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Oct. 6-12 is National Fire Prevention Week. Do your children know the facts about fire? According to
the United States Fire Administration (1), over 65 percent of children who die in home fires are
under age five -1,200 children age 14 and under die in home fires each year.
"Many adults mistakenly believe that in a fire, children will run to or call a parent,"
said Richard Timmons of First Alert(R), leaders in home fire safety. "Others wrongly believe a
child will instinctively know to leave a burning home. Tragically, this is not the case,"
Timmons continued. "Young children often hide under beds or in closets, thinking they are safe,
while older children think they can control the fire," he said.
First Alert recommends that parents and caregivers prepare children to increase their chances of
surviving a residential fire.
Follow these helpful fire safety suggestions for children:
- Have a working smoke detector on every floor of your home and in every sleeping room. Test
each detector monthly. Change batteries at least once per year (unless the battery is specifically
designed for long life, such as the batteries in First Alert's 10 Year Lithium Power Battery Smoke
Detector) and never remove them except when replacing.
- Teach your child what the smoke detector alarm sounds like and what to do when it
goes off.
- Plan two escape routes out of the home and practice fire drills with children until
they can escape the home from every room, especially bedrooms. Store portable ladders, such as First
Alert's Fire Escape Ladder, in easily accessible locations in second-story bedrooms.
- If children are too young to escape on their own, designate family members to be
responsible for them. This is also a good plan to follow for immobile family members.
- Since most residential fire deaths occur between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., practice fire
drills at night.
- Explain that in a fire it is extremely dangerous to stand up because of the toxic
smoke and intense heat. Teach children to crawl along the floor to safety.
- Teach children to touch doors before opening them and to use and alternate exit if
the door is hot. If they exit through the door, teach them to close it this could help save other
family members by containing the fire.
- Designate a meeting place outside the house, such as a tree, street lamp or
neighbor's home.
- Teach children never to re-enter a burning building.
- Take children to a local fire station so they will recognize firefighters as sources
of help in a fire. Many stations have fire safety education classes for children.
(1) "How Fire Safe is Your Home?," a brochure sponsored by the USFA.
CONTACT: Cathy Berner or Gigi Lubin of Wheatley Blair, Inc. 312-337-7773.
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