I am a little bit of a hypocondriac. Just a little. :O) So, when my weekly email from Parents.com came through with The 15 Biggest Safety Mistakes, I could hardly wait to tear in. Most of the items were pretty obvious. You know, tub safety, pool safety, cabinet locks and outlet covers. But there was one that I haven't thought of. I wanted to share it with my new/newish mommy friends. It is about firemen. Here is the paragragh:
Imagine how frightening a fire must be to a child. It's dark, and the smoke is like nothing he's ever seen or smelled before. Adding to his fear and confusion are the piercing smoke alarms and sirens of rescue vehicles. Then a stranger shows up looking like a space alien, wearing heavy bunker gear and a helmet and carrying an ax. Tragically, many child fire deaths occur because children run and hide from firefighters -- they are found dead in closets and under beds, says Mickalide.
I have never thought about this before. But I can see how this might be really scary!
Here is what it says to do:
Find a firefighter for your child to meet. Most community fire companies sponsor an open house at least once a year where firefighters stage safety demonstrations and allow kids to explore and try on their gear. (Your local fire department may also schedule demonstrations during Fire Prevention Week, usually the first or second week of October.)
Let the kids help you test the smoke alarms each month so they get used to hearing what they sound like. Don't just plan and talk about an escape route; if your kids are old enough, practice it, says Mickalide. Rehearse crawling through smoke, yelling "I'm over here," and getting to your outside meeting place.
I thought this was a really good thing to think about. I know that I worry about a lot of things that are beyond my control, but I want to know that I am doing everyting in my power to keep my family safe. In fact, I am thinking about bringing Benny to my local firestation every weekend for the next 5 years. ;o)
