Lighting a fire on a snowy winter night is a great way to stay cozy. It’s an indulgence for many families, but it poses risks if there is little to no awareness of the hazards or ways to prevent them. Before cuddling up next to your crackling fire, brush up on these fireplace safety tips.
Clear the Area
Look above, below and next to your fireplace for objects that could catch fire, especially flammable ones. Keep all items at least two feet away to keep them from catching.
Remain in the Room
Never leave an active fire unsupervised. The fire can easily get out of hand and you will want to make sure your children are staying away from the open flames and hot surface!
Safety Screens
The glass door on fireplaces doesn’t protect all from getting burned. Put up safety screens to provide a barrier between the hot glass and anyone near the fire.
Tools & Accessories
Brooms and pokers make fireplace management easy, but they look like toys to children. Store these items away to avoid accidents.
Hard Surfaces
The materials used to build fireplaces like stone and marble are not soft. Make sure to keep an eye on your child while he or she is around the fireplace to prevent hard landings.
Education
Teach your children the dangers of fires by creating and practicing a home fire escape plan. Make sure they feel confident in knowing where to go and what to do if a fire were to occur.
Pediatric Urgent Care of Northern Colorado is ready to help repair your fire-related accidents! If you have any questions on the severity of accidents we can repair versus the emergency room, call us at 970-494-2626!