Fire Prevention Tips for Babysitters

A good babysitter is not necessarily a person that the family has known for years, but someone whom they have come to trust as a dependable, professional, safety conscious individual who enjoys being with their children. There is no one characteristic that defines a good babysitter, but the American Red Cross offers a few tips that will help you become a safety conscious individual when it comes to fire prevention.

• Always be aware that an infant or child can be burned by anything that is hot, including food, bath water, heaters, and stoves or ovens.
• Make sure that homes where you baby-sit are equipped with operating smoke alarms.
• Keep matches, lighters, and candles away from children at all times.
• Talk to parents or guardians about a Family Fire Escape Plan.
• Know how to use the fire extinguisher and where it is located.
• Teach children to Stop, Drop, and Roll if their clothing catches on fire.
• If fire occurs, get yourself and the children out of and do not return to a burning building. Your job is to protect the children, not the belongings.

If you are interested in learning more about safety, prevention, and babysitting, take the American Red Cross Babysitter's Training course. For information on signing up for a course, contact you local Red Cross