Library · Hearing the Fire Alarm

A social story for hearing the fire alarm

and knowing exactly what to do.

The alarm is loud and sudden, and that is what makes it frightening. Vivi turns a fire drill into a narrated, animated story your child stars in: the sound, lining up, walking outside, and coming back in.

Make it about your child Watch the sample story →
A scene from the story Hearing the Fire Alarm Hearing the Fire Alarm Watch the story

Who it helps

Seeing the fire alarm before it happens, as the main character.

For children frightened by the school fire drill, and for children sensitive to loud sounds, including many autistic children.

Teachers and therapists use it before a planned drill. Parents use it after a drill that went badly, so the next one is different.

  1. The sound

    The alarm is loud on purpose, so everyone hears it. Covering their ears is fine.

  2. Line up

    Stop what they are doing and line up with the teacher.

  3. Walk outside

    Walk, do not run, to the meeting place, and wait with the class.

  4. Back to class

    It was practice, everyone is safe, and the day goes on.

Yours, not ours. These are the moments a story like this usually walks through. You choose what goes into your child's, and read every page before it is animated.

Questions parents ask

Before the fire alarm, in short.

  1. When should we watch it?

    Before a planned drill, and again after one. If you do not know when the drill is, watch it every few weeks so the sequence stays familiar.

  2. Can I match our school's drill?

    Yes. Tell Vivi where the class goes and what the teacher says, and read every page before it is animated.

  3. How do I prepare my autistic child for a fire drill?

    Tell them it will be loud, show them what happens next, and agree on what helps, like covering their ears or holding a hand. A social story with your child as the main character lets them rehearse it calmly at home.

  4. How much does it cost?

    Your first story is free in your first 30 days. After that you buy credits: 3 for $9, 10 for $26 or 30 for $66. A story is 1 credit, and a Fully Animated story is 10 more. Your first routine, Choose-Along and plan are free, then 1 credit each. Bought credits never expire.

Make it about your child tonight.

Your first story is free. Set up your child, start from Hearing the Fire Alarm, and watch it together before bed.

Create your first story

More moments: Flying on an Airplane · Using the Toilets · When I feel mad · Taking Turns & Sharing · Brushing Teeth · all 30 stories →

Vivi Kids is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Carol Gray or Team Social Stories.