Just half of parents with children aged three- to 10-years-old have fire alarms installed in their home, research has revealed. The poll of 1,517 parents, with children aged under 18, found 50 percent also don’t have a fire escape plan.
Despite this, 63 percent with kids aged three to 10 are confident their children would know what to do in case of a fire in the home.
The study was commissioned by Kidde to launch its Cause for Alarm campaign, to highlight the importance of having smoke and fire alarms in the house.
To help children learn what to do in a fire, the company has created the Cause For Alarm jingle, “Beeps That Last, Get Out Fast”.
Myleene Klass, author of “They Don’t Teach This at School”, who is working alongside Kidde to promote the safety message, said: “We should be empowering our kids to feel confident they know what to do in the event of a house fire.
“With the right information, families and children can learn and master what they should do. Fire safety is top of mind in our home, and I want to help make it a must have in homes across the UK.”
The study found that for almost a third (29 percent) of those with children under 18, cost was the biggest barrier to having fire safety alarms or equipment. But a shocking one in 10 claimed they don’t see the need for fire safety equipment in the home.
It also found that, when thinking about an emergency exit strategy, 15 percent don’t know how many exits they would factor into a fire escape plan.
And three in 10 would only incorporate one exit route – potentially leaving them at risk, should fire or smoke prevent them from reaching it. Those in a flat are worse impacted, with that figure creeping up to 39 percent.
Among parents of children aged three to 10, fire safety (55 percent) was outranked as a major priority – behind road safety (77 percent), and stranger danger (72 percent).
The research also revealed that, of those who do have alarms, four in 10 parents haven’t tested their device within the last six months.
Rebecca Cackett, a spokeswoman for Kidde, said: “We want to make fire safety a top priority in every household, and keep children safe in their homes.
“With the right fire safety education and home safety products, we can help prevent devastating fatalities. We are calling on everyone to work together to help spread this message, and keep our children and loved ones safe.”
