, she didn’t know how to use it. When the girls realized the door was jammed, they escaped through the window which was the correct way to get out. He also demonstrated to them that if there would have been a grease fire in a pot on the stove, they shouldn’t throw water on it or try and carry it outside, but put a lid on the pot and get help from an adult.

The students in the living room realized there were many safety issues in that room. The room was set up like it was Christmastime. There were candles all around, a fireplace with a fake fire, and a Christmas tree. There were multiple extension cords for the strands of lights that were on the tree and across the fireplace mantle. The fire started from a candle. The students understood that the room was full of potential fire hazards, but they were surprised when they saw a little fake dog. When they exited the room, the dog began to whimper and bark. One student turned around, hesitated, and then stepped back inside to rescue the dog, but his friends saw him and yelled to him to run to safety instead. “You never go back inside a burning house,” the Chief told them, “Remember the rule, ‘Get out and stay out! I know we all love our pets, but we never re-enter a burning house for anything.” The students were amazed at what they learned. The Chief asked if they had any questions or comments. Gracie was the first to raise her hand. She said, “We thought we knew everything there is to know about fire safety, but today proved that when it really happens, you have to think fast. Thanks for today. We learned a lot.” All the students agreed that the fire safety trailer was the best day of learning about fire safety they had ever experienced. When the Chief was finished, Ms. T. thanked him for such a wonderful day of learning for the students. “Instead of the firefighters just coming to our classroom, they brought the classroom to us. You were given the opportunity to learn how to put the fire safety rules to the test. Some of you passed the test and did everything you should have done to get out, but some of you made some mistakes that could’ve cost you your lives.”

It was Friday, and Gracie, Megan, and Emma were excited about a sleepover at Stella’s house. Stella was their friend from church. She attended a different school, so they waited for her at Gracie’s apartment. The girls were planning a night of movies, popcorn, and pizza—with lots of makeovers, whispers and giggles. Gracie stuffed her overnight bag with her new nail polish kit that included lots of stamps and glittery polish so they could have the most glamorous nails in town. She also stopped by the pantry to add loads of goodies to last them through the night. It was going to be the best night ever! The next few hours were filled with all they planned. Stella turned her bedroom into a spa, complete with soft music and three scented candles that made the room smell like “Winter Wonderland” (which actually smelled like cinnamon toast- Gracie’s fave!). The girls pulled their bathrobes over clothes which made them feel even more spa-like. It was just like they had seen on TV, pampering to the max! The girls took turns giving pedicures and manicures. They were having the best time until Beth, Stella’s mom, yelled for them to help her in the yard for a bit. Stella argued the girls couldn’t do any yardwork with their nails looking so pretty, but it didn’t matter, they had to help her before it got dark. Beth had a beautiful flower garden in their front yard. She needed the girls to help pull weeds as she spread the last bag of mulch. 15

“It is supposed to rain before midnight tonight and not stop until tomorrow night,” Beth said, “I have to get all of this finished before the rain starts.” The girls grumbled and complained as they took their robes off and threw them on the bed and headed outside. They left with such an attitude that no one noticed Emma’s robe that missed the bed and landed on the nightstand with part the sleeve landing over the top of the glass candle holder. They were more focused on their nails than on the three candles they left burning as they stormed outside and began to help.

It didn’t take long for the robe to catch on fire and smoke filled the room. The girls worked and even began to have fun as Beth joked with them and made it seem more like a game than a chore. It wasn’t until Stella became thirsty and ran inside for a drink that anyone noticed the fire. She ran back outside, screaming and in a panic. When her mom realized what was happening, she quickly called 9-1-1 and ran to the curb to await the firetrucks. Stella was going to run back inside for her pet, but Gracie stopped her and held onto her as they fell to the ground. Beth yelled for the girls to come and stand with her. They were all so relieved when they heard the firetrucks coming. The firefighters worked hard to get everything controlled. Stella jumped up and down when Ms. D, a firefighter, came out of the house with her puppy. She also told the girls that the fire was out.

Stella held onto her puppy as the girls all embraced in a big hug. The Chief came to Beth and reported that thankfully there was only minor damage to the home. He told them the fire started from a candle in a bedroom. Gracie, Megan and Emma looked at each other as they realized how quickly they had forgotten the important fire safety rules they had learned that day. They all knew better than to leave a candle burning, but their minds were centered on their fancy nails more than anything else. The girls began to cry when they realized the fire was their fault. Beth hugged them and assured them she was just happy no one was injured. She was thankful that everyone was safe and that the damage was minimal.

The girls returned to school the following Monday and shared with their class their experience over the weekend. Ms. T. was shocked as the girls talked and took this moment to once again review the fire safety rules. The students learned that sometimes little mistakes become big mistakes. Gracie and her friends realized that everyone learned a valuable lesson from their mistake. They were challenged that day to be more cautious. Their entire class learned a lesson they would never forget.

Crossword Puzzle 1

4 5 6 7

Across 4 What were Gracie and her friends challenged after the fire at Stella’s to be ? 6 What did Megan pick up and try to use in the fire safety trailer? (two words) 7 Who had a sleepover for the girls?

Down 1 Where did the students go to first on their field trip? (three words) 2 What is the safety rule to follow if your clothes are on fire? (three words) 3 Children and teenagers should not cook without this. (two words) 5 What did Emma’s robe land on when she rushed outside to help Stella’s mom?

Word Scramble 1. REFI ONTSATI ________________________________________ 2. RNAFMIE ________________________________________ 3. KMOES ________________________________________ 4. EOSMK TODTCEER ________________________________________ 5. IFRE SETGNIERHXUI ________________________________________ 6. EDLANC ________________________________________ 7. EXEOTSNNI ORDC ________________________________________ 8. SVPEEOELR ________________________________________ 9. IGGSLEG ________________________________________ 10. UOCITUSA ________________________________________ 11. SPA ________________________________________ 12. PERUICED ________________________________________ 13. INMCAUER ________________________________________ 14. DGAERN ________________________________________ 15. CMULH ________________________________________ Word Bank smoke pedicure fire station garden manicure

cautious candle fire extinguisher smoke detector giggles

spa sleepover extension cord fireman mulch

Fire Safety Rules Matching Puzzle

1. What are you to do if your clothes are on fire?

A. Adults must help kids cook

2. What is the rule for not going back into a burning house?

B. Escape plan

3. What does every family need to plan and practice at home in case of a fire?

C. Stop, Drop, and Roll

4. What is the name of the gathering place for families outside of the home in case of a fire?

D. Meeting Place

5. What is the rule for children regarding cooking?

E. Get Out and Stay Out

6. What is the rule about children starting or playing around with fire?

F. Don’t play with lighters

Help the firetruck get to the fire!

Word Search

manicure fire hazards firemen get out and stay out 24

pedicure candle smoke alarm stop drop roll

spa rescue meeting place fire safety

sleepover fire extinguisher escape plan

Talk to your parents and plan a meeting place for your family. Draw a picture of the meeting place

Draw a map of your house and use a marker to draw your escape plan from your bedroom. (use both pages!)

Fire Drills: Not Just for School! Fire drills are a big part of being safe in school: They prepare you for what you need to do in case of a fire. But what if there was a fire where you live? Would you know what to do? Talking about fires can be scary because no one likes to think about people getting hurt or their things getting burned. But you can feel less worried if you are prepared.

Home Fire Drills It’s great to talk about emergency plans, but it’s even better if you practice them, like the fire drills you have at school. A good rule of thumb during a home fire drill is to see if your family can safely get out the house using the escape routes and meet outside at the same place within 3 minutes.

Know Your Way Out An escape plan can help every member of a family get out of a burning house. The idea is to get outside quickly and safely. Smoke from a fire can make it hard to see where things are, so it’s important to learn and remember the different ways out of your home. How many exits are there? How do you get to them from your room? It’s a good idea to have your family draw a map of the escape plan.

Safety Steps If you’re in a room with the door closed when the fire breaks out, you need to take a few extra steps: •

Check to see if there’s heat or smoke coming in the cracks

around the door. (You’re checking to see if there’s fire on the other side.) •

If you see smoke coming under the door — don’t open the

door! •

If you don’t see smoke — touch the door. If the door is hot or

very warm — don’t open the door! •

If you don’t see smoke — and the door is not hot — then use

your fingers to lightly touch the doorknob. If the doorknob is hot or very warm — don’t open the door! If the doorknob feels cool, and you can’t see any smoke around the door, open the door very carefully and slowly. When you open the door, if you feel a burst of heat or smoke pours into the room, quickly shut the door and make sure it is really closed. If there’s no smoke or heat when you open the door, go toward your escape route exit.

Stay Low If you can see smoke in the house, stay low to the ground as you make your way to the exit. In a fire, smoke and poisonous air hurt more people than the actual flames do. You’ll breathe less smoke if you stay close to the ground. Smoke naturally rises, so if there is smoke while you’re using your escape route, staying low means you can crawl under most of it. You can drop to the floor and crawl on your hands and knees below the smoke.

Know How to Get Out of the House Getting out through a door that leads outside should be your first choice as an escape route. But also ask your parents about windows and if they would be possible ways to get out. Even windows on a higher floor could be safe escape routes if you had help, like from a firefighter or another adult. Ask your parents to teach you how to unlock the windows, open them, and remove the screen, if needed. Make sure you only do this in an emergency! Lots of kids are injured because they fall out of windows.

What if You Can’t Get Out Right Away? If you can’t get out fast, because fire or smoke is blocking an escape route, you’ll want to yell for help. You can do this from an open window or call 911 if you have a phone with you. Even if you’re scared, never hide under the bed or in a closet. Then, firefighters will have a hard time finding you. Know that firefighters or other adults will be looking for you to help you out safely. The sooner they find you, the sooner you both can get out.

If Your Clothes Catch Fire A person’s clothes could catch fire during a fire or by accident, like if you step too close to a candle. If this happens, don’t run! Instead, stop, drop to the ground, cover your face with your hands, and roll. This will cut off the air and put out the flames. An easy way to remember this is: Stop, Drop, and Roll!

Preventing Fires Every year, kids of all ages start over 35,000 fires that hurt people and damage property. You can do your part to prevent fires by never playing with matches, lighters, and other fire sources. Also stay away from fireplaces, candles, and stoves. By following this advice, you’ll be doing important work — preventing fires in the first place!

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