Nature’s Warnings

Safety Steps

At the first flash of lightning, quickly get inside a building or a car. Do not go into a shed (棚) for protection. It is not closed like a building, so it is not safe.

Even after you are indoors, be careful. It is not smart to go near doors and windows. They can blow in or break. A room with no windows is the safest place to be.

Do not wash your hands during a storm. Do not use anything that runs on electricity either. Water and electrical lines are like roads for lightning. Even if you really want to play computer games, don’t! It is better to be bored than to risk getting hurt. Try reading a book instead. Reading is more fun than playing computer games.

If you can’t get to somewhere safe, stay out in the open. You may feel safe under a tree, but that is not a good place to be. Lightning is pulling to ward tall poles and trees. Stay down in an open space and cover your ears to protect them. Loud thunder can damage our hearing.

Lightning Strikes

Lightning does not strike people very often. It is not likely that you will ever see that happen. If you do, call 120．Only trained emergency workers should care for a person who has been hit by lightning.

If you follow these rules, you should stay safe during a storm.

Emergency Fire Procedures

•If you see a fire or smell smoke, don’t wait. Every room in the school has got a fire alarm switch. Use something hard, like a shoe, to break the glass and start the alarm system.

•If you hear the fire alarm, move quickly but don’t run. Don’t stop to get your course books and notes. Leave your bag in the room.

•Don’t run! Walk quickly to the parking area. Remember to follow the arrows (箭头) on the fire escape map.

•Don’t go home! Wait for your teacher to call your name and he sure that you are safe.

•Be careful. Don’t go back into the school buildings until a teacher has told you that it is safe.

Many Canadian kids woke up to the smell of wildfire smoke last summer. Some are wondering: Is it dangerous? How can I protect myself? CBC Kids News talked to two children’s lung (肺) experts, Tom Kovesi and Dan Hughes, to find out how kids can stay safe.

Is wildfire smoke dangerous?

For most people, the effect of wildfire smoke is only short-term. Effects (影响) can include irritation (刺激) of the eyes, nose and throat; coughing and shortness of breath. They will get worse the more time you spend outdoors, especially if you’re active outside—doing sports and other exercise.

I spend my summers around a campfire. ▲

The difference between campfire smoke and wildfire smoke is that wildfire smoke is harder to avoid, Hughes said. “When you’re camping, you typically don’t stay in front of a fire for too long,” he said. “And if it’s really smoky, you’d probably sit upwind from the smoke or take a break.” Wildfire smoke, on the other hand, is everywhere. Therefore, the effects can be more long-term and dangerous.

The key to staying safe? Stay inside.

Both Kovesi and Hughes agree that the best thing for kids to do is stay inside when wildfire smoke is in the air.

“It’s especially important for kids who are super active to stop those activities. This is not the time to go jogging, play soccer and other sports,” Hughes said. “Those activities require you to breathe harder and deeper, which gives you a greater exposure (暴露) to the smoke and the particles (微粒) the smoke carries.”

Other steps you can take.

It’s best to close your windows and doors when inside. You can also use an air conditioner (空调), if you have one, to filter (过滤) the air more. Kovesi said that masks can also help lower the risk a little, particularly N95 masks. But they need to be worn correctly.