The Shelton Fire Department, consisting of members of Echo Hose, Huntington, Pine Rock Park, and White Hills volunteer fire companies are preparing for annual fire safety visits to Day Care Centers and Pre-Kindergarten Classes to be conducted throughout the City of Shelton in October.
The program focuses on teaching an estimated 1,200 young children to stay away from “hot tools,” things that only grown-ups use. These include things that get hot or have an open flame.
Firefighters will also instruct children to tell a grown-up if they see matches or lighters so these items will be properly stored out of reach. Each child will be given a fire helmet and a parent-child learning activities book, “I Can Be Fire Safe,” to bring home.
The book presents children with easy-to-follow information on preventing fires as well as fun activities that reinforce learning. It also includes a 4‑page section for parents and guardians that provides valuable home and family fire-safety tips.
Children and fire are a deadly combination. The National Fire Protection Associate (NFPA) reports that between 2007 and 2011, an average of 49,300 fires involving playing with fire were reported to U.S. municipal fire departments per year.
These fires caused annual averages of 80 civilian deaths, 860 civilian injuries, and $235 million in property damage. Lighters were the heat source in just over half (52 percent) of fires in homes involving play.
In addition, 39 percent of home fires involving play began in a bedroom. The NFPA has found that some children play with fire out of curiosity, not realizing its danger. Troubled children may set a fire as a way of acting out their anger, disappointment, or frustration.
Young firesetters cause hundreds of deaths and injuries each year. Preschoolers and kindergartners are most likely to start these fires, typically by playing with matches and lighters, and are most likely to die in them.
Children experience fire interest. They may ask questions such as how hot is fire or show an interest in fire through playing with fire trucks or cooking on a play stove.
This is healthy, and it is time to begin educating about fire. A child with an interest in fire but lack of understanding can also lead to fire starting and result in repeated firesetting behavior. Ted Pisciotta, Assistant Chief – Fire Prevention, suggests these important safety tips to keep children safe from fire and burn injury:
- Firestarting happens when children begin to experiment with fire using matches and lighters. Many fires happen when young children are left alone, even for a short period of time, and have access to matches and lighters. Parents and caretakers must have clear rules and consequences about fire misuse.
- Store matches and lighters out of children’s reach and sight, up high, preferably in a locked cabinet or container.
- Never leave matches or lighters in a bedroom or any place where children may go without supervision.
- Teach young children to tell a grown-up if they see matches or lighters. Children need to understand that fire is difficult to control; it is fast and can hurt as soon as it touches you.
- Never use lighters or matches as a source of amusement for children; they may imitate you.
- Never assign a young child any tasks that involve the use of a lighter or matches (lighting candles, bringing a lighter to an adult to light a cigarette or the fireplace, etc.
- If your child expresses curiosity about fire or has been playing with fire, calmly but firmly explain that matches and lighters are tools for adults only.
- Use only lighters designed with child-resistant features.
In conjunction with making every effort to prevent children from becoming a burn victim or starting a fire, be prepared by maintaining working smoke alarms throughout the entire home.
Chief Pisciotta is encouraging businesses, organizations, and individuals throughout the city to visit the Fire Prevention Bureau web site, which may be found by clicking on “Public Safety” at www.cityofshelton.org.
Easy to print and post fire safety tips are available. In addition, information may be copied and pasted by visitors into newsletters, etc.
