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Fire Safety
Fires are furious and deadly. Each year nearly 47,000 children are injured in fires, and more than 600 children ages 14 and under die as a result. In the United States, fires remain a leading cause of unintentional injury-related deaths to children.
There are some ways to prevent fire-related injuries. Simply installing smoke alarms on every level of your home is a start. This will cut the chances of dying in a home fire in half. Keeping lighters and matches, and other heat sources out of reach from children can help eliminate fires started by children. These fires are the leading cause of death for children at the age of 5 and under.
Protecting Your Family
Small fires can grow into a fire that is incontrollable. So to help prevent such a tragedy, inspect your house and eliminate potential hazards. Teach your family about the dangers of fire, and prepare your home for any kind of emergency. Your child will have a better chance of surviving a fire if they are coached properly before hand.
What Hazards to Eliminate:
- Matches, lighters, and other heat sources need to be kept out of reach of children.
- Flammable items, such as furniture, newspapers, magazines, and clothing need to be kept away from the fireplace, heater or radiator.
- If you own a portable heater, keep it out of reach of children.
- Avoid plugging several cords into one socket
- Replace old worn out or frayed cords and wires. Keep them on top of rugs, not below.
- Store all flammable liquids, like gasoline, outside of the home.
Prepare your home:
- Install smoke alarms on every level of your home and in every sleeping area. Ionization alarms are better at sensing flaming fires. Photoelectric alarms are better at sensing slow, smoky fires.
- Test alarms monthly. Maintain them by replacing the batteries at least one time a year, and replace the alarms every ten.
- Plan out and practice two escape routes out of each room in the house. It’s important to have an alternate route in case one is blocked by fire. Drills should be practiced spontaneously during both the day and night.
- Keep the doorways open, free from furniture and other heavy objects. Don’t block the windows either.
- Designate a spot outside where everyone is to meet in case of a fire. Everyone can be accounted for quickly.
Teach Safety:
If a smoke alarm goes off, children should know what to do:
- Get down low, under the smoke. Nearly all the deaths related to fire are the cause of smoke and toxic gas inhalation.
- Before opening a door, touch it to make sure it is not hot; if it is, use an alternate route.
- Once you are out of the building, do not go back in for anything! A call to 9-1-1 should be made after leaving the premises.
- If clothes catch on fire, remember the rule, “Stop, Drop, and Roll.”
- Your local fire station will be glad to give any children a tour of the building. This will allow the children to see a firefighter in full gear, and to recognize them as people who save other people, not someone to be afraid of.
- Don’t let your children witness any bad habits of yours, such as smoking in bed, or disconnecting the battery in the smoke alarm!
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