| MAKI |
What is that awful smell? |
| BINDU |
Something is burning in the kitchen! |
| MAKI |
Bring a candle! |
| BINDU |
Let’s go and see… |
| ELPHI |
It smells like… gas!! Children, be careful with the candle!!! |
| NOISE |
BIG EXPLOSION |
| MAKI |
(CRYING VERY LOUD) Buaaaaaaa! |
| BINDU |
Maki, Maki, are you all right? |
| MAKI |
Buaaaaaaaa!!!!! |
| ELPHI |
Calm down, calm down! It was nothing. |
| MAKI |
My tale is burning!! |
| BINDU |
Yes, it smells. |
| ELPHI |
Close the gas outlet, Bindu! Be careful with the frying pan. It must be very hot! |
| MAKI |
(CRYING) My tale hurts… |
| ELPHI |
Who did this? Where is Monkito? |
| BINDU |
Monkito!!!!!! |
| ELPHI |
Well, as you can imagine, it was that naughty little monkey. He tried to prepare some bananas fried in coconut milk… and he forgot about them, the boiling water turned off the kitchen flames and the gas came out… Typical Monkito… |
| ELPHI |
But, as I said, things had changed dramatically when we returned to the school. It was completely cleaned after the flood. And the weather was so nice! |
| ELPHI |
Well, children, we had a lot of fun during our excursion, didn’t we? |
| BINDU |
And adventures! |
| ELPHI |
We have also learnt a lot. |
| MAKI |
I am now ready for any disaster! |
| MONKITO |
(SARCASTIC) Ja, ja… Look who is talking… |
| ELPHI |
Children, we can always be better prepared. Do you remember our fire in the kitchen? |
| MONKITO |
(ASHAMED) It was an accident, Miss Elphi… |
| ELPHI |
Precisely, an accident! But it could have ended up in a tragedy. (T) For that reason we must know more about fires. I have invited Mr. Turtle, our local firefighter. |
| TURTLE |
Good morning, children, I heard from Miss Elphi that you had a small accident in a kitchen. |
| MAKI |
I burnt my tale! |
| BINDU |
And my finger! |
| TURTLE |
Well, let me tell you that fire is one of the most common disasters. |
| MONKITO |
I know, I know… |
| TURTLE |
Fire causes more deaths than any other type of disaster.
It can happen anywhere. And it can be easily provoked by many causes… |
| MAKI |
Like distracted monkeys! |
| MONKITO |
Or stupid females who carry a candle in a kitchen. |
| TURTLE |
Or an accident with gas... or any other chemical products that can burn easily. |
| MONKITO |
What about a fire provoked by enemies? |
| MAKI |
We don’t have enemies! |
| TURTLE |
Fire can happen anywhere, children! |
| MONKITO |
Yes, like in a theater! |
| BINDU |
In the forest!! |
| MAKI |
In the kitchen, if Monkito is nearby… |
| TURTLE |
That’s right. The point is how to avoid fires. Who can give me some ideas? |
| MAKI |
Not to play with matches. |
| BINDU |
We should be careful with chemicals. |
| MAKI |
And with candles… |
| MONKITO |
We can organize a club of fire fighters at the school! |
| TURTLE |
Very well, very well… (T) Fire does not have to be deadly, if you take precautions. You should make your home fire safe! For example, keep blankets, clothing, curtains, furniture and anything that could get hot and catch fire away from portable heaters. |
| ELPHI |
Keep items away from the stove that could catch fire. |
| TURTLE |
Use safety plugs in electrical outlets, especially if there are very small children. |
| ELPHI |
Avoid overloading electrical outlets and running cords under carpet and Furniture. |
| MONKITO |
Perhaps we should have a working fire extinguisher in the kitchen. And in the school! |
| ELPHI |
We do have one. |
| TURTLE |
And very, very important: have an escape plan!!! |
| MONKITO |
That’s ridiculous. In a fire, I simply run out any way I can! |
| TURTLE |
It is not that simple, especially if it’s a big house. |
| MAKI |
So, what is an escape plan, Mr. Fire Turtle? |
| TURTLE |
Planning what to do in case of a fire, together with your family. And practicing it, once in a while. |
| MONKITO |
My parents would laugh at me if I tell them that. |
| S |
Well, you can help them to think differently, children. |
| TURTLE |
Here are some ideas to prepare your emergency plan. You first draw a floor plan of your home. Think of two ways to escape from it. |
| MONKITO |
I live in a tree! |
| TURTLE |
(SERIOUS)Select a location outside your home where everyone would meet after escaping. |
| MONKITO |
The river! Plenty of water there! |
| ELPHI |
Monkito, would you keep quite for a while, please? |
| TURTHE |
Once you are out of the house, you stay out! |
| ELPHI |
Know how to call for emergency assistance. |
| TURTLE |
If you see smoke in your first escape route, use your second way out. If you must exit through smoke, crawl low under the smoke to escape. |
| MAKI |
Monkito can better jump. |
| TURTLE |
If smoke, heat or flames block your exit routes, stay in the room with the door closed. Signal for help at the window. |
| MONKITO |
Maki can scream: she sounds like a fire alarm (MONKEY LAUGHS)! |
| TURTLE |
You should practice your escape plan at least once a year. Remember, children, we can better help protect our families by planning NOW for an emergency. |
| ELPHI |
And the school, children, don’t forget that. Be smart, children, play it safe! |
