Curious Kids Set Fires

Children under five are curious about fire. Often what begins as a natural exploration of the unknown can lead to tragedy.

bullet Children of all ages set over 35,000 fires annually. Approximately 8,000 of those fires are set in homes.
bullet Children make up 15-20% of all fire deaths.
bullet At home, children usually play with fire in bedrooms, in closets and under beds. These are "secret" places where there are a lot of things that catch fire easily.
bullet Too often, child firesetters are not given proper guidance and supervision by parents and teachers. Consequently, they repeat their firesetting behavior.

Birch Run Township

Fire Department

For burn permits, contact the Birch Run Township Office at (989) 624-9773.
 

Home Apparatus Inspections Burn Permits can be obtained at the Birch Run Township Office. Fire Safety

 

Chief Jim Letterman

8411 Main Street; P.O. Box 152

Birch Run, Michigan  48415

(989) 624-9561 phone  ∙  (989) 624-4482 fax

IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY DIAL 911

  

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About

Birch Run Township Fire Department protects an area of 36 square miles containing a residential population of more than 6,000 people, as well as a variety of businesses, including Prime Outlets, the Birch Run Expo Center and several hotels and restaurants.  The Birch Run Township Fire Department is responsible for fire suppression, fire prevention, fire code enforcement, search & rescue, carbon monoxide detection, vehicle extrication and medical first response. 

 

 

Curious Kids Set Fires

Every day Americans experience the tragedy of fire. Each year more than 3,500 Americans die in fires and approximately 20,000 are injured. Figures show that each year about 150 people are killed and $200 million in property is destroyed in fires attributed to children playing with fire.

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages parents to teach children at an early age about the dangers of fireplay in an effort to prevent child injuries, fire deaths and firesetting behavior in the future. Below are some facts about children and fire safety.

 

Practice Fire Safety in Your Home

bullet Supervise young children closely. Do not leave them alone even for short periods of time.
bullet Keep matches and lighters in a secured drawer or cabinet.
bullet Check under beds and in closets for burned matches, evidence your child may be playing with fire.
bullet Develop a home fire escape plan, practice it with your children and designate a meeting place outside.
bullet Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching children that fire is a tool, not a toy.
bullet Teach children the nature of fire. It is FAST, HOT, DARK and DEADLY!
bullet Teach children not to hide from firefighters, but to get out quickly and call for help from another location.
bullet Show children how to crawl low on the floor, below the smoke, to get out of the house and stay out in the case of fire.
bullet Demonstrate how to stop, drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire.
bullet Install smoke alarms on every level in your home.
bullet Familiarize children with the sound of your smoke alarm.
bullet Test the smoke alarm each month and replace the battery at least once a year.
bullet Replace the smoke alarm every ten years, or as recommended by the manufacturer.

 

Finally, having a working smoke alarm dramatically increases your chances of surviving a fire. And remember to practice a home escape plan frequently with your family.

 

Source:USFA.DHS.gov

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
   

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