Oct. 5-11, 2008 is Fire Prevention Week

This year's theme: Prevent Home Fires

Safe Kids St. Charles County offers fire safety tips

Nationwide, every year, over 1,300 children ages 14 and under are injured in residential fire¹ⁱ, and more than 400 die². Oct. 5-11, 2008, is Fire Prevention Week, observed every year since 1922 around the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Safe Kids St. Charles County reminds parents and caregivers that approximately 80 percent of all fire-related deaths and injuries occur in the home³.

A home fire occurs every 76 seconds. As part of this year's Fire Prevention Week, The National Fire Protection Association is urging families to take active measures to help prevent fire in their homes. For details, visit www.firepreventionweek.org.

The leading causes of fire-related deaths to children ages 14 and under are heating equipment, playing with items that can ignite fire, and cooking equipment. Most fire-related fatalities are caused by smoke inhalation. "A working smoke alarm cuts your chances of dying in a fire by about 50 percent," says David Horning, Safe Kids St. Charles County Coordinator. "Put a smoke alarm on every level of your home, outside every sleeping area, and in each bedroom - and test them every month and change the batteries once a year even if they are hard-wired." Smoke alarms are also available with 10-year lithium batteries.

Safe Kids St. Charles County also reminds parents:

• Keep matches, candles, gasoline, lighters and all other flammable materials locked away and out of children's reach and teach them never to touch these items.

• Never leave a burning candle unattended. Place candles in a safe location away from combustible materials and where children or pets cannot tip them over.

• Keep children away from cooking and heating appliances. Never leave the kitchen while you are cooking.

• Place space heaters at least 3 feet from curtains, papers, furniture and other flammable materials. Always turn space heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.

• Plug an electric space heater into an outlet with enough capacity. Never plug it into an extension cord.

• Consider a home sprinkler system. The combination of smoke alarms and sprinklers can reduce your chances of dying in a fire by 82 percent.

"Plan and practice several escape routes and a safe place to meet outside," says Horning. "Teach children never to go back into a burning building, and to call the fire department from a neighbor's home or a cell phone outside."

For more information about fire safety for children and families, call (636) 970.9700 or visit www.usa.safekids.org.

Safe Kids St. Charles County works to prevent accidental childhood injury, the leading killer of children ages 1 to 14. Its members include Central County Fire & Rescue, Accident Athletic & Back Care, Ameren UE, Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital, Community News, Farmers Insurance- Kyle Heywood, Healthy Communities St. Charles County, Jim Trenary Automotive Group, Lake St. Louis Fire Protection District, Mc Donald's- Christian Foods, Missouri Regional Poison Control, Missouri Valley Federal Credit Union, ParentLink, Progress West HealthCare Center, St. Charles Community College, St. Louis Area Kids' Directory, St. Peters Chamber of Commerce. Safe Kids St. Charles County is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations dedicated to preventing accidental injury. Safe Kids St. Charles County was founded in 2002 and is led by Central County Fire & Rescue.

1Characteristics of Home Fire Victims, 7/08, NFPA, p.15
i2 WISQUARS, 2005
3Characteristics of Home Fire Victims, 7/08, NFPA, p.1