Avon Fire & Rescue Service is marking Child Safety Week by sharing important advice to help parents and carers keep their children safe from accidents at home.
Image © Avon Fire & Rescue Service
A key risk is fire in the home. The fire service is encouraging families to plan how they would escape their home in the event of a fire and to practice the plan with their children.
Advice includes keeping all exits clear in your home, and if they were to become blocked, thinking about how you would get out.
Steve Quinton, AF&RS Risk Reduction Area Manager, said: “Child Safety Week isn’t about causing carers to be fearful, it’s about empowering them to take steps to protect their children and educate them on how to stay safe.
“Planning an escape route with your children is one of the best ways to prepare for the worst. The next time you are putting your youngsters to bed think about how you would get out safely if there was a fire.
“Do you have an escape route and does everyone in the house know it?”
There is a risk of fire in every room of the home, but the kitchen can be a particularly dangerous place for children. Firefighters are urging parents to avoid leaving them in a kitchen unsupervised.
Some of the top tips to keep your children safe from fire include:
- Avoid using the front of the hob when small children are around.
- Make sure that saucepan handles don’t stick out to avoid them being knocked off.
- Fit a childproof guard in front of open fires or heaters.
- Teach children not to poke anything, including fingers, into sockets and consider getting plug guards.
- Remember to keep things that can cause fire, such as matches and lighters, out of children’s reach.
The Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) hosts the annual Child Safety Week to encourage parents and carers to think of the dangers that exist in the home.
