Fire safety advice for parents and child carers

The best way to teach children about fire safety is by example. Let your children see you being sensible and careful about cooking, candles and other potential fire risks. Find out more about talking to children about fire – and what they should do if there is one.

Fire and children

Fire is one of the most common causes of accidental injury and death among children. They are naturally drawn to the warmth and light of fire, but without proper guidance this can turn into a dangerous fascination. The following tips will help keep your children out of harm's way.

Talking to your children about fire

Give children under five clear instructions of what they should and shouldn’t do. With older children, it’s better to also explain why. You will probably need to talk about fire safety more than once, to make sure they have remembered and understood what you have taught them. Tell them:

• To tell a grown-up if they see matches or lighters lying around
• Never to play with matches, lighters or lighted candles
• Never to play, or leave toys, close to a fire or heater
• Not to put things on top of heaters or lights
• Not to pull on electric cables or fiddle with electrical appliances or sockets
• Never to switch on the cooker or put anything on top of it
• Never to touch any saucepans on the cooker