As the days start getting cooler and the leaves begin turning color, you can almost smell fall in the air. The downside to this season is that it is also the time of year when incidents of home fires begin to rise. As families begin spending more time inside, the two primary causes of home fires, cooking and heating, become more prevalent.

October has been designated National Fire Safety Month so it’s a good time to review a fire safety checklist and educate your children on the dangers of fire and the importance of fire prevention.

According to the United States Fire Administration an estimated 2,500 children age 14 or younger are injured or killed in residential fires each year. Of these fire casualties, almost half were under the age of five and 70 percent were under the age of 10. What is perhaps equally disturbing is the amount of fires started by children. Every year, children set over 100,000 fires of which approximately 20,000 are in the home.

Many children learn about fire safety in school but it is never too early to start teaching or reinforcing what they are learning in school. And it is equally important for parents to ensure that fire hazards do not exist in their home.

The most important thing you can do is install and properly maintain smoke detectors in your home. Three-quarters of all fire related deaths are from smoke inhalation. These should be placed on each floor level, outside each sleeping area and in each bedroom.   Test the smoke alarm each month, replace the battery at least once a year and replace the smoke alarm every ten years, or as recommended by the manufacturer. (Source: USFA)

Creating a fire escape plan for your family will help avoid confusion and chaos in the event of a fire. Be sure each adult knows his or her role and what child he or she is responsible for helping. Review this plan with your children and establish a designated meeting place outside the home, preferably at a neighbor’s who can call 911. Children, especially younger ones, don’t necessarily comprehend the dangers of fire. Make sure they understand that once they are safely outside they never go back into the house for anything! Hold a mock fire drill and set your smoke detectors off so children become acquainted with the sound. 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. Also, demonstrate how to stop, drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire.

Many schools take trips to fire departments but if your child does not have this opportunity, call and ask for a visit. The sight of firefighters in all their gear and masks can be frightening to a child and in the event of a fire they might hide from them. Be sure to ask for stickers to be placed on bedroom windows alerting firefighters which bedrooms are occupied by children.

The following are a few tips to keep your home and your children safe from fire:

• Have a portable fire extinguisher easily accessible in fire hazard areas, such as the kitchen and fireplace.
• Ensure that extension cords are UL-listed and connected to an outlet. Do not connect one extension cord to another. Electrical outlets are designed for a certain amount of power demand. The use of multiple outlet extension cords can easily overload a circuit. It is also important not to run extension cords under rugs or carpets as they could become hot and start to burn.
• Never place a halogen floor lamp where it could come in contact with draperies, clothing or other combustible materials and remove them entirely from children’s bedrooms.  
• Do not leave children alone around open flames, stoves or candles.
• Keep matches, gasoline, lighters, paint thinners and other flammable materials out of children's reach, away from sources of heat and outside of the home.
• Make sure space heaters include a tip-over switch that shuts off automatically if accidentally turned over. Keep space heaters off of carpeting and at least three feet from draperies, blankets and sofas.