NEAFC 31st Annual Conference.pdf - New England Association of ...

N]~W ENGLAND ASSOCIATION OF I~IRE CHIEFS
children playing with matches. I think this is true throughout the Nation. However,
there is no legislation that will control any loss of life or property by fire which will
affect the home owner where these fires are .occurring. Therefore, it is my opinion
that the only method by which we can reduce these fires is to educate our people.
A program of education, can be conducted by a speaker, not necessarily an orator,
within the fire service itself. Recently I heard~ a .speaker talking on fire prevention
to a group of laymen. I was impressed by his diction, vocabulary and presentation
as a firefighter, but I don’t believe the laymen understood his message for the simple
reason that he was. not advanced in the work of firefighting. He had been studying
promotional work, and he talked to those people accompanied by the evolution of heat.
He spoke of various evolutions, ventilation, overhauling and salvage. Although it
was. impressing to me, he wasn’t talking on their level:-I mean, to get right dowr~ to
the elementary .basis of fire itself~our ABC of fire: oxygen, temperature and fumes.
if we can bring this home, I believe we can be impressive and it will bring a message
home to our people. They understand that definition of fire. They can also use this
definition of fire to go back in homes and practice fire prevention and extinguishment
when and where necessary.
The speaker can also bring simple equipment--candle, water and an empty glass,
an.d demonstrate how it takes all to maintain a fire; demonstrate how to retain any two
and }~e can prevent or extinguish a fire. o
Now, speaking ,o.f children and matches: I have a theory on that. Wi:thin a month
I read in one of our Boston papers that a gentleman ,was very much concernedi about
the number of fires started by children playing with matches, an.d he suggested legislation.
I disagreed with the gentleman.
We find that most of our fires are caused by children playing with matches not
purchased in our stores. They are too accessible in the home. Any child with a quarter
can drop it in a vending machine and get matches and cigarettes. We can. find~ them in
the subway stations or on our streets anywhere. I don’t believe legislation is going to
be much of any help in this regard.
I believe in an educational program, and I heard a speaker at the NFPA conference
who had a similar theory. I suggest that we educate our people to educate their
chil.d~ren. My theory is .that there are two phases in the child’s life. I call the first one
the fascination stage, and the second one the curiosity stage. During the fascination
stage--which is one to four years--we have seen a parent pass a match befc,re the eyes
of a chil, di to watch for irregularities. A child will watch :because he is fascinated.
As they get a little older they will grasp. They don’t realize the dangers. The
only problem here is to keep them out of reach and you solve the problems.
In the four-to-twelve group, or curiosity--and predominantly with boys--they
will get to the stage where they want to take things, apart. I have experimented at
home. I gave .this talk about four years ago, and I suggested that we teach our children
to respect fire and .teach them to use fire properly under supervision. By this, I mean
to let them light your cigarettes under supervision and extinguish the match properly.
Let them Ifght-the incinerator, and get out of their system this fire business. Let them
find out how to make and extinguish fire properly and not let them exploit behind
closed doors. To hide matches is all wrong, because they are at the stage where they
can out-climb you.
This is my personal opinion as far as children and matches are concerned..
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