Tips for protecting children during the summer
DURING the long summer months, children will be spending much of their time at home. To safeguard against mishaps, the National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC) and the Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB) are recommending simple practices that guardians can adopt to ensure children’s safety during this holiday period.
Acting Chief Executive Officer of the NPSC, Andre Miller, said there are several safety measures parents can adopt to protect their children.
He emphasises that children under the age of 12 must not be left alone.
“At no time should they be left in any area unsupervised. However, in the event that children are left at home during the holiday, parents must ask a neighbour or a family friend to check in on them periodically,” Miller advised.
Here are some other tips:
1. A list of emergency numbers should be written down and given to the children or the neighbour. They should also be placed on the refrigerator door and near the exit doors of the house. These should include the parents’ work and cell numbers and the contact information of the family doctor and the numbers for the nearest police station. The numbers of a neighbour and a close friend should also be written down and placed in a prominent area that is easily accessible.
2. Even while parents may leave children with an older sibling during the summer period, it is important to remember that teenagers are also children. Strict rules should be put in place or written down in the absence of the parents.
3. He also recommends that parents with a hectic work schedule check on the child regularly, two to three times daily via the telephone or messaging services, to ensure that the child is safe.
4. Swimming is a favourite activity during the hot summer months, and the NPSC official says parents must be vigilant when their children engage in this activity. “If your home has a pool, ensure that your child cannot access it without adult supervision. Encourage your child not to visit rivers or beaches without your permission or adult supervision. Parents must be extra vigilant when it comes to large bodies of water and their children.”
5. Acting Assistant Superintendent, Fire Prevention Division, Jamaica Fire Brigade, Romeo Boyd, says guardians must supervise children closely, particularly in the kitchen. He advises guardians to ensure that children abstain from putting paper under a lit stove and to keep lighters and matches out of the reach of children. He is also advising parents to discourage children from putting foreign objects in electrical outlets.
6. The Fire Brigade official adds that all households should formulate an emergency plan, ensuring that every member of the family is familiar with it, particularly children. “Whether at work or at home you need to formulate an emergency plan in the event of a fire. Gather the family to organise this plan and determine where the emergency exits are, map out the shortest and safest routes to exit the building, and determine an assembly point for every member of the family,” Boyd said.
7. The numbers of the nearest fire station should be written down and placed in a prominent area that is central and accessible to everyone.
