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Children Playing With Fire

Each year, thousands of children are injured or killed in home fires, and 40 percent of them are under age five. They happen to be a primary group of those at high risk for death from a burn injury. Prevent the unthinkable in practicing fire safety with children.

Safety Tips:

• The recommended temperature for the young child’s bath water is 90-120 F.
• Turn all pot handles inward so children cannot pull them down.
• Replace long cords with short ones; keep long cord appliances toward the back of counter tops.
• Never leave hot liquids or food unattended or at the edge of a table or counter to be pulled down by a toddler or young child.
• Youngsters should not be allowed to pour or handle hot liquids/food.
• Keep children at a safe distance while pouring or drinking hot liquids.
• Place child in crib or playpen while preparing food. Rushing and handling of hot liquids and food is a deadly combination with a toddler underfoot.
• Seat a child at the dining table only after all the food has been served and placed far from the child’s reach.
• Never leave young children unattended, especially in an area where food is being prepared.
• Be certain that foods and liquids are sufficiently cooled before giving them to the young child.
• To prevent contact burns, keep all hot appliances away from a young child’s reach.
• In the bathroom, dial down hot water temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Do not use the bath time as a playtime or the bath area as a play area.
• Clearly mark the HOT water setting on single valve units; turn the valve COLD setting after filling the tub.
• Keep lamps away from baby’s crib where the child might be able to pull it down, causing a fire.
• Use COOL – MIST vaporizers and keep appliances at a safe distance from the child.
• NEVER leave an infant on an adult bed/mattress close to radiators or space heaters.
• NEVER leave a child alone in any room with electrical cords plugged into wall sockets.
• Keep all lighters and matches contained properly and out of reach of young children.
• Teach children that matches and lighters are tools, not toys.
• Instruct children to “TELL” an adult if they know if lighters and matches are found lying about so that the adults can collect and properly store or dispose of them.
• Teach children the stop, drop, and roll procedure and simple home fire escape behaviors.
• Use outlet covers on all electrical outlets.

Facts and Figures:

• Because children may lack the ability to escape life-threatening situations and the ability to tolerate the physical stress of post-burn injury, they are one of the primary age groups at high risk for death from burn injury.
• Children under age five are twice as likely as the rest of us to die in a fire.
• High incidence of scald injury in the home.
• Over 70 percent of all scald injuries in infants could be prevented.
• Most burn victims injured by hot liquids are children under age three.
• The most likely areas of the house for injury to take place: kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom.
• The leading cause of fire deaths among the very young is children playing with fire, primarily with matches and lighters, causing three of every ten pre-school fire deaths.
• Children as young as 18 months have started very serious, devastating fires.

Juvenile Firesetting