ew parents and others who care 

for babies and small children need

to pay special attention to fire safety.

Children under age 5 are twice as likely 

to die in a fire than the rest of us. In fact,

toddlers age 3 to 4 actually cause a large

number of home fires by playing with

lighters and matches. And when fire

breaks out, babies and toddlers can’t

escape without your help. Help keep 

children in your care safe. 

PREPARE — make your home safer by storing matches, lighters, and other firestarters away from children; maintaining

working smoke alarms; and developing a

home fire escape plan.

PRACTICE fire safety — especially your

home fire escape plan!

PREVENT THE UNTHINKABLE.

How effective are smoke 

alarms? Should I 

put one near my 

baby’s room? 

What can we do to help 

make sure that our family, 

especially the little ones, can 

escape a fire safely? 

N

UNITED STATES FIRE ADMINISTRATION

16825 South Seton Avenue

Emmitsburg, MD 21727

www.usfaparents.gov

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

When it comes to your family’s

smallest smallest members, members, remember: remember:

Love alone won’t save them.

Practicing acticing fire safety will.

My child is curious 

about fire. Should 

I be concerned? 

What can I do? 

How effective are smoke 

alarms? Should I 

put one near my 

baby’s room? 

What can we do to help 

make sure that our family, 

especially the little ones, can 

escape a fire safely? 

N

Love alone didn ve alone didn’t save her save her. 

Practicing

fire safety d afety did. 

PARENTS’ GUIDE

to Fire Safety for Babies and Toddlers

PREPARE. PRACTICE. PREVENT THE UNTHINKABLE.

FA-251 June, 2003
FACT: Two thirds of home fires that

kill children occur in homes without 

a working smoke alarm.

FACT: Matches, lighters, and other

heat sources are the leading causes

of fire-related deaths for children

under age 5.

Q

A Q

A

Q

A Yes, you should be concerned—and

you can do a lot. Children do not understand 

the dangers of fire. In fact, children playing 

with matches and lighters start many of the

home fires that kill children. 

❑ Calmly but firmly explain to your child that

matches and lighters are tools for adults to

use carefully. Teach young children to tell 

an adult if they see matches or lighters.

❑ Always store matches and lighters out of 

children’s reach and sight, preferably in a

locked cabinet.

❑ Purchase only child-resistant lighters.

Remember: no lighter is child proof!

❑ Never use lighters or matches as a source 

of amusement. Children may imitate what 

you do.

❑ Always supervise young children closely.

❑ Prevent fires by practicing and teaching fire

safe behaviors in your home. Keep children 3

feet away from the stove when cooking, don’t

overload outlets, have your heating systems

checked annually and use deep ashtrays 

and soak the ashes in water, if you smoke.

When children die in home

fires, it is most often in homes where 

there are no working smoke alarms. When fire

breaks out, you have only seconds to escape its

heat, black smoke and deadly gases. Working

smoke alarms help you get out in time. Smoke

alarms save lives. 

❑ Put working smoke alarms on each floor of

your home, outside sleeping areas, and inside

bedrooms where the doors are often closed.

❑ If you keep the door to your infant’s room

closed, keep a working smoke alarm inside

the room and use a baby monitor so that 

you can hear the alarm sound.

❑ As soon as you know children are ready, 

familiarize them with the sound of your

smoke alarms. Teach them that if one goes

off, they must crawl on the floor under 

the smoke, leave the home, and meet at a 

designated place outside. 

❑ Smoke alarms must be maintained. Test the

batteries in your smoke alarms monthly.

Replace the batteries at least once a year.

A fire can engulf your home in a matter of 

seconds. You’ll need to react quickly. Be prepared

with a detailed fire escape plan. Practice it with

your children, as often as you can and at least

twice a year. Children who have practiced an

escape plan are less likely to panic and hide and

more likely to get out safely. 

❑ Your fire escape plan begins with a basic 

diagram of your home. Mark all windows and

doors, and plan two routes out of each room. 

❑ Consider several fire scenarios, such as a fire

starting in the kitchen, basement or bedroom.

❑ Figure out the best way for you to help babies

and toddlers get out. How will you get to

them? Carry them? You may want to keep a

baby harness near the crib, to carry the baby

and leave your hands free for another child. If

you have older children too, have them practice crawling, touching doors, or going to the

window, according to your escape plan.

❑ Prepare an alternate fire escape plan so that

you can escape safely with young children

even if one parent or guardian is away when 

a fire occurs.

❑ When practicing the fire escape plan, show

children how to cover their nose and mouth 

to reduce smoke inhalation.

❑ Keep home exits clear of toys and debris.

❑ Have a safe meeting place outside the home

and teach children never to go back inside. 

Practicing fire safety will.

My child is curious My child is curious 

about fire. Should out fire. Should 

Ibe concerned? be concerned? 

What can I do? What can I do? 

How effective are smoke 

alarms? Should I 

put one near my 

baby’s room? 

What can we do to help 

make sure that our family, 

especially the little ones, can 

escape a fire safely? 

N

Practicing fire safety will.

My child is curious 

about fire. Should 

I be concerned? 

What can I do? 

How effective are smoke How effective are smoke 

alarms? Should I alarms? Should I 

put one near my put one near my 

baby’s room? s room? 

What can we do to help 

make sure that our family, 

especially the little ones, can 

escape a fire safely? 

N

alarms? Should I 

put one near my 

baby’s room? 

What can we do to help What can we do to help 

make sure that our family, make sure that our family, 

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escape a fire safely? escape a fire safely? 

N