Child Safety Week keeps families protected

During the current pandemic and with many children not yet returning to school, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service is urging everyone to think about keeping themselves and their family safe.

Child Safety Week takes place from June 1-7 2020 and the host of the national campaign, Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT), has responded to Covid-19 and adapted the focus of the week to meet the current changing needs of families, to help keep them as safe at home as possible.

Steve McCormick, Prevention Manager for Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “CAPT are doing a brilliant job helping to keep people safe during the current pandemic so we want to support the campaign by highlighting to our local residents that sadly accidents can happen.

“Our home should be a safe place to be, so we would like help keep it that way by offering advice to prevent fires starting and highlight other possible safety issues and advice.”

A cup of tea or coffee might be the little relief that helps us get through our days at the moment but hot drinks pose a serious danger to little hands that can grab when our backs are turned.

The same goes for hot pans in the endless round of breakfast, lunch and dinner, not to mention bath water scalds when we might be distracted and forgetful.

Steve added: “We want to keep people safe, not scare anyone, and there are lots of reasons why a fire can accidently start in the home.  Some of the main causes include being distracted in the kitchen or leaving appliances plugged in or switched on, or candles being unattended.

“Should you experience a fire in your home, your chances of everyone escaping safely will greatly improve if you have an effective escape plan. If you haven’t already got one in place then make it a priority today, along with ensuring you have working smoke alarms on every level of your home.

“Finally if you ever find a fire in your home, do not tackle it yourself. You need to ‘Get Out, Stay Out, Call 999’.”

For more information to help keep your family safe during this time please visit www.cheshirefire.gov.uk