Just in time for Fire Prevention Week and national focus on fire safety during October, the American Red Cross has developed and released:  Masters of Disaster : Fire Prevention and Safety -- A curriculum of lesson plans and activities for children in Grades K-8 (ages 5 - 13) that will help them and their families feel safe and
prepared for a fire.

These curriculum materials were developed through a "Special Fire Prevention Grant" provided by the United States Fire Administration  (USFA). The American Red Cross is deeply appreciative to the  USFA for making funds available. One of the important goals of  these grants is to help reduce the injuries and fatalities incurred by children due to residential fire -- and these materials specifically address that goal. 

These materials are available now, for free downloading, from the
Red Cross web site at:  <http://www.redcross.org/disaster/masters/>http://www.redcross.org/disaster/masters/ -- click on the icon for "Masters of Disaster -- Fire Prevention and Safety" at the bottom of this screen. 

Like the "Masters of Disaster: materials on natural hazards" available since June, 2000, "Masters of Disaster-- Fire Prevention and Safety" are standards-based, non-sequential, lessons and activities that anyone who works with children can use. They are
divided into three groups -- for children in Grades K - 2, Grades 3 - 5, and Grades 6 - 8. 

The lessons have been aligned with national standards of learning in science, mathematics, social studies, language arts, and health. Classroom educators who are concerned about being able to meet school district requirements for achievement of standards of
learning will find these materials a helpful addition to the classroom to achieve that result -- and not something else to "add to" an already overburdened schedule of activities. 

But anyone who works with children -- scout leaders, Americorps/VISTA workers, after-school program leaders, to name a few -- will find these lessons and activities fun, easy to use, and
provide a hands-on way for children to learn about fire and safety. 

Educators, teachers, and leaders will find these materials easy to use -- they are not sequential and not time-oriented, so they may be used however the user wishes -- from just one activity in one lesson, to several lessons spanning days or weeks, depending on
the standards to be met, time available, and interests of the educator, students, and families. Or, if a child in a group suffers a home fire or knows someone who has, sensitive lessons in these materials may be used to help ease the confusion, anger, and
emotions of everyone affected. 

Each section of the curriculum has these features:

* Background for the teacher -- explanatory information about fire and fire safety 

* National Curriculum Standards Charts -- a matrix explaining whatlessons align with what curriculum standards

* Lessons
-- Facts About Fire and Fire Prevention
--The science of fire and ways to prevent harmful fires
-- Fire Preparedness Rules and tools to use to be prepared in case of a fire
-- If a Fire Occurs Fire behavior and what to do during and after a fire

* Activities Each lesson has one or more activities so children can learn by gathering information, applying knowledge, and conducting or observing directed experiments to facilitate learning 

* Glossary -- terms explained in a simplified manner

The lessons and activities are designed for age-appropriateness, and encourage natural curiosity to result in good learning, without heightening fear. Many lessons have activities that can be applied at home, including useful "fire safety checklists" for every room in
the home. The materials were field tested by professional educators in more than a dozen schools in urban, suburban, and rural areas of the United States, and refined based on results of these field tests prior to final publication. 

"Masters of Disaster: Fire Prevention and Safety" is available now for free downloading from the Internet at:  <http://www.redcross.org/di> http://www.redcross.org/disaster/masters/ (click on the icon for "Masters of Disaster -- Fire Prevention and Safety" at the bottom of this screen.) They will also be available later in printed form through any local American Red
Cross chapter. For more information on these and related "Masters of Disaster" materials, please see the web site.