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Tips for teaching children about fire safety.
FIRE SAFETY
Fires and burns are the fifth leading cause of unintentional injury related death among children ages 14 and under.Children under age 5 are twice as likely to die in a fire than the rest of us. They have a less acute sense of danger, less control over their environment, and a limited ability to react promptly and properly to fire. Parents of infants and young children need to pay special attention to fire safety.
Two thirds of home fires that kill children occur in homes without a working smoking alarm. Smoke alarms save lives! When fire breaks out, you have only seconds to escape the black smoke, intense heat, and deadly gases. A working smoke alarm will alert you to the need for evacuation. There should be a working smoke alarm on every level of the home and in the sleeping areas. The alarms should be tested once a month and the batteries should be replaced at least once a year ( unless the batteries are designated for a longer life) and the alarm should be replaced every 10 years.
Every family needs a fire escape plan. Draw a basic diagram of your home and plan two ways out of each room. Have a designated family meeting place outside the home where everyone can meet and be accounted for in the event of a fire. Practice the escape plan with your children. Teach them to crawl low under the smoke when escaping and to cover their nose and mouth to reduce smoke inhalation. Prepare yourself as to how you will reach your infant or toddler in a fire and your escape plan once they are with you. Practicing the escape plan will help everyone in the family to be prepared to evacuate the home safely in a fire. Make sure your children know not to hide during a fire (even if they started the fire with unattended matches or lighters) - "Don't Hide - Get Outside!" Everyone should also learn that once you get outside, you stay outside. No one should re-enter a home that is on fire (for anything or anyone) - you will not make it out alive. Having and practicing a fire escape plan will significantly increase the likelihood of your family surviving a fire without serious injuries or death.
Matches and lighters should be stored out of the reach of children. They should learn that they are not toys and should only be used by adults. If a child finds matches or lighters, they should be taught to leave them alone and go get an adult. Most importantly, if a child starts a fire with matches or lighters they need to know that they should tell an adult and begin their escape plan. The fear of punishment often leads to children hiding after starting a fire, and ultimately their death or the death of others in the home.
Practicing fire safety saves lives. Test your smoke detectors to make sure they are working well on each level of your home, design and practice a family fire escape plan with an outside meeting place, and once you get outside - stay outside.
For more fire safety tips:
www.usfaparents.gov
www.safekids.org
