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Teaching
Children Fire Safety
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Every
day Americans experience the tragedy of fire. Each
year more than 5,000 Americans die in fires and
more than 25,000 are injured. Figures show that
each year about 450 people are killed and $300
million in property is destroyed in fires
attributed to children playing with fire.
The
Cuyahoga Falls Fire Department encourages parents
to teach children at an early age about the
dangers of fire in an effort to prevent child
injuries, fire deaths and firesetting behavior in
the future. Below are some facts about children
and fire safety.
Curious Kids Set
Fires
Children
under five are curious about fire. Often what
begins as a natural exploration of the unknown can
lead to tragedy.
- Children of
all ages set over 100,000 fires annually.
Approximately 25,000 of those fires are set
in homes.
- Children make
up between 20% - 25% of all fire deaths.
- Over 30% of
the fires that kill children are set by
children playing with fire.
- At home,
children usually play with fire in bedrooms,
in closets and under beds. These are
"secret" places where there are a
lot of things that catch fire easily.
- Too often,
child firesetters are not given proper
guidance and supervision by parents and
teachers. Consequently, they repeat their
firesetting behavior.
Practice Fire
Safety in Your Home
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Supervise young
children closely. Do not leave them alone
even for short periods of time.
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Keep matches and
lighters in a secured drawer or cabinet.
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Have your
children tell you when they find matches and
lighters.
-
Check under beds
and in closets for burned matches or
paper. This would indicate that
your child is playing with fire.
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Develop a home
fire escape plan, practice it with your
children and designate a meeting place
outside.
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Take the mystery
out of fire play by teaching children that
fire is a tool, not a toy.
-
Teach children
the nature of fire. It is FAST, HOT, DARK
and DEADLY!
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Teach children
not to hide from firefighters, but to get
out quickly and call for help from another
location.
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Show children
how to crawl low on the floor, below the
smoke, to get out of the house and stay out
in the case of fire.
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Demonstrate how
to stop, drop to the ground and roll if
their clothes catch fire.
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Install smoke
alarms on every level in your home.
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Familiarize
children with the sound of your smoke alarm.
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Test the smoke
alarm each month and replace the battery at
least once a year.
-
Replace the
smoke alarm every ten years, or as
recommended by the manufacturer.
Finally,
having a working smoke alarm dramatically
increases your chances of surviving a fire. And
remember to practice a home escape plan frequently
with your family.
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