KDHE Home - News 2000 - News Release

Kansas
Department of Health & Environment
Bill Graves, Governor
Clyde D. Graeber, Secretary

September 28, 2000

Contact: Jan Stegelman, 785-296-1223

Don't Let Fire Devastate Your Family

Fire can be furious and deadly -- the smoke alone can kill. Ninety-four (94) Kansas children ages 0-14 died in fires from 1990-1998. Unfortunately, in 1998, one out of every two Kansas child fire deaths occurred in homes with no working smoke detector.

"Fires do not discriminate. Children, especially those ages 4 and under, are at greatest risk from home fire related death and injury," said Jan Stegelman, Coordinator, Kansas SAFE KIDS Coalition. "Fires can frighten even the most prepared families. But by thoroughly learning and practicing basic fire safety, a family will have a better chance at making sure everyone escapes safe and sound."

The Kansas SAFE KIDS Coalition is asking Kansas families to plan and practice their own fire escape by participating in Fire Drills: The Great Escape! during Fire Prevention Week October 8-14. Participating families will sound their home smoke detector and practice their escape route during a national fire drill on October 11 at 7 p.m. The drill, sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association, is a three-year safety campaign to help families prepare to survive a home fire. To date, NEPA has documented 58 lives saved (including 7 Kansans) as a direct result of family participation in the program.

"The tragic deaths of six Kansas children and the near-death of two others so far this year demonstrates why it is crucial for every family in our state to make sure that their home is equipped with working smoke detectors and that their children know what to do in the case of a fire," says Stegelman. "Our hope is that 'The Great Escape' motivates parents and children to start practicing their home escape plans regularly. Community groups can also help spread that word that Smoke Detectors Save Lives by utilizing the materials and ideas in the Get Alarmed! Smoke Detector Community Action Kit available from the Kansas SAFE KIDS Coalition."

The Get Alarmed! Smoke Detector Community Action Kit is offered to community groups and individuals to promote compliance with the Kansas Smoke Detector Act. The Smoke Detector Act requires that all single-family residences have at least one working smoke detector on every level of the dwelling. In rental units, the law requires the owner/landlord to supply and install the required smoke detectors. Occupants are responsible for testing and maintaining smoke detectors within their living quarters. The law also requires that any dwelling built after January 1, 1999 have smoke detectors hard-wired into the building's electrical system.

Eliminate Potential Hazards

A small fire can transform into a deadly fire within minutes. To help prevent a fire, parents and caregivers 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 for children ages 5 and under. Children should be taught that lighters are tools, not toys.

• 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 frayed electrical wires and 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 residential fire are cut in half when a smoke detector is present. The Kansas SAFE KIDS Coalition suggests the following:

• Buy and install smoke detectors. Install smoke detectors on every level of your home and in every sleeping area.

• Consider installing both ionization alarms -- better at sensing flaming fires, and photoelectric alarms -- better at sensing slow, smoky fires.

• Test and maintain smoke detectors regularly. Test smoke detectors monthly. Replace batteries at least once a year. Replace smoke detectors every 10 years.

• 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. Adults and children can be quickly 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 the sound of a smoke detector.

• Teach children to crawl low under smoke. An estimated three-fourths of childhood fire deaths are caused by the smoke and toxic gases 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 an alternative 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, every member of your family will have a better chance at staying alive and safe. For more information or to order the Get Alarmed Community Action Kit, call the Kansas SAFE KIDS Coalition at (785) 296-1223.

The Kansas SAFE KIDS Coalition, Inc. is a nonprofit group of 67 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 Barber, Clay, Ford, Johnson, Marion, Osage, Pottawatomie, and Shawnee Counties, as well as Hutchinson, Lawrence, Leavenworth, Manhattan, Norton, Salina, and Wichita. Kansas SAFE KIDS is part of the National SAFE KIDS Campaign.

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