As O&Ms (Orientation and Mobility instructors) take our students around in school buildings and out in the community, our students encounter the pull stations that are in the different areas in the building. Often, they nearly pull them by accident in their travels.
I decided this was an area that needed further exploration. I contacted the local fire marshall who put me in touch with the school district’s maintenance department. I then was able to obtain three different pull stations for my students to explore. As a result, numerous activities have come out of this “crazy idea” that I had.
Activity 1: Create a Map
Create a map of the school and where the pull stations are located. This can be done with the Wheatley Tactile Diagramming Kit from APH or other tactile graphics.
Activity 2: Learn about Pull Stations
Write a letter to the fire marshal with questions about the pull stations. Find out about different features of a pull station (lock, circuitry, pull handle, etc.) and discuss what their purposes might be.
Activity 3: Read stories about fire drills.
Book suggestions from the school librarian:
- Arthur’s Fire Drill by Marc Brown
- Fire Drill by Paul DuBois Jacobs
- The Fire Drill by Gay Toltl Kinman and Ann Hunnewell
- Miss Mingo and the Fire Drill by Jamie Harper
- Fire Drill by Janet Craig
- A Fire Drill with Mr. Dill by Susan Blackaby
- Big Nate: Pray for a Fire Drill (amp! Comics for Kids) By Lincoln Peirce
