London Fire Brigade supports Child Safety Week
Around 1200 children under the age of 11 are injured and 35 die in fires in the home in the UK every year, so London Fire Brigade is using National Child Safety Week (18-24 June 2007) to urge parents to spend a few minutes talking to their children about fire.
Fire is the biggest killer of children in the home. 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.
Val Shawcross, Chair of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority said: “Fitting a smoke alarm and testing it regularly is the single most important thing parents can do to protect their family. Smoke alarms provide an early warning of a fire that can give crucial time to escape safely.”
“Children deserve to be protected from fire, and parents and carers can make a real difference by talking to children of all ages about what to do if a fire starts. The Fire Brigade can also help by visiting you, talking about fire risks and fitting free smoke alarms. Call us on 08000 28 44 28 and we’ll come and show you the best way to protect your home.”
Talk to your children about fire risks (advice from the Government’s Fire Kills campaign):
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!
The 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, said: “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.”
Note to editors:
The Brigade is offering all London residents a free home fire safety visit. Firefighters visit homes, look for fire risks and can fit free smoke alarms if they are needed. Call 08000 28 44 28 to arrange a home fire safety visit.
Members of the media can obtain further information from the press office on:
telephone number: 020 8536 5922
email: press@london-fire.gov.uk
