By GAYLE WEBER

gweber@dailynews.net

Kiara Urban knows just what to do in case of a fire at her home.

"I have a screen window that you can just push out," the Holy Family Elementary School third-grader said.

In fact, Urban already knew where most of the fire escapes were in her home before she began work on a drawing for the Hays Fire Department's Fire Escape Drill Challenge.

"I was just amazed that she did the project all by herself. She knew where the fire escapes and everything were," said Urban's mom, Brenda.

Kiara Urban was one of 12 winners of the contest that instructed third-graders across Hays USD 489 to draw a basic floor plan of their houses and identify all fire exits, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers -- as well as meeting places outside the home.

The contest followed two years of education by the Hays Fire Department in first- and second-grade classrooms across the district.

"We teach them to crawl under smoke; stop, drop and roll; and about smoke detectors -- just basic fire safety," firefighter Darin Myers said about the educational program.

Winners of the contest, their siblings and parents and a few teachers gathered Wednesday night at the Hays fire station for a barbecue and station tour as a reward.

Symon Knox, a third-grader at Wilson Elementary School, entered the contest for her 3-year-old brother, Sam.

"Because he loves firefighters, and when he sees them he gets so excited," Symon Knox said. "I thought that would be fun for him."

The Knoxes got to climb in a fire truck, go on a station tour and try on firefighters' gear.

"It's not heavy at all," Symon's younger brother, Carter said after putting on Myers' hat.

While Kiara Urban's twin brother, Kade, was looking forward to getting a glimpse of the inside of a fire truck, Kiara had a different activity in mind for the evening.

"Going down the fire pole," she said.

The Hays Fire Department's program, which occurred in conjunction with National Fire Prevention Week earlier this month, proved valuable for the Knox family.

The family replaced a carbon monoxide detector and bought a fire extinguisher for their home because of the education Symon Knox received at school.

"We don't have many fires in the city," Myers said. "And I'd like to attribute that to our public education program."