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Injury Prevention |
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What You Need To Know
The 10 to 14 year old who is home alone may be faced with the need to make decisions about many things.
For example:
- What should I do when I get home?
- What should I do if I lose my key?
- What should I do if the power goes out?
- What should I do if I am not feeling well?
- Who can I call if I need help?
The "Am I Ready" questionnaire (pg. 5 & 6) helped you to identify some of the things that you need to talk about. Make a list of some of the decisions that your 10 to 14 year old might have to make when home alone:
- About home safety
- About emergency situations
- About the rules
The "You Are Not A.L.O.N.E." Worksheet is a checklist that families should talk about to make sure everyone is clear on what is expected.
When you have talked about the checklist, the 10 to 14 year old should write in all the answers. This is to make sure he or she knows how to act in different situations. Emphasize that in a situation they are not too sure about, the best policy is to call a parent/guardian or the emergency support person.
"You Are Not A.L.O.N.E." worksheet
Home Safety
When planning to stay home alone, it is important to think about safety and injury prevention. Consider the possible dangers and talk about how they should be handled. This will increase families' confidence and children's safety, as will the emergency phone numbers and a well stocked first aid kit.
Physical Activities
When discussing physical activities, always choose safe and appropriate activities and locations. For suggestions on activities, call your local health department.
Food Preparation
Kitchens are equipped with many tools that make food preparation quick and easy but injuries can happen. Follow these tips to protect yourself when making safe and healthy snacks.
- If you use a microwave oven, use only microwave safe containers, lids and wraps. Do not use aluminum foil or any metal containers.
- Keep a supply of foods you are able to prepare.
- Use a knife that is the right size and blade for the food you need to cut.
- Don't pry toast from a plugged-in toaster. Pull the plug first.
Fire
Young people should learn about fire safety from an early age. If a fire happens in your home you must act quickly, but the best protection is prevention. Learn how to prevent a fire in your home. Your local Fire Department can provide you with fire safety information.
How To Play it Safe
Most people die from smoke inhalation and not from the actual fire. Aside from prevention, working smoke alarms are one of the best ways to save lives in a fire situation. Remind your parents to have smoke alarms on every level of your home, outside all sleeping areas, and in bedrooms if the doors are shut.
Change the batteries in your smoke alarms when you change your clocks in the spring and fall. Also, clean your smoke alarms with a vacuum cleaner every six months and test every month. A twice yearly smoke test, done by an adult, using a piece of string or incense is also important smoke alarm maintenance.
Fire Safety If You Live In A House
- Practice fire drills with your family regularly. Plan your escape route. Know two safe ways out of every room, for example, door and window. Climb down an escape ladder if necessary, never attempt to jump. Choose a meeting place outside the house. Get out and stay out.
- If you smell smoke or hear the alarm, get down, and crawl to the door. Feel the door with the back of your hand. If the door is hot, don't open it - use the second way out instead.
- If the door is cool, open it carefully. If there is no smoke, stay low and get out fast. Close all doors behind you. Never try to hide - you can't hide from smoke. If there is smoke and no other way out, crawl under the smoke to safety.
- Go to the meeting place outside your home, well away from the fire and smoke. Once outside, stay out. Call "911" from a neighbour's home. (If you do not live in a "911" area, call your local Fire Department.)
- If your clothes catch fire, STOP, DROP and ROLL. STOP - because flames get bigger when you run. DROP to the ground and cover your face. ROLL on the ground to smother the flames.
Fire Safety If You Live In An Apartment Building
- If there is a fire in your apartment, tell everyone in it to leave. Close all the doors behind you and leave the door unlocked. Pull the fire alarm on your floor and yell FIRE. Leave the building using the nearest stairway. Call the fire department when you are safe.
- When you hear the fire alarm in your building, check the door to your apartment. If smoke is coming in from around the door, do not open it. If there is no smoke, open the door a little. If you see smoke and feel heat, close the door quickly.
- If the hallways are clear, take your keys, lock the door and go to the nearest stairway. DO NOT USE THE ELEVATOR. If there is smoke in that stairway, go to another stairway. Open the stairway door carefully if there is no smoke, use the stairway to leave the building.
- If you find smoke on your way down the stairs, return to your apartment. Or go to any hallway and bang on apartment doors until you find a place to take shelter. NEVER GO TO THE ROOF. Smoke usually rises and the roof door is usually locked.
- Wherever you are, if there is smoke, crawl underneath it. The air is cleaner near the floor. Smoke contains carbon monoxide and it will overcome you very quickly.
- If you cannot escape from the building, return to your apartment. You must protect yourself from smoke. Stay in your apartment. Use duct tape to seal the cracks around the door. Place wet towels at the bottom of the door.
- Seal vents and air ducts the same way. Call "911" and tell them where you are. Then move to the balcony, if there is one. Close the doors behind you.
- Show the rescuers where you are by hanging a sheet from the window or balcony. Keep low to the floor where the air is cleaner. Listen for instructions.
For more information about fire safety, call your local Fire Department.
Electricity
What Is It?
You use electrical energy every time you flip a switch or turn on the TV or computer. But electricity does many wonderful things, it is very powerful and can be dangerous when not used properly. Follow these tips to help protect yourself:
- If you see a wire hanging from a pole, stay away from it. Warn others to do the same, and have someone call "911" or your local emergency number.
- A green metal box or other equipment with a red hazard sign on it means there is high voltage equipment inside. It warns you that opening or poking anything into it could cause electrocution.
- Never climb a hydro pole or a tree growing near power lines. If a branch comes into contact with an electrical cable, current will travel down the tree, making it dangerous.
- Fly kites or model airplanes only in open areas, never near power lines.
- Don't pry toast from a plugged-in toaster. Pull the plug first.
- Water and electricity don't mix! Keep radios, hair dryers and other electrical devices away from sinks, bath tubs and swimming pools.
- Never touch anyone who is in contact with electricity, as the current can pass to you. To help, use a wooden object to move the victim away from the electrical source and call "911".
- Keep a flash-light in a handy location in case there is a power failure.
For more information about electrical safety, call your local Hydro agency.
Natural Gas
Natural gas is one of the safest, most dependable sources of energy used today. Many common household appliances use natural gas for their fuel, including furnaces, water heaters, dryers, ranges and even gas fireplaces. You may have one or more of these appliances in your home.
As with any fuel burning appliance, a natural gas appliance has to be installed and maintained properly. Proper installation and regular maintenance by a qualified service technician combined with proper use and care by the householder, will ensure the safest and most efficient operation of the appliance. However, neglecting these could lead to problems such as: a natural gas leak or spillage of carbon monoxide gas into the house.
The following procedures describe what children should do if they suspect either one of these problems:
What to do if you suspect a gas leak?
- Natural gas has no odour. However, a harmless chemical is added to the gas to make it smell "stinky" like rotten eggs. That way, you can tell if there is a natural gas leak in your house or outside.
- If you ever think that you smell natural gas, go to a neighbour's house right away and have them call their local fuel distributor.
What to do if you suspect a carbon monoxide problem?
- Carbon monoxide is a gas which you cannot see, smell or taste - but it is very dangerous. Breathing carbon monoxide into your body can cause: headaches, hurting eyes, tiredness, weakness, dizziness, or sickness. In very severe cases, carbon monoxide poisoning can cause: unconsciousness, brain damage or even death.
- If you or someone else in your home has any of the symptoms listed above: gather everyone together and go to a neighbour's house right away. Have them call "911" (or if not in a 911 area, call your local emergency number).
Follow these procedures even if you have a carbon monoxide detector that hasn't yet alarmed. It is possible that the detector may not be detecting the problem properly.
Streetproofing
10 to 14 year olds should know:
- Their name, age, telephone numbers, address, city and province.
- How to call "911" or their local emergency number in the event of an emergency.
- To tell their parents and guardians where they are at all times.
- Never to admit they're home alone when answering the phone.
- How to answer the door if they are home alone.
- Never to invite unexpected guests in when home alone.
- Never approach or enter a stranger's car when walking on their own.
- If they are being followed, to run home or go to the nearest public place and yell for help.
- To report to their parents or guardians, school authorities or a police officer, anyone who acts suspiciously towards them.
- To carry enough money or phone card to make a phone call.
- They should trust their feelings and say NO to an adult, especially if that adult wants them to do something wrong.
- Their parents and guardians are sensitive to their fears and that those fears can be talked about.
For more information about street safety, call your local Police Department.
Important phone numbers
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