Fire Safety
Protect Your Prescholers From the Number One Killer
Article Courtesy of the N.F.P.A.

House fires are frightening no matter how old you are, but children are often victims because they don’t understand what to do. Instead of heading immediately outside, they often hide in closets or underneath beds, and they can be as afraid of fire fighters in full fire gear as they are of the fire itself.

Each year nearly 1,000 children under age 14 die in house fires, and more than 45,000 are injured.

Fires are the number-one cause of death in the home for children under five, and the National Fire Protection Association estimates that more than one third of those children died in fires started by themselves or by other young children. Fire is the number-one cause of death in the home for children ages 5 to 14. You can reduce the risk of fire and prepare your children to escape quickly by getting them actively involved in fire safety and awareness.

Fire Prevention

To hold children’s interest when talking about fire safety, enlist them as part of your fire-safety patrol. Let them help you search for fire hazards in your home, such as the ones given in this section. Also ask them to tell you right away if they see any in your home, a caregiver’s home, or a grandparent’s home.

General Home

Keep matches and lighters out of children’s reach. Children are intrigued by fire, so teach them that matches and lighters are tools for adults, not toys.
Never let children light candles on cakes, and supervise children until the candles are extinguished.
Rearrange heavy objects so doors and windows aren’t blocked.
Plug only one heat-producing appliance into an outlet at a time. Overloading outlets or extension cords can cause fires.

Bedroom

Never smoke in bed, and stop smoking if you feel sleepy.
Wet ashes before dumping them in the trash.
Use large ashtrays that won’t tip; keep them out of children’s reach.

Family Room

Never run electric cords under rugs or close to long drapes. Be sure to repair or discard worn cords.
Keep items that can burn at least three feet away from fireplaces and space heaters. Never leave children unattended near a working fireplace, wood stove, or space heater.
Have chimneys inspected once a year. Use only dry wood to prevent the buildup of creosote.

Kitchen

Establish a three-foot safety zone around the stove or other heating appliances. Do not allow children and pets to play in this area.
Your cooking area should be clear of all combustibles, such as pot holders and dish towels.
Keep appliances clean. Grease buildup catches fire easily.
Never leave the area while anything is cooking. When you leave the kitchen or the house, turn off the stove and appliances.
Turn pot handles inward. Handles that stick out can be easily bumped or grabbed by children.
Unplug toasters and other electrical appliances when they aren’t in use.
If a cooking fire starts, turn off the burner and use a kitchen fire extinguisher to put out the fire (one rated 2—B:C that’s intended to fight grease and electrical fires).

10 Tips for Home Fire Safety

1. Install Smoke Alarms

Smoke alarms save lives by warning you about a fire while there's time to escape. Install alarms on every floor of your home, including the basement, and outside each sleeping area - inside as well, if you sleep with the door closed - and test them once a month. Smoke alarms lose their sensitivity over time. Replace alarms 10 or more years old. Let children hear the smoke alarm, and explain what it means. Remind them NEVER to borrow batteries from a smoke detector.

2. Firemen are Friendly

Arrange a visit to the fire station so your children can see fire fighters in full gear. Teach children that fire fighters’ jobs are to save children.

3. Plan your Escape

If there's a fire, you have to get out fast, so be prepared. Draw a floor plan of your home, marking two ways out of each room. Go over the plan with your household so that everyone knows how to escape if there's a fire, then physically walk through each escape route. Decide on an outside meeting place in front of your home where everyone will meet after they've escaped. Practice your escape plan by holding a fire drill twice a year. Discuss with your chilren that hiding under the bed or in a closet is not an option, they must get outside to safety. Have fire escape ladders available in all occupied upper-level rooms and remind children that escape ladders are for safety and not for play. Make certain children understand that they can’t re-enter the house to retrieve pets or keepsakes. Make sure one is posted and alert caregiver's about it.

4. In a Fire, Crawl Low Under Smoke

Smoke and heat rise, so during a fire there's cleaner, cooler air near the floor. Always try another exit if you encounter smoke when you are escaping a fire. But if you have to escape through smoke, crawl on your hands and knees with you head 1 to 2 feet (30 to 60 centimeters) above the floor. Demonstrate to children how to crawl low to stay under any smoke. Use a damp towel to cover their nose and mouth only if one is immediately available. Instruct them how to pull their shirt over their nose and mouth if necessary.