Fire Safety & Hazards Involving Children ELIMINATE POTENTIAL HAZARDS
Check out a new web site that helps homeowners reduce the fire hazards around their home: It's called "FIREWISE"
Inside The Home:
A small fire can transform into a deadly fire within minutes. In fact a fire can double in size every 30 seconds. To help prevent a fire, parents and caregivers need to closely inspect the home and eliminate all potential hazards.
The San Diego Safe Kids Coalition reminds families to:
Keep matches, lighters and other heat sources out of children's reach.
Children are naturally curious. Playing with matches and lighters is the leading cause of fire deaths for children ages 5 and under.
Remove anything too close to a fireplace, heater or radiator, such as clothing, furniture, newspapers or magazines.
Secure all portable heaters.
Avoid plugging several appliance cords into the same electrical socket.
Replace old or frayed electrical wires and appliance cords, and keep them on top of rugs.
Store all flammable liquids such as gasoline outside of the home.
Keep furniture and other heavy objects out of the way of doors and windows.
TEACH CHILDREN FIRE SAFETY
Time is precious when a fire starts in the home. Children need to be taught about the dangers of fire and what to expect so they can act quickly. An unprepared child will most likely attempt to hide from the fire instead of leaving the burning building. If a child is coached properly ahead of time, he or she will have a better chance of escaping. The extremely hot air caused by these high temperatures can cause severe lung damage when inhaled. In addition, adults and children can be quickly overcome by odorless, colorless carbon monoxide fumes in less than two minutes, fall into a deep sleep and never awaken.
A fire safety web site for the kids....
PLAY SAFE AND BE SAFE! www.playsafebesafe.com
Fire safety and other areas to think about safety! Enjoy!
*For a fire safety lecture from the El Cajon Fire Department, call our Safety Education Department at (619) 441-1615.
Here's more safety advice:
The Safe Kids Coalition recommends the following:
- Teach children the sound of a smoke alarm.
- Teach children to crawl low under smoke. An estimated three-fourths of childhood fire deaths are caused by the smoke and toxic gases produced as a fire develops and spreads.
- Teach children to cover their mouths and noses. A moist towel is best, but a t-shirt or anything within reach can protect lungs from dangerous fumes.
- Teach children to touch doors before opening them. If the door is hot, use an alternative exit.
- Teach children never to go back into a burning building. Children should be reminded not to stop or return for anything such as a toy or to call 9-1-1. A call to 9-1-1 should be placed after leaving the premises.
- Teach children to "stop, drop and roll." Upon leaving the burning house or building, children whose clothes have caught on fire should immediately stop, drop to the ground and roll themselves back and forth to quickly extinguish the flames.
- Take children to your local fire station for a tour. Children will be able to see a firefighter in full firefighting gear and learn that he or she is someone who puts out fires and saves children.
The San Diego Safe Kids Coalition is part of the National SAFE KIDS Campaign, the first and only national organization dedicated solely to the prevention of unintentional childhood injury — the number one killer of children ages 14 and under.
