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? Fire Safety Canvassing is an activity in which volunteers will organize activities to spread the message of fire safety to keep people safe.
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!
How to Get Started
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.
Step 2: Plan the Details
Develop activity ideas. Here are some to get you started:
• 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.
• Build 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.
• Build emergency preparedness kits that you can use at home or take with you if you must evacuate.
• Create your emergency plan, so your family will know what to do in a crisis.
• Invite a guest speaker, such as a local Red Cross unit representative/volunteer or firefighter.
• Create a trivia game about fire safety using Kahoot.
More resources to help you with the planning process:
• How to Test and Install a Smoke Alarm
Step 3: Coordinate the Logistics
Set a date and time
• This activity requires about an hour.
Secure a venue
• Find a location in your school or a public place with more foot traffic, such as a mall or a park.
• If you plan to host this activity virtually, select a platform (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams) accessible to the participants.
Assign roles and responsibilities
• This activity requires volunteer facilitators.
Gather supplies
• Create a list of needed supplies and plan to acquire them in advance.
Spread the Word
• Advertise the activity through various channels such as social media, email, and school announcements.
• Send a reminder with important details prior to the activity.
Step 4: Facilitate the Activity
• Run through Step 2 and Step 3 in advance and engage the participants throughout the activity.
• Arrive early to set up for the activity. Log in early and from a location with a solid and stable Wi-Fi connection if this will be a virtual activity.
• Encourage participants to keep their cameras on and mute themselves during the activity.
Step 5: Debrief and Thank Your Volunteers
• Invite participants to discuss their experiences and capture lessons learned.
• Thank everyone who contributed and participated.
• Remind volunteers to record their hours through Volunteer Connection.