Safe Kids Clark County News Articles

Written on Saturday, October 7th, 2006


October 8-14 is Fire Prevention Week

Nationwide, every year, nearly 2,000 children ages 14 and under are injured in residential fires, and more than 400 die. Safe Kids Clark County reminds parents and caregivers that approximately 80 percent of all fire-related deaths and injuries occur in the home.

The theme of Fire Prevention Week 2006, as proclaimed by the National Fire Protection Association and the President of the United States, is “Prevent Cooking Fires — Watch What You Heat.” Between 1999-2002, an average of 290 people each year were killed and 4,380 injured in fires involving cooking equipment, according to the NFPA. For details, visit www.firepreventionweek.org.

Safe Kids Clark County also reminds parents:

  • Keep matches, candles, gasoline, lighters and all other flammable materials locked away and out of children’s reach.
  • Never leave a burning candle unattended. Place candles in a safe location away from combustible materials and where children or pets cannot tip them over.
  • Place space heaters at least 3 feet from curtains, papers, furniture and other flammable materials. Make sure heaters are stable, and use protective coverings.
  • Ideally, get two different kinds of smoke alarms: ionization alarms to detect flames and photoelectric alarms to detect smoke from a slow-burning fire.
  • Consider a home sprinkler system. The combination of smoke alarms and sprinklers can reduce your chances of dying in a fire by 82 percent.

Halloween Safety

Children are four times more likely to be hit by a car on Halloween than any other night of the year. Parents should discuss the following safety tips with their children before leaving the house for trick-or-treating:

Visibility

  • Decorate costumes, bags and sacks with retroreflective tape and stickers.
  • Use costumes that are light or bright enough to make children more visible at night.
  • Consider using glow sticks to make yourself more visible.

Traffic

  • Teach children to walk, not run, while trick-or-treating.
  • Remind children to stop at all street corners before crossing. Tell them to cross streets only at intersections and crosswalks.
  • Teach them to look left, right and left again before crossing the street and to continue looking both ways as they cross.

Motorists

  • Slow down in residential neighborhoods.
  • Look for pedestrians at intersections before making turns.
  • Obey all traffic signs and signals.

For younger kids

  • Adults should accompany children under age 12 on their trick-or-treat rounds.
  • Attach the name, address and phone number (including area code) of children under age 12 to their clothes, in case they get separated from adults.
  • Parents should bring treats home and check them to ensure that items have not been tampered with and are safely sealed.

For older kids

  • Instruct children to travel only in familiar areas and along a pre-established route.
  • Instruct children never to enter a home or an apartment building unless accompanied by an adult.

At home

  • Remove breakable items or obstacles such as tools, ladders and children's toys from your steps, lawn and porch.
  • Keep walkways, steps and landings well-lit.

Halloween can indeed be scary, with not only a rise in pedestrian injuries but also an increase in falls and burns among children. As parents and children take time to construct costumes and decorations, the following precautions can help keep trick-or-treaters free of fall- and burn-related injuries.

  • Apply face paint or cosmetics directly to the face. They are safer than a loose-fitting mask that can obstruct a child's vision.
  • Dress children in shoes that fit. Adult shoes are not safe for trick-or-treaters, because they make it easier to trip and fall.
  • Teach children not to cut across yards. It’s hard to see hazards like lawn ornaments and rocks in the dark.
  • Look for "flame resistant" labels on costumes, masks, beards and wigs.
  • Use fire-resistant material when making costumes.
  • Avoid costumes made of flimsy material and outfits with big, baggy sleeves and skirts.

Have a safe and happy Halloween from your Safe Kids Clark County Coalition!

Changes at Checkup Events

Beginning with our October 2006 events, SKCC will start limiting vehicles served to 40 at each event. Our volunteers have been overwhelmed by the success of every event and are pleased to help Clark County children ride safely; however, in order to give each parent the individual instruction needed to correctly install car seats, we must limit the number of people we serve.

If you feel you haven't learned how to install and use your car seat while at our checkup event, please ask to be shown again. We want to make sure that all of your questions are answered and that you are comfortable installing your car seat. Thank you for taking the time to make sure your child is riding safely and for supporting Safe Kids Clark County!