With National Fire Prevention Month in October and National Child Safety and Prevention Month coming up in November, it’s important for parents to teach good safety habits early.
Baltimore’s Child spoke to the Baltimore City Fire Department (BCFD) to discuss fires and fire safety. A fire is a risk that, despite hanging heavy over our heads, is not addressed often enough. In addition to talking about fire safety and precautions with children, BCFD also emphasizes how important it is to bring up this issue with adults and seniors as well. Here are some tips for families from Shana Haughton, a BCFD firefighter.
What is the significance of teaching kids about fire?
I think the significance of teaching kids about fire is to prepare them for an eventual situation where they actually might be in a fire. In Baltimore City, we have a fire every day, and when we educate kids about fire, we take away the stigma. Usually, during fires, we’ve observed how kids tend to go back in to get a pet or loved one, and I think it’s so important to teach them to depend on firefighters to get their loved ones out. Families must have a plan, which includes delegating a safe meeting spot where the agreement should be that ‘If something happens, I will meet you there, and if I don’t end up there, you’ll automatically know that something is wrong.’ Families need to sit and ask each other the important questions that include: If a fire takes place, where do we go? What is our safe meeting spot? Where are our emergency supplies? How will we call 911? The main issue is that we’re so caught up in our busy schedules that we’ve forgotten fire safety precautions. Recently, there was a survey that asked people what they were most scared of, and fire appeared way down in this list.
You mentioned that there’s a stigma around fire. Can you talk more about this?
I think the biggest stigma is the fear that people have of being burnt or being left in a dangerous place alone. In movies, fire is depicted as an overwhelming force that is overpowering and everywhere. It’s important for people to realize that firefighters are trained to know how fires work, so that takes away fear.
How can schools contribute to a fire-safe environment?
Repetition makes everything safe! I don’t like calling it a fire drill, because fires don’t have a drill, but if schools have a plan of what to do in the scene of a fire, it makes everything a lot easier. When we practice basics with children such as lining up, evacuating and telling the authorities if someone is missing, it sinks into their muscle memory. Kids tend to be more serious when they go through something over and over again, and when they do that, it takes away the associated hesitation and fear.
What are the prime causes of fire?
Cooking is the No. 1 cause of fire! Everyone wants to cook, right from kids and adults to senior citizens. This is why fire safety is constantly emphasized during cooking. Another cause of fire is extension cords, because people use them to plug into anything and everything. It’s so important to remember that this is not very practical, as extension cords are built for temporary use and not for anything long term. This is why people need to be very mindful of what they’re buying. Extension cords were built in 1947… and a lot has changed since then!
What is one thing that people must remember with context to fires?
It’s so important for people to remember how precious they are and how precious their families are! In the rush of life and living, they tend to forget this. As a firefighter, I want to remind people how precious they are to me. People don’t take certain problems seriously until it actually happens, and this is when they need to remember that they’re irreplaceable to someone. I really believe that in the one moment when you believe that nothing will happen, well, that is exactly when something devastating can take place. Please remember that it took so many generations of people to create one of you! Don’t take moments for granted, and as firefighters, that’s what we’re here to do… to make sure that you remember this. People need to be reminded about how precious they are, and that’s why when I interact with the senior population, I begin by telling them that they’re my gems!
What is your most memorable moment as a firefighter?
My most memorable moment is actually my first fire, which was in a summer kitchen at the back of a house in Baltimore! It was my first fire out of academy, and I put everything that I had learned so far into practice that day. I jumped out with my gear on and grabbed the hose, ready to take on the fire. This is when the senior guys who were older than me told me to slow down and look to see what was around me before dealing with it. I think this was an important lesson that I began using in other aspects of my life as well, even when I was not fighting fears. It’s not always the best idea to take a problem head-on. Pausing and looking around is so important!
What message do you want to give families on the occasion of National Child and Safety Prevention Month?
I want people to know that I will be there on the worst day of their life only to help them get through it. During certain rescues, when we’ve gone into homes, people have begged us to be mindful of their things and to not “destroy” their house. This is exactly why I want people to know that, as firefighters, we try our personal best to be conscious and mindful of their needs. We will do everything we can to help them.
