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Sparks Ablaze - Retired Ontario Council Challenge

Sparks Ablaze is a three-week program designed to teach fire safe behaviours to Girl Guides in the Sparks age group (5 – 6 years old).

Sparks need to be made aware that fire is a useful and important force in our world. It gives us heat and light and can be a friend when used properly. However, Sparks also need to recognize that fire can be dangerous and can hurt them if they don’t make safe choices. In partnership with the office of the Ontario Fire Marshall, Girl Guides of Canada – Ontario Council developed three meetings that include a visit to your local fire hall.  This challenge was developed in 2007.  Temporary tatoos that were provided as part of the original challenge launch, are no longer available.

Related Core Program:“In My Community – Additional Activities” section

This challenge is also part of the Emergency Preparedness Challenge for Sparks

Meeting 1

Meeting 2

Meeting 3

Resources

Meeting 1 - Introduction

Opening: Regular Spark Opening

Circle/Discussion Time - 10 minutes

Briefly go over the four safety messages:

1. If your clothes catch fire - Stop, Drop and Roll, Roll over and over for a long time until the flames are out, covering your face and mouth with your hands.
2. Know what to do when the smoke alarm sounds. Smoke alarms detect smoke very early and give us precious seconds needed to escape. Sparks need to recognize the sound of a smoke alarm. Getting out quickly is important because fire moves fast. There is no time to get dressed or collect favourite toys. Never hide from smoke and fire in closets or under beds. Know two ways out of every room, (if possible,) if heat or smoke blocks the doorway then the second way out can be used. Test doors before opening them. Feel the door (not the door handle) and look for smoke coming in around the cracks. If the door is not hot, open it slowly but be prepared to slam it shut if smoke or heat rush in. If the door is hot, use the second exit. If you have to travel through a smoky area, get low and go under the smoke to the nearest exit. Smoke rises leaving cooler, cleaner air close to the floor. Once out of the building, go to your meeting place and never go back into the building. Everyone should practice their family escape plan at home on a regular basis.
3. Hot things can hurt you. Teach Sparks the following: “Look First, Think Twice and Choose Smart” to identify and avoid everyday burn hazards. Matches, lighters, lit candles and hot liquids can cause burns. Hot things include items that are sometimes cold such as irons, stoves and heaters. Be careful when running bath water, have an adult check the temperature. Be cautious when turning on hot tap water and keep a safe distance from people with hot drinks. Be aware of the 3-foot safety zone around the stove. Dangling cords from appliances are a hazard. Stay away from gas fireplaces, wood stoves, barbeques, campfires and lit candles.
4. Tell an adult if you find matches or lighters. Teach the Sparks that matches and lighters are for adult use only. They are dangerous for children. If matches or lighters are found, Danger! Don’t touch! Tell an Adult!

Fire Escape Plan - Hand out the Family Fire Escape Plan to be done at home, OR fill out a Fire Escape Plan (PDF) at the meeting place. (If the family fire escape plan is done at the Spark’s home, it should be returned at the third meeting.)

Depending on the timing you may wish to do some of the songs, games and crafts that are listed below, and a story or two located in the Resource section.

Game - 10-20 Minutes

Blanket Crawl

Heat and smoke rise, so during a fire, the cleaner and cooler air is near the floor. During a fire escape, if they need to go through smoke to get outside, teach them how to get low and escape under the smoke.

Bring in sheets or towels and have the Guiders hold them up at different levels. This is the pretend smoke. Have the Sparks crouch or crawl under the “smoke” to get out safely.

Stop, Drop and Roll

Ask Sparks to come up with situations where their clothes could catch on fire (reaching over a candle, getting too close to a campfire, etc.). Think of ways to avoid each situation they come up with. Explain to the Sparks that if they follow safe procedures, they won’t get into a situation where fiery things can hurt them. By practicing Stop, Drop and Roll, they can be prepared to put flames out quickly. Have each Spark demonstrate the correct procedure.

1. STOP right away where you are. Running is not a safe choice because it will cause the flames to get worse.
2. COVER your face and DROP to the ground at the same time. Covering your face and mouth with your hands will prevent flames from burning your face and smoke from entering your lungs.
3. Now ROLL over and over and back and forth. This may take a while until the flames are out.

Cut out some flames from orange and red felt. Sparks walk around in a circle. The Guider places a felt flame on one of the girls. She must immediately Stop, Drop and Roll, while all other Sparks chant “stop, drop and roll, stop, drop and roll.” The flames will come off as she rolls on the floor. The activity continues until each Spark has had a turn.

Crafts: 15-20 minutes

Origami Dalmatian Puppet                      

• Fold one square of paper diagonally into a triangle.
• With the centre of the triangle facing you, fold the other two points down to form two ears.
• Draw in two eyes and a nose on the tip, and draw spots on ears.
• Glue or tape a popsicle stick onto the back of the paper puppet.
• If desired, you can also glue a firefighter’s hat on the top of dog’s head.
• Use in skits or any activity.
• Dalmatian dogs are famous for their spots, but did you know that Dalmatian puppies are born all white?

Firefighter’s Hat

Download Template (PDF)  Wear it like a visor – it stays secure and fits comfortably. You will need one large sheet of red craft foam and white paper. Enlarge the pattern piece and trace onto the red foam. Or, staple the pattern piece right onto the foam and cut through both layers. The shield on front can be printed on white paper and glued onto front. Glue together as shown in the picture. Note: the inside cutting line may be adjusted to fit the child’s head size by trimming the inside hole a little larger.

Meeting 2 – Fire Station Visit (PDF)

Meeting 3 - Theme – Fire Safety – Follow-up to fire hall visit

RESOURCES 

Songs (for Circle time) - All Songs written by Linda Denton

Firefighters (sung to the tune of “Pop Goes the Weasel”)

Wheels on the Fire Truck (sung to the tune of “Wheels on the Bus”)

• The wheels on the truck go round and round, round and round, round and round.
• The wheels on the truck go round and round, all through the town.
• The siren on the truck goes whoo, whoo, whoo.; whoo, whoo,whoo;,whoo whoo, whoo
• The siren on the truck goes whoo whoo whoo, all through the town
• The ladder on the truck goes up and down, up and down, up and down,
• The ladder on the truck goes up and down, all through the town
• The hose on the truck goes whoosh, whoosh, whoosh; whoosh, whoosh, whoosh; whoosh, whoosh, whoosh
• The hose on the truck goes whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, all through the town

Let the Sparks use their imagination with everything on the truck.

I am a Firefighter (sung to the tune of “I’m a Little Teapot”)

• I am a firefighter, helmet on my head
• I drive a truck that’s painted red
• I use ladders and hoses too
• And help make everything safe for you

Snacks

These snacks can either be prepared ahead of time for the Sparks or be made as part of the meeting, letting the girls assemble the treats themselves. This activity might be a little messy, so putting plastic tablecloths on preparation surfaces is recommended.

Fire Truck Cookies

• 1 whole graham cracker per Spark
• Red icing
• 2 Chocolaty Mint Girl Guide cookies per Spark
• Black string licorice
• Cut off the top right corner of the graham cracker. Spread red icing over the cracker. Position the two cookies on the truck as wheels. Use the black licorice to make a ladder on the truck. (If black licorice is not available, use black icing instead.)

Apple Slice Flames

• Slice red apples for flames.
• Douse the “flames” in pineapple juice and/or use cinnamon