{"id":20078,"date":"2022-08-09T13:57:18","date_gmt":"2022-08-09T17:57:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.poac.net\/?p=20078"},"modified":"2024-02-22T13:10:13","modified_gmt":"2024-02-22T18:10:13","slug":"fire-safety-for-autism-6-things-you-need-to-know-and-do","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.poac.net\/blog\/fire-safety-for-autism-6-things-you-need-to-know-and-do\/","title":{"rendered":"Fire Safety For Autism – 6 Things You Need to Know and Do"},"content":{"rendered":"
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How much time do you think you have to escape from a home fire? Do most of us even consider this question? How often do home fires occur anyway? Aren\u2019t they pretty rare? In fact, in the United States, a home fire occurs every 9 seconds, that\u2019s about 350,00 every year, resulting in over 2600 deaths and 11,000 injuries. So, how much time do you have? Most people think they would have about 5 minutes, but fire experts will tell you it\u2019s actually less than 2 minutes. That\u2019s two minutes to get yourself and your loves ones to safety. That\u2019s not a lot of time and when you add autism to the equation, there may be additional challenges. Are you prepared for a fire emergency? This article provides 6 things you can do to help reduce risk and increase chances for survival for you and your family.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n

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Number 1 \u2013 Increase Your Child\u2019s Chances of Survival<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A very easy and cost-effective way to greatly increase safety in your home is to use smoke detectors. Research shows that smoke detectors reduce fatalities bynearly 50%. What kind of devices you use and where you place them can make a huge difference. There are many different kinds of smoke detectors. Look for devices that are interconnected so that when one sounds an alarm, all of them sound the alarm. Devices that use pre-programed voice alerts may also be very helpful for individuals with autism as the alert tells them exactly what to do.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n

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When deciding where to place these detectors, think about areas where fires typically start, such as the kitchen or basement, but also where you would be the most vulnerable, such as bedrooms. A device should be placed on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas. For the child with autism, a device should also go inside the bedroom. Think about the escape path from all sleeping areas to the closest exterior door and install in all rooms in this path.<\/p>\n

Maintenance is critical. Many detectors will begin to \u201cchirp\u201d as batteries begin to fail. Don\u2019t wait for this to happen (especially as it invariably happens in the middle of the night.) Instead, test the unit every month and replace the batteries twice a year. If your smoke detectors are hard wired into your home, make sure you are aware of the care and maintenance required.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n

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Considerations for Individuals with Autism:<\/strong><\/p>\n