I hate to admit this…but sometimes my kids behave just like me, especially when it comes to some of my more “embarrassing or quirky” behaviors.  You see, I am always tripping, falling, getting startled, screaming, and running around the house in circles when scary movies are on or when I see bugs or lizards. And when our kids exhibit such behaviors, you can find my husband laughing and shaking his head. He’s probably thinking: “They get it from their mama.”

And for the most part, we think it’s funny. But there are certain serious situations where we want our kids to think clearly (and not panic or run in circles.)  And this is why we talk to our kids about how to react when strangers approach, or if someone is trying to bully them, or if they see wild animals loose in the neighborhood or if there is a Zombie invasion (ok, yes we watch too much Sci-Fi.) But up until recently, I’ve never talked to them about what to do if there was a fire in our home.

Over the next few weeks, I am partnering with Nationwide to spread the word about their Make Safe Happen (MSH) program to help raise awareness about home fires and to provide families with the information they’ll need if they’re ever faced with a home fire.

Saturday, October 14, 2017 is Home Fire Drill Day, a day when families across the country are encouraged to practice home fire drills, ensuring that the American family, especially the kids, know what their escape plan is and are prepared in the event of a home fire. And since my kids and I are somewhat excitable (yes..that’s a nice way of putting it), we need to know our escape plan like the back of our hands.

What I found out is that I am not the only parent that has never discussed home fire drills with the kids.  In fact, a Nationwide Make Safe Happen survey of more than 1,000 parents found that less than half the parents (that were surveyed) created a fire escape plan with their children.  But given that home fires are one of the biggest threats facing American families today, home fire drills should be discussed and practiced by every family in America.

I live by the motto: “when you know better you do better.”  And thanks to Nationwide and their partners (Nationwide Children’s Hospital, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and the American Red Cross (ARC)) I now have so many great resources to conduct home fire drills at home with my kids.  On the site, HomeFireDrillDay.com, you’ll find:

• Fire escape plan tool for families
• Smoke alarm checklist
• How-to steps for practicing your Home Fire Drill
• Home Fire Drill Games
• The Make Safe Happen APP that has fire safety tips and a stopwatch designed just for home fire drills.

I found out that many Americans (62 percent) incorrectly think they have five minutes or more to escape (American Red Cross), when in fact, a family has less than two minutes to get out safely. This means that my kids and I have no time for hysterics and running in circles.  We are going to practice home fire drills so my kids are familiar with the sound of the smoke alarm and they already know what to do if it should sound off in our home.

PLEDGE & PLAY

Let’s face it, although home fires are a very serious topic, practicing home fire drills can be a lot of fun and can help to save your kids’ lives. Checkout how much fun this father is having practicing with his kids in the video below.  I might be quirky, but my husband is seriously competitive and I know he is going to turn this into a competition.

https://youtu.be/hI8kUkRDrw0

Make a pledge to practice your home fire drill twice a year and get your friends to do the same. Help us spread the word about Fire Drill Games on social media.

I pledge to play Fire Drill Games with my kids on Oct 14. Learn how your family can play too #HomeFireDrillDay https://homefiredrillday.com Click to Tweet

BMWK Family – Let us know in the comments below if you already practice home fire drills with your family or if you plan to start practicing them.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored conversation written on behalf of Nationwide Insurance. The opinions and text are all mine.