Red Cross Encourages Families to Talk to Children About Home Fire Safety


WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (October 15, 2009) — The Greater Palm Beach Area Chapter of the American Red Cross is offering parents tips to reduce their risk of fires and talk with their children about fire safety.

 

“Parents can reduce their risk of home fires by taking a few simple steps,” said Larry Casey, CEO of the Greater Palm Beach Area Chapter of the American Red Cross. “We want families to have the information and resources they need to educate their children and reduce their risk of a home fire tragedy.”

 

The Greater Palm Beach Area Chapter of the American Red Cross recommends that adults:

  • Keep matches, lighters and other ignitable substances in a secured location out of the reach of children.
  • Always dress children in pajamas that meet federal flammability standards. Avoid loose-fitting, 100-percent cotton garments.
  • Develop and practice your home fire escape plan with your children at least twice a year. Home fire escape plans should include at least two ways to escape from every room of your home. Also, select a meeting spot at a safe distance from your home where family members can go after escaping.
  • Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm and teach them what to do when they hear it.
  • Teach your children not to be scared of firefighters. Take them to your local fire department to meet them, see the gear they wear, and learn about fire safety and prevention.
  • Teach your children to tell you or a responsible adult when they find matches or lighters at home or school.
  • Check under beds and in closets for burnt matches; evidence your child may be playing with fire.
  • Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. Sixty-five percent of home fire deaths happen in homes with no smoke alarms or with smoke alarms that don’t work. Test your smoke alarm once a month by pushing the test button, and replace the batteries once a year.

 

The Red Cross is committed to giving people the information they need to reduce their risk of home fires, and to helping people recover after a fire happens. During the 2009 fiscal year, the Palm Beach-Treasure Coast Region of the American Red Cross responded to an alarming 275 fires, assisting 319 families with their immediate emergency needs. For more fire safety and preparedness information, visit www.redcross.org/homefires.

 

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About the American Red Cross: For over 90 years, the American Red Cross Greater Palm Beach Area Chapter, which includes Glades, Hendry, Okeechobee and Palm Beach counties, has provided relief to victims of disasters at home and abroad; taught lifesaving skills to members of the community; and supported military members and families. The American Red Cross, which is a charity and not a government agency, depends on voluntary contributions of time and money to perform its humanitarian mission. To learn more about the work of the Red Cross in communities, or to make a donation, please call 561-833-7711 or visit our website at  www.redcross-pbc.org.