National Fire Prevention Week kicked off Monday morning.

Milwaukee second graders from Franklin Pierce Elementary joined Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Ronald McDonald to kick off a week long series of events at Milwaukee Fire Department’s Survive Alive House.

It’s a mock home that fills with smoke and children have to figure out how to get out safely, even if that means climbing out of a window.

They also practiced calling 9-1-1.

It’s an education field trip that city officials call life saving.

"Like anything in life, sports figures they practice, or ballet or dance or whatever, whatever you do, you always have to practice. So when it comes to a time of an emergency, having that frame of reference to go back to and say we practiced, I know what to do that's invaluable for the children," said Kevin Hafemann, Deputy Chief of Training for MFD.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said the Survive Alive House has helped reduce the number of fire fatalities in the city over the past 20 years.

He also credited the aggressive work the city has done to make sure everyone has working smoke detectors.

The department is handing out smoke detectors to anyone who needs one.  For more information, call (414) 286-8980.