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Avoid
tragedy with safety measures
Recently
I responded on a fire call to one of the many day cares in the city.
Any fire can be stressful, but
these types of calls always raise your stress levels because of the large
number of young kids involved.
This time we were lucky. The first crews on the scene found the fire
was out, and workers at the day care had accounted for all the children.
I’m sure each of you can imagine the
relief we felt knowing that all the kids were safe, especially those
of you who have kids of your own. It sounds like a happy ending to a
situation that could have been very tragic.
Before we decide it’s a happy ending
let’s talk about the cause of the fire.
It seems one of the kids under the age
of 6 brought a lighter to school and set the paper towels in the
bathroom on fire. Luckily the paper towels were tightly compressed, which
made them difficult to burn, and one of the workers quickly extinguished the
fire after seeing smoke coming from around the bathroom door.
Where did this child get a lighter? I
don’t know the answer, but I would guess the child found it at home,
put it in his pocket and then brought it to the day care.
Kids playing with
matches is a story that is frequently repeated in homes all
across the nation, and unfortunately the ending is sometimes tragic. It’s not
uncommon for children to sneak off to their bedrooms with lighters or matches
they find in the home that have not been secured in an area that is
inaccessible by the ch i
l d ren .
It takes only a minute for the
fire to start and tragedy to strike.
As parents, we must realize
that young children are naturally curious and will play with anything they
find lying around, often times not realizing the danger involved. It is our
responsibility as parents to protect our kids from these dang ers.
In an earlier column I talked
about how simple decisions we make quickly and with little thought can
sometimes have a tremendous impact on our lives.
This could be one of those
decisions.
I hope each of you will go through
your home today and make it as safe as possible for your kids. Make
sure those lighters and matches are out of reach, remove poisons from
underneath your cabinets or make sure that your cabinet doors are locked and
protect your electrical outlets so your child cannot get shocked, just to
name a few.
Taking the time to make your house child safe could possibly eliminate
a tragic event that could have a devastating effect on your f u t u re.
Children are our most precious
resource, and, as each of you parents knows, love of our children is the
greatest love of all.
Nothing can bring as much joy as a
child, and in tragic situations nothing can be more painful.
Life is about choices so today
I want you to chose to make your home safer for your children. It is my hope
that you attend their graduations and marriages instead of seeing me on the
most tragic day of your life. 24/7/365: You call; we respond.
KENNETH LEE KNIGHT is a battalion chief in the High Point Fire
Department. He can be contacted at kenneth.knight@highpointnc.gov.
 
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