Fire officials: Get out and stay out!

DAYTON,Ohio (WDTN) - We've all heard about the popular " Stop, drop and roll" campaign fire fighters use to teach kids about fire safety, but Dayton Fire fighters said another saying is just as important.

Officials tell us the catch phase "Get out and stay out" is also one, they want kids to remember.

Fire officials want kids to learn how to escape a burning home and hopefully prevent future tragedies like the one that happened Thursday night.

Thursday, November 12, a Dayton mother and her two young children died in a house fire in the 2,800 block of East First Street.

Kennetha Gay would've been 29 years old on Friday. Officials say she ran back into the burning home to save her children. But unfortunately it was too late for 4 year old Mirissa Gay and 3 month old Kenron Treadwell. Gay's neighbor, Thomas Young is devastated.

"It is so sad. Its a tragedy that should never had happened." He said.

Every year, Dayton fire fighters travel to local schools and teach children about fire safety. Armed with coloring books, and comics they try to engage children in information that could save their lives.

"We give out brochures, we also have a message for the parents to understand what is going on."

Said Fire Prevention Specialist Andrew Steele from the Dayton Fire Department.

Local fire fighters will continue to use the national, "Stop, drop and roll" campaign but also want to teach children to find an escape route in a burning home.

"We've had occasions where children in house fires, have dropped to the floor and rolled, instead of getting out of the fire." Steele said.

Which is why, Steele said the phase "Get out and stay out" is so important.

"In a house fire, when there is fire around you, children need to get out and get away from the fire."

Officials also stress the importance of working smoke detectors and said it is the number one prevention tool that saves lives.