Make no mistake about it: Kids are drawn to fire. The old adage “do as I say and not as I do” is not enough to stop an inquisitive youngster; when they see their parents lighting a candle on the dinner table or atop a birthday cake, this is literally a moth to a flame phenomena and if the child can find and use the match, he will.
The Home Safety Council just released figures that 15,000 fires are started by children in the home each year. Fires and burns are also the third leading cause of unintentional home injury and related deaths.
A recent focus group on 3- to 5-year-olds began with an expert explaining to the children that lighters and matches were not toys, were not to be touched, and that they were dangerous and could harm the children. One day later, the children were released back into the focus group room, with the hidden camera capturing a majority of them disregarding the warnings and playing with lighters and matches that had been left in the room. Fire safety starts with everyone in the household being prepared – and children are never too young to begin learning that it is dangerous.
It is important for families to remember the following:
• There is no such thing as safe matches, and even when lighters have a “kid-proof” lock enabled, it has been proven that even toddlers can figure out how to unlock it.
• Just as we have learned with guns in the home, simple instruction and warning doesn’t cut it.
• The only guaranteed prevention is to put fire tools out of your child’s reach and, most importantly, to then lock that cabinet or container, prohibiting the child from possibly gaining access.
• If you absolutely must keep a lighter or pack of matches with you on the go, put them in a place where children cannot see them, such as a zippered pouch or pocket that they don’t have access to.
Don’t be fooled that your child will follow your warnings. After all, he is a child. Find more information from the Home Safety Council by visiting http://homesafetycouncil.org.
Don Keenan, internationally recognized child advocate and founder of the Keenan’s Kids Foundation, has published a book on child safety titled, 365 Ways to Keep Kids Safe, which is available from www.balloonpress.com, or www.amazon.com. All proceeds benefit the Keenan’s Kids Foundation.
Fire safety
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