✼ Family F.Y.I. Calling All Patriots DEDICATION, DETERMINATION, PERSEVERANCE AND ENDURANCE – all values we want to teach our kids. On April 16, Marathon Monday, head out to show your family’s support for the 30,000 runners competing in the 122nd Boston Marathon, the oldest annual marathon in the world. You’ll also want to tell your kids what happened April 19, 1775, in Lexington and Concord, sites of the opening battles of America’s fight for independence, and the reason we celebrate Patriots’ Day in Massachusetts. Start out the week “Boston Strong,” then round out the school vacation week by perhaps attending one of the many special events you’ll find listed in our Calendar.
Fire Safety Tips for Children Paul Guarino, RN, BSN, EMT-P Trauma Educator Boston Children’s Hospital Trauma Center
F 1700
Historians estimate that April Fool’s Day dates back to approximately 1700 (although some wager that it may even have roots in the 1500s) when Britain’s biggest pranksters used the day to pull practical jokes on one another. In Scotland the LOL-inducing day actually became a twoday affair, kicking off with something called “hunting the gowk,” which involved sending friends and family off to run phony errands. 6
Boston Parents Paper | April 2018
ewer children die in fires today compared to 10 years ago thanks, in part, to an increase in public fire education and prevention efforts. Fire service professionals continue to make an impact on children and families through community outreach programs and preparedness education. The overall trend in fire related deaths of children ages 0 to 14 decreased 48 percent during 2006-2015. In 2015, the relative risk of dying in a fire for children ages 14 and under was 60 percent less than that of the general population. Here are some ways to keep your child safe in the event of a fire. • Make sure you have functional smoke detectors. Working smoke alarms reduce the chances of dying in a fire by nearly 50 percent. They are a critical first step for staying safe, but in order to be effective, they must be working properly. For the best protection, install smoke alarms on every level of your home and in every sleeping area. • Teach kids never to play with matches and lighters. Make a habit of placing these items up and away from young children. • Children should know how to respond to the sound of a smoke alarm. Teach them to get low and get out when they hear it. Children also need to know what to do when they hear a smoke alarm and there is no adult around. A child who is coached properly ahead of time will have a better chance to be safe. • Blow out candles before you leave the room or before you go to sleep. • Have an escape plan. Young children may not be able to get outside by themselves. You will need to wake babies and very young children and help them get out. In your plan, talk about who will help each child get out safely. • It is important to find two ways out of every room in your home, in case one exit is blocked or dangerous to use. • Choose a meeting place outside your home. Help them practice going to the outside meeting place. Teach them to never go back inside a building that is on fire. • Keep children 3 feet away from anything that can get hot. Space heaters and stove-tops can cause terrible burns. Children are naturally curious. Teach them about fire safety and use these steps to keep them safer from fire and burns.