Information for Adults
Fire safety tips every parent should know
Home Fire Safety:Make sure your home is as fire safe as possible by following some of these tips:
- Do not allow children to cook alone.
- Keep curtains, potholders, and dish towels clear of the stove.
- Keep matches and lighters out of sight and locked away.
- Turn off space heaters before going to sleep or leaving the room.
- Have a screen over your fireplace.
- Keep newspapers and other flammable materials away from the fireplace.
- Do not run electrical wires under carpets or rugs.
- Replace cords that are frayed.
- Make sure you have smoke detectors on every level of your house and outside each sleeping area.
- Check the batteries in your smoke detectors. Replace those which are not working.
- Keep all the exits in your home clear.
- Create a fire escape plan for every room in your home. Each room should have two exits, usually a door or a window.
- Pick a family meeting place a safe distance from your house. This place should be specific: the mailbox, the large oak tree, the street lamp.
- Practice your escape plan at least twice per year.
Child Fire Play:
Children playing with fire is very serious and there is plenty parents can do to help reduce future fire setting behaviors:
- Begin at a young age teaching your children fire is a tool used by adults. Like power tools, there are some things a child should not use until they are old enough to handle the responsibility.
- Begin allowing supervised fire behaviors at age-appropriate levels. By giving children the opportunity to use fire in an appropriate manner, they can learn how to use fire safely. However, this responsibility should not be given to children prematurely.
- Curiosity-driven firesetters play with fire because they are interested in how it works, what it does, and how it feels. Troubled firesetters will often set fires due to emotional or mental disturbances.
- Be on the look-out for signs of fire setting, such as charred paper, spent matches, and burn marks on carpets and furniture.
Helpful Links:
Below are some websites with additional information regarding fire safety and child fire setting.
USFA Parents
Includes information about smoke alarms, escape planning, and match and lighter safety.
Kid’s Health
Includes fire safety information.
Firesetting and Youth
Includes information about children who set fires.
 |
Smoke detectors should be tested once per month. The batteries should be changed at least twice per year. |