(12/05/11) – Safe Kids Pee Dee/Coastal reminds families to take caution during Home Safety Month (December) as well as year-round. Everyday activities in the home can cause accidents that can result in unintentional injuries to children. Safe Kids Pee Dee/Coastal will offer weekly safety tips through December to educate families on home safety.

Tip # 1: Fire Safety

Cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires in the United States. One in eight homes will experience a cooking fire. Safe Kids Pee Dee/Coastal reminds families to stay in the kitchen while frying, broiling, or grilling, or using hot plates or toasters, and to never hold your child while cooking.

Based on data from the U.S. Fire Administration and the National Fire Protection Association, there are an estimated 250 home fires involving Christmas trees, 170 home fires involving holiday lights, and many other home fires involving decorative lighting each year. Together, these fires result in 20 deaths and 45 injuries annually.

Safe Kids Pee Dee/Coastal reminds families to not overload extension cords or outlets, and to not run electrical cords under rugs. Also, never burn Christmas tree branches, treated wood or wrapping paper in home fireplaces.

For more information, on preventing injuries in children, visit the Safe Kids website at www.safekids.org.

Safe Kids Pee Dee/Coastal works to prevent unintentional childhood injury, the leading cause of death and disability to children ages 0 to 14. Its members include Florence County Sheriff’s Department, City of Florence Police Department, South Carolina Highway Patrol, and the City of Florence Fire Department. Safe Kids Pee Dee/Coastal is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations dedicated to preventing unintentional injury. Safe Kids Pee Dee/Coastal was founded in 1995 and is led by McLeod Health, and funded in part by the McLeod Health Foundation.