Safety tips for kids (and parents) to prevent fires, handling electricity

EVER wondered what to do in a scary situation such as a fire, electrocution or an electrical burn?

Here are some tips for your parents and yourself, to keep safe, from City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse:

During a fire, a child should be taught beforehand if anything happens, they should stop, drop and roll if their clothing is alight.

Children should also be encouraged not to play with matches or lighters and these items should be stored in a safe place where it cannot be reached.

Inside the home, everyone should be taught not to overload power points and run electrical wires underneath carpets.

Electrical equipment should also be kept away from children and they should be educated not to play at an electrical substation.

If a child’s clothing has caught alight, he must be covered with a blanket – only remove loose clothing from the skin (not clothing stuck to the skin).

Most importantly, mommy or daddy should seek medical attention if anything is wrong and run the burn area under cold water for about 20 minutes before reaching the hospital or doctor.

The City said children should be taught from a young age the difference between hot and cold taps and the dangers.

A minor should not be left alone in the bathroom and always test the water with your elbow to know whether the water is cool enough for a bath. Always place cold water first into the bath.

If you or your parents want to know more about these safety precautions and information, visit.https:// www.childsafe.org.za/fire.html

If your child needs any medical attention, Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Rondebosch deals with burns involving children.

Carelse said safety was everyone’s role at home.

“Most house fires are caused by carelessness and not being properly prepared in the event of a fire,” he said.

“Smoking cigarettes, matches, lighters, candles, heating appliances and equipment like electrical blankets can all cause fires if not carefully monitored,” said Carelse.

“Keep matches out of reach and cut candles cut in half to prevent them from falling over, and use a candle holder. Do not smoke in bed.

“If you can afford a fire extinguisher, get one in your home; if not, keep a bucket of sand in your kitchen – throwing sand over a fire, especially an oil fire can help to contain it before it gets out of control.”

Carelse added due to the pandemic, educational programmes about fire safety could not be held at schools and Early Childhood Development centres.