On the heels of winter and the thought of space heaters and electric blankets, household fires are fresh in my mind. Here in Kansas City there have been multiple house fires with children involved and although hopefully warmer weather is on the way, there are a few thoughts to keep in mind — did you know that some children can't distinguish a smoke alarm in their sleep?
The folks at Charles & Hudson reminded us of an important family practice — fire drills. Although we all know they're important and might have run one or two in the past, they mention a survey where many children aged 6-13 couldn't determine the sound of a smoke alarm in their sleep. They can however make out their parents voices so investing in an alarm that allows you to record your voice is suggested.
Making a family plan and even practicing in the middle of the night (or just midnight) can be a sigh of relief to know they know what to do in an emergency. Remember you might not always be able to get to your child, so them knowing what to do and where to go is more important than you might think, there's always the possibility that you won't be able to remove them yourself. More thoughts over at Charles & Hudson.
(Image: Flickr member PMC 1stPix licensed for use by Creative Commons)
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My husband is a firefighter and he told me just today that the majority of child deaths in a fire are children under the age of 5. So start practicing very early. And one thing that he always stresses is to take your child to the local fire department and have a firefighter put on all his gear. Little kids are terrified of firemen in all their gear (they look like monsters) and sometimes they will hide in closets or under beds when they see the scary fireman in their room. Getting them used to the firefighter in their gear at the station is a good way to nip that in the bud.
@LaurenMonty, that's a cool idea. Our local fire station won't give tours to kids under 5...but I wonder if phrasing it that way would help them change their mind.