YOU'RE IN CHARGE...KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN!
Babysitting can be a great way to earn money. With the job come responsibilities and the need to follow fire and burn safety rules. The Brunswick Fire Department suggests that babysitting can be a rewarding job, if you are prepared to handle any fire emergency.
Determine in advance if there is a smoke detector in the house and if a home fire escape plan has been prepared. If there is no smoke detector, bring one and hang it from a door on a bent coat hanger. Check the exits before parents leave. Learn how to lock and unlock windows and doors. Plan your way out in case of fire.
Keep the following phone numbers and house address with you: fire department, police department, rescue, poison control, family physician and where the parents can be reached.
If a fire occurs, get the child and yourself out at the first sound of the smoke detector. Do not investigate. Crawl with the child to the nearest exit (stay low to avoid the poisonous gases) and get out as quickly as possible.
Call the fire department from a neighbor's phone. Give the complete address and advise if everyone is out safely. Watch children so they don't go back in for toys or pets. Once in, they can become trapped.
Stay alert. Keep children's play out of the kitchen. When cooking, keep children in view in the next room and never hold a child while carrying hot food or drinks. A spill can seriously burn their sensitive skin. Keep matches, lighters, sharp objects, poisons and pot handles out of their reach.
Test the bath water before bathing a child. Hot water to you is TOO HOT for them. If the phone rings or you need to leave the room, take the child with you. It takes only a second for a child to slip under the water or turn on scalding hot water.
If a child is burned, pour cool water on the burn. Cover with a clean cloth and call the rescue squad. If the child's clothing has caught fire, make him/her lie down and roll him/her back and forth to smother the fire. Roll him/her in a blanket or coat, if available. Cool with water, but do not remove burned clothing if it is stuck to the skin.
Babysitting requires constant watching. Stay off the phone and avoid distractions. Check on the children periodically after they have gone to bed. Keep your eyes open. A child can grab an electrical cord, or play with matches in a matter of seconds. Don't let tragedy happen. Be a fire-safe and happy babysitter.