Around 1,200 children under the age of 11 are injured and 35 are killed in fires in the home in the UK every year. 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.
The Brigade is urging parents to take a few minutes to explain a few simple fire safety messages to their children.
London Fire Brigade’s Assistant Commissioner for Community Safety Steve Turek said: “Parents and carers can play a vitally important role in protecting their children from fire just by talking to them about what to do if a fire starts and how to prevent fires from starting in the first place.
“Fitting a smoke alarm and regularly testing it is the single most important thing parents can do to protect their families, as they provide an early warning of a fire that can give crucial time to escape. You can call London Fire Brigade on 08000 28 44 28 to get free home fire safety advice.”
Top tips to ensure children are clued up about fire safety:
For very young children (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.
In a fire, both adults and children 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 brigade – use a mobile, a neighbour’s phone or a phone box.
• Stay out! – if someone needs to be rescued, wait safely outside for firefighters who have the equipment and training to do it. Don’t go back in!
Note to editors:
•The Brigade is offering all London residents free home fire safety advice by calling 08000 28 44 28.
•Child Safety Week is organised by the Child Accident Prevention Trust and encourages the prevention of a range of childhood accidents, including house fires and scalds.
Members of the media can obtain further information from the press office on:
telephone number: 020 8536 5922
email: press@london-fire.gov.uk
