Fire Kills Campaign supports Child Safety Week

Twelve-hundred children under the age of 11 are injured and 35 children die in fires in the home in the UK every year.  Have you taught your child what to do if a fire breaks out in your home?  Do you have a smoke alarm? Will your child hear this alarm? For details of a new vocal alarm email paul@pscfiresafety.com Fire is the biggest killer of children in the home  and tragically many of these deaths could be avoided if children knew what to do when a fire starts and all homes were fitted with a smoke alarm.   This is the clear stark message from the Fire Kills campaign sponsored by Communities and Local Government. The Fire Kills campaign is urging all parents/carers to fit a smoke alarm and to make sure children are taught about fire safety during Child Safety Week, 18-24 June 2007. A smoke alarm provides an early warning of a fire and can give the family time to escape safely. Installing a smoke alarm is the single most important thing parents can do to protect their family as without it they may not know there is a fire before it is too late.  For advice parents can contact their local fire and rescue service who will visit their home to educate the whole family on fire safety, work out routes of escape and fit a free working smoke alarm. On average 1,200 children under the age of 11 are injured and 35 are killed in fires in the home in the UK every year  so installing a smoke alarm and educating children will help to reduce this.  Also research shows that children from lower income families are 37 times more likely to die as a result of fire than children of parents in managerial and professional occupations . Angela Smith, Minister for the Fire and Rescue Service said:  “Everyone in the family - including the children - need to know what to do in the event of fire and every home should have a working smoke alarm.  It’s vitally important that they have all planned and practised escape routes to get out and stay alive.” Child Accident Prevention Trust organises Child Safety Week and encourages the prevention of a range of childhood accidents, including house fires and scalds. Katrina Phillips, chief executive of CAPT, says: “During Child Safety Week, we’re passing on the message that many serious accidents are caused by simple things and house fires are no exception.  Cooking, cigarettes, matches and lighters, and overloaded electrical sockets are all top causes of house fires.  But having a working smoke alarm fitted to every level of your home will help to save your life if a fire breaks out – especially as most house fires start between 10.00 at night and 8.00 in the morning. Just remember to test the batteries regularly to make sure they don’t need replacing.” “This year’s theme for Child Safety Week is Safer children, healthier lives.  Pass it on.   Everyone can take simple steps to make things safer for children and young people – and help them lead healthier lives.  But don’t stop there.  We’re also asking everyone to pass safety tips on to friends, family and colleagues.” Installing a smoke alarm is the single most important thing you can do to protect your family, without it you may not know there is a fire.  Once you have been alerted to a fire your children need to understand how to behave.  The Fire Kills campaign is urging parents, teachers and carers to use the following tips as a guide: For very young child (aged under 5): Make sure children understand that they need to alert an adult if they discover a fire and not to hide. For older children (age 6 and above): Plan and practice an escape route – make sure children know the easiest way to get out of your home and practise it regularly to keep it fresh in their minds. Show children where the keys are kept – It’s important that the keys to doors and windows are always kept in the same place, a place everyone in the home knows. Explain what to do if they can’t get out – show them the best room to take refuge in – for example, a room with a window and a flat roof outside it. Discuss how to call 999 – Make sure children know the number off by heart as well as their address. Always make sure that both are pinned up by the phone and tell them about the dangers of hoax calls. Please remember if there is a fire, everyone should follow these four simple steps: Alert everyone – Make sure that everyone in the house knows about the fire. If there’s a lot of smoke crawl along the floor where the air will be clearer. Get everyone out – don’t delay for valuables, don’t investigate the fire. Call 999 and ask for the Fire and Rescue Service – use a mobile, a neighbour’s phone or a phone box. Stay out! – if someone needs to be rescued wait safely outside for the firefighters who have the equipment and training to do it.   Don’t go back in! For more information on how to protect you and your child from fire, visit www.firekills.gov.uk There is also a kids area online with games to show children how to stay safe from fire at www.kids.direct.gov.uk Fire and rescue services across England offer free Home Fire Risk Checks, they will visit your home and advise on the best escape route to take, check your home for fire hazards and where appropriate install a smoke alarm. To book a visit online or for the telephone number to contact your local fire and rescue service look at www.fire.gov.uk.  The phone number is also in the telephone book (NOT 999).