Editorial

Editorial

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Learn not to burn

( • Last week, tragedy struck Rappahannock County. A ybung girl was killed in a house fire, believed to have been caused by an overloaded extension cord. > Any fire is tragic. The death of a young person multiplies the tragedy, and the fact that it occurred as the country observed National Fire Prevention Week made it especially

s^d. ! But, it underscores one important point made in our editorial last week. Fire awareness and prevention is something which should never be put off until tomorrow. It’s easy to say, “It couldn’t happen to me — or to my family.” Unfortunately, there are too many sad statistics which belie that argument. ; Fires can happen to anyone — and they can happen when we least expect it.

Most deaths by fire are caused not by the fire itself, but by inhalation of the smoke and fumes created by even a small, smoldering fire. Death often occurs before the victim is even aiyare that a fire is burning. > That’s why smoke detectors are such an important safety precaution for every home, not just those which heat with w$>od. They are sensitive to that smoke, and will set off a pjfercing alarm which should awake even the soundest sleeper before the smoke concentration gets great enough to be lifethreatening.

£ But, even once you’re awakened, prevention and pfenning come into play. Even small amounts of smoke, particularly the toxic fumes given off by modern synthetic materials like chair stuffing or rugs, can irritate eyes, nose and throat, making it difficult to see and breathe.

If the occupants of the house have planned and practiced fi#e escape procedures, they should find it much easier to get out of the building, even through thick smoke.

While you’re leaving the building — crawl — don’t walk upright. Smoke rises, and the greatest concentration of clean,