KANSAS FIRE MARSHAL

TOPEKA – Grilling on the barbecue and campfires are great ways to spend quality time outdoors in the summertime. Summer is also a season when kids spend a great deal of time home alone and need to be taught the importance of fire safety.

It’s important to remember any fire can cause serious injuries to children. In fact, summer is the season when there is an increase in visits to the emergency room due to fire and burn injury. Safe Kids Kansas and the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) remind families to take simple precautions which will prevent “What I Did This Summer” stories from including trips to the emergency room.

Preventing “Home Alone” Disasters
Bored kids at home alone over the summer can injure themselves or cause severe fire damage to their homes by playing with fire or even when cooking their meals on the stove. Parents need to talk to their kids about fire dangers and create and practice an escape plan, which includes two ways out of every room.

Kids should be taught to crawl low to the ground and be able to evacuate the home within two minutes, then call 911 from outside the home with a cell phone or at a neighbor’s house.

To prevent fires from occurring in the first place, parents should hide all matches and lighters and teach their children to practice kitchen safety. It is safest for parents to prepare meals for their children or teach them to prepare their food that does not require the use of a stove. Kids that parents deem responsible enough to cook their meals should be taught cooking safety, such as staying in the kitchen and remaining attentive to any items on the stove, using a timer to prevent food from burning, and knowing how to use a lid to smother a flaming skillet.

Safe Grilling
Grilling food outdoors is a national summer pastime. But before lighting up the grill, know the facts and keep safety in mind. Grill fires at home are estimated to cause an average of 10 deaths, 100 injuries, and $37 million in property loss each year in the U.S.

Follow these grilling safety tips:
 Gas and charcoal grills should only be used outdoors.
 The grill should be placed away from the home, deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.
 Keep children and pets away from the grill area
 Keep your grill clean by removing grease or fat buildup from the grills and in trays below the grill to prevent flare ups.
 Never leave your grill unattended.

Fun and Safe Camp Fires
Many families enjoy camping during the summer months and making s‘mores around the campfire is often part of that tradition. Be fire smart when you head for the great outdoors, and be prepared to take extra precautions when you may be far from a water source.

Follow these campfire safety tips:
 Supervise children and keep them away from the fire.
 Teach kids how to stop, drop and roll if their clothing catches fire.
 Keep plenty of water nearby and have a shovel for throwing sand or dirt on the fire if it gets out of control.
 Never leave a campfire unattended.

When extinguishing the fire, drown it with water. If you do not have water, use dirt. Continue adding and stirring until all material is cooled. However, do not bury coals, as they can smolder and start to burn again.

For more information about fire safety, visit www.safekids.org or www.firemarshal.ks.gov/firesafety.