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Understanding fire safety may save lives

We recently were reminded of the horrifying dangers of fire as a family in nearby Steubenville perished when flames ravaged their home on Sunday.

Two little children and their mother died. The father was taken to a Pittsburgh hospital due to his injuries.

Perhaps nothing could have been done to prevent the fire or to protect the family. The house was so thoroughly destroyed that investigating the cause will be difficult. What caused the blaze may never be known, Steubenville Fire Chief Carlo Capaldi said.

We know there are steps we can take to minimize the danger of fire in our homes, however. We also know of precautions such as installing and maintaining smoke and carbon monoxide detectors that can alert us to blazes and other hazards. And we know of other ways we can protect ourselves and our families, such as ensuring everyone knows what do to in an emergency.

We know all these things. Reviewing them here is not necessary.

We are reminded each year with National Fire Prevention Week, which was earlier this month.

But how many of us follow the advice of safety experts? How many of us take the initial steps, such as installing smoke detectors? How many of us follow up by ensuring the equipment is functioning properly. How many of us watch for and deal with hazards such as overloaded circuits or improperly used extension cords?

Colder weather can make homes that were safe during the summer more hazardous, as heating equipment kicks on for the first time in months. The holidays mean additional risk as we plug in strings of colored lights and other decorations. How many of us take that into account?

We adults sometimes are critical of younger people for failing to understand certain risks. The kids think they are indestructible, we say.

Then we — and sometimes our children — fall victim to the very same misjudgment.

Don’t let it happen to you. Even more important, don’t let it happen to your children.

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