Preschool fire safety lessons put to the test during Summerland evacuation

Fire safety lessons taught at Learning Cove Preschool in Summerland helped young students remain calm during a recent town evacuation prompted by the Bald Range Fire. The preschool, which had previously incorporated fire safety into its curriculum and hosted firefighter visits, found its teachings invaluable when the wildfire threatened the community.

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When you walk around, you realize you’re in a tinderbox. Everything is dry. You can feel the dryness of the earth when you walk your dogs. I think it’s important that we are very visual and aware of our surroundings.

Owner and operator Kerstin Scullard highlighted the critical need for fire safety education in the Okanagan, describing the region as a "tinderbox" due to its dry environment. She stressed the importance of making fire safety education visual and engaging for children without instilling fear. The preschool's curriculum includes lessons on how fires start, what they need to burn, and crucial safety practices, alongside evacuation drills.

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It’s all about how you say it and present it.

For one family, these lessons proved vital. Farzana Mayer described feeling frantic and scared during the evacuation, but her children, thanks to the preschool's preparation, remained calm. Mayer found the experience reinforced the value of discussing emergencies with children from a young age to prevent panic.

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I was pretty frantic. It was very scary, but when we woke the kids up during the fire, they were calm and prepared.

Child development expert Negar Khodarahmi acknowledged that preparation can mitigate anxiety, but cautioned that evacuations can still be traumatic for young children. She advised parents to be observant for signs of increased anxiety, such as bedwetting, sleep disturbances, anger, or aggression. Learning Cove Preschool plans to continue these lessons as children return to the center.

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Being realistic with your children from a young age prevents panic when it matters, and that’s exactly how it unfolded for our family.