01/09/10 84 W, 1 I - + 5 - 5 Five-Year-Old Sets Home on Fire
That's the headline on this WTVD story of last night's house fire in Holly Springs at 221 W. Ballentine Street. "I got the lighter and the house just burned" said the boy to ABC11 Eyewitness News. No injuries, and the house is a total loss. Holly Springs E2, E1, E3, R1, B1; Apex E4, L4, R4; EMS 17, 42, D2 were among the units on scene. The article also features four photos from Thomas Babb.
Thomas Babb/WTVD photo
Good gob by dad getting everyone out! That boy is lucky, nationwide stats show that over 50% of juveniles involved in fireplay are burned. Lesson here? Absolutley! Will the right people take the appropriate course of action and make this a “teachable moment”? I hope so, the news has already helped with half of that aspect. I hope someone follows up with the family and the boy for some target education, if the family is willing to participate.
Im sure most of you who know me are not supprised to see me commenting on this blog entry, but its just a reminder that fire prevention should be a year-round effort; not just one month out of the year. Firefighters either enjoy doing pub-ed or hate it with a passion, commonly griping that “we’re putting ourselves out of a job”. That really bothers me when I hear that…consider a different outcome with this story-“Father and 2 Sons Perish in Fire”. Many of us would grunt and call that a tragedy, but is it? Tragedies are rarely preventable. Hurricane Katrina was a tragedy, the great pacific tsunami was a tragedy. Instances such as the one above are preventable; with proper education, and legislative efforts such as the ban on novelty lighters. Children look up to firefighters and we should take advantage of that while we can, with comprehensive educational programs, and teachable moments such as these. For the ones who think we are putting ourselves out of a job with sprinkler initiatives and public education, remember- you cant prevent lightning or acts of nature, and unfortunatley there will always be negligence and acts of malice.
J.Boggs - 01/09/10 - 23:11
Well said Jason.
D.Cates - 01/09/10 - 23:32