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Once they were alerted to the fire by Brandon, the family was able to escape quickly thanks to Nathan Dahl, a six-year volunteer firefighter who routinely prepared his kids for a fire.

In addition to teaching the kids, including Brandon, to stay away from hot items, like the stove, he also prepared them to escape the house quickly in an emergency.

\"PHOTO:
Nathan Dahl
PHOTO: Nathan Dahl is pictured with this 2-year-old son Brandon.
>

Those are tips that every parent should follow, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

The Fire Administration recommends keeping children 3 feet away from anything that can get hot, including space heaters and stovetops, as well as keeping items like matches and lighters securely away from kids, and teaching them that they are \"tools, not toys.\"

When it comes to making an escape plan, parents should make sure their kids know two ways to get out of every room in the home, and that a specific plan is in place for children who cannot get outside by themselves, according to the Fire Administration.

In addition, the administration says parents should make sure their kids know what to do when they hear a smoke alarm, including picking a meeting place outside of the home so kids know where to go.

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