KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT BILL GRAVES, GOVERNOR Gary R. Mitchell, Secretary

September 15, 1997

Contact: Jan Stegelman

(785) 296-1223

Don't Let Fire Strike Your Family

Fire is fast, hot, dark and deadly -- the heat alone can kill. Many believe the harmful myth that we have little control over fire. But it's not a matter of luck, there are time-tested ways to survive a fire. That's why it's crucial for families to know what to do in a fire, but it's even more important to prevent them.

"Children, especially those ages 5 and under, are at greatest risk from home fire related death and injury," said Jan Stegelman of the Kansas SAFE KIDS Coalition. "If a fire should break out in the home, children must know what to do to ensure a quick and safe escape."

Fires and burns are the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children in Kansas. In the last five years, 57 Kansas children ages 14 and under died in residential fires. Sixty-five percent of these children were ages 4 and under.

National Fire Prevention Week takes place October 5-11, 1997, with the theme Know When to Go: React Fast to Fire! To raise awareness of this hazard, the Kansas SAFE KIDS Coalition has recommended the following safety precautions:

Eliminate Potential Fire Hazards

A small fire can transform into a deadly fire within minutes. To help prevent a fire, parents and care givers need to closely inspect the home and get rid of all potential hazards. The Kansas SAFE KIDS Coalition reminds families to:

Keep matches, lighters and other heat sources out of children's reach. Children are naturally curious. Playing with matches and lighters is the leading cause of fire deaths and injuries for children ages 5 and under.

Remove anything too close to a fireplace, heater or radiator, such as clothing, furniture, newspapers or magazines.

Secure all portable heaters.

Avoid plugging several appliance cords into the same electrical socket.

Replace old or unraveled appliance cords and keep them on top of rugs.

Store all flammable liquids such as gasoline outside of the home.

Keep furniture and other heavy objects out of the way of doors and windows.

Plan Ahead

In the event of a fire, simple safety practices such as the use of working smoke detectors can drastically reduce the chance of a fire-related death. The chances of dying in a fire are cut in half with the presence of a working smoke detector. In Kansas, 94 percent of fire deaths occur in homes without working smoke detectors. The Kansas SAFE KIDS Coalition suggests the following:

Buy and install smoke detectors. Install smoke detectors on every level of your house or apartment and in each sleeping area.

Test and maintain smoke detectors regularly. Test smoke detectors once a month. Replace batteries twice a year. Replace smoke detectors every 10 years. Clean smoke detectors by dusting or vacuuming.

Plan and practice two escape routes out of the house and each room. It is important to have an alternate escape route in case one is blocked by fire. Fire drills should be practiced spontaneously at night since 50 percent of fire deaths in the home occur between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.Designate an outside meeting place. Once outside the house or apartment, all members of the family should meet at a designated spot to make sure all members of the family are accounted for quickly.

Teach Children Fire Safety

Time is precious when a fire starts in the home. Children need to be taught about the dangers of fire and what to expect so they can act quickly. An unprepared child will most likely attempt to hide from the fire instead of leaving the burning building. If a child is coached properly ahead of time, he or she will have a better chance of escaping. The extremely hot air caused by these high temperatures can cause severe lung damage when inhaled. In addition, adults and children can be overcome by odorless, colorless carbon monoxide fumes in less than two minutes, fall into a deep sleep, and never awaken. The Kansas SAFE KIDS Coalition recommends the following:

Teach children what the smoke detector alarm sounds like.

Teach children to crawl low under smoke. An estimated two-thirds of childhood fire deaths are caused by the smoke and toxic gasses produced as a fire develops and spreads.

Teach children to cover their mouths and noses. A moist towel is best, but a T-shirt or anything within reach can protect lungs from dangerous fumes.

Teach children to touch doors before opening them. If the door is hot, use a different exit.

Teach children never to go back into a burning building. Children should be reminded not to stop or return for anything such as a toy or to call 9-1-1. A call to 9-1-1 should be placed after leaving the premises.

Teach children to "stop, drop, and roll." Upon leaving the burning house or building, children whose clothes have caught on fire should immediately stop, drop to the ground, and roll themselves back and forth to quickly extinguish the flames.

Take children to your local fire station for a tour. Children will be able to see a firefighter in full firefighting gear and learn that he or she is someone who puts out fires and saves children.

Fires can frighten even the most prepared. But by thoroughly learning and practicing basic fire safety, a family will have a better chance at staying alive and safe.

The Kansas SAFE KIDS Coalition, Inc. is a nonprofit group of 60 statewide organizations and businesses that have joined to protect Kansas children from unintentional injury -- the leading killer of Kansas kids. Local coalitions and chapters are located in Wichita, Lawrence, Salina, Barber County, Topeka, Ford County, Manhattan, Pottawatomie County, and Clay County. Kansas SAFE KIDS is part of the National SAFE KIDS Campaign.