Every second counts when you’re facing a fire in your home.

The Riverside Volunteer Fire Department is teaching Highland Elementary and preschool students about how to safely escape fires during National Fire Prevention Week. Riverside Fire Chief Chad Smothers says the amount of petroleum inside a home’s furnishings and belongings can speed up a fire’s progress, “You have about three minutes from a time a fire starts until it will consume a whole room. A fire doubles in size every 60 seconds, so time is very critical in that you get out. Obviously plan A is to get out of the structure as fast as possible.”

Smothers also recommends homeowners shut doors to rooms at night, as it will slow the time it takes a fire to spread throughout a structure. The Riverside Volunteer Fire Department is conducting a fire drill Tuesday morning at Highland Elementary, and will show the students their equipment and uniforms in order to prepare them for how a firefighter will look when performing a rescue. A fire can be a scary situation for children, but Smothers informs kids not to hide from a rescue team. It’s also important for children to stay outside once they have exited a burning building, to not worry about personal belongings or pets.