CHENANGO COUNTY – For years, fire departments around the country have been educating children to immediately tell an adult where they see a lighter or matches and not to pick them up. But with the recent popularity of novelty lighters – many of which closely resemble toys – children and adults are confusing dangerous lighters for harmless toys.
This week is National Arson Awareness Week, and this year the U.S. Fire Administration is concentrating their focus on toylike lighters that could encourage children to play with fire.
“The goal of this year’s Arson Awareness Week is to focus public attention on the dangers of toylike or novelty lighters in the hands of children. Toylike or novelty lighters have been responsible for injuries, deaths and accidents across the nation,” a media release from the U.S. Fire Administration said.
According to Norwich City Fire Department Captain and Fire Marshall Mike Ford, there haven’t been any recent incidents in the city involving novelty lighters, but the department has seen recent incidents involving children playing with fire. “Luckily no one was burned and no structures were damaged,” Ford said.
Whether it is in response to novelty lighters or matches, Ford explained that it is important to educate children on the dangers of fire. Statistics show that there were an estimated 13,900 child-play structure fires reported in the country in 2002, with 210 deaths, 1,250 injuries, and $339 million in direct damage. For those fires coded as child play, as opposed to intentionally set fires, 84 percent involved children under the age of 10.
Ford explained that educating children is the best way to keep them safe. He said it is important to teach kids, “to immediately tell an adult where they saw the lighter or matches and don’t pick them up.”
Some politicians have taken steps toward ridding their state of toylike lighters, but in the vast majority of states, the lighters are still available.