Page 296 - 1970S

The PLAIN TRUTH August-September 1970
putting a return address on their letter or package. Tons of
mail collects for tlús very reason. Jf the intended address no
longcr exists or is wrong, the mail has nowhere else to go.
You might even think your letter or package was lost or stolen
when in reality it couldn't be returned for lack of return
address.
e Seat Belts for Children
Over 56,000 human beings were killed last ycar on
U. S. highways! Sadly enough- 10,000 would still be alive
if they had uscd their seat belts. Although most cars are
cquipped with seat belts, authorities estimate that only 20 to
30 percent of those who have them use them.
Worse yet- those who do use safety restraints often fail
to provide their childrcn with adequate protection. Here are
a few considerations to keep in mind when providing protec–
tion for children.
Chi ldren under thrce or weighing less than fifty pounds
do not get adequatc protection from adult seat belts or
shoulder straps. They need SPECIAL restraining devices
specifically designed for childreo. Toddler seats and vest-type
harnesses give them special protection and often allow sorne
frecdom of movement. Infants on the other hand need
sccurely attached bassincts or car beds with either a net cover–
ing or harness to hold them in.
And contrary to what a mother may feel, the baby is leJJ
uc11re in her armJ. Strapping a child on your lap with your
seat belt is also very dangerous.
e Home Fire Accidents
Home fire accidents take thousands of lives each ycar
and cause unestimable property damage! And the tragic fact
is that 95 percent of home fue accidents can be prevented !
Here are precautions you can take to sharply reduce home fire
accidents and lessen your chances of becoming a fire victim.
Electrical/y Caused Fires
l. Check each electric appliance for a worn-out, frayed
or cracked cord.
2. Don't run electrical cords under rugs.
3. Check behind refrigerators, washing machines, stoves
and other appliances for build-up of lint and grease - a
potential tire hazard.
4. Avoid overloading ci rcuits by too many appliances
pluggcd into the same outlet.
5. Use only the recommended fuse for fuse boxes and
never put a penny in a fuse panel. Fuses are a fire safety
feature designed to keep wires from overheating.
6. Teach children not to pull cords, put fingers, pencils
or other objects into clectrical outlets.
7. Don't use water on an electrically caused fire. Use a
carbon dioxide or appropriate dry chemical fire extinguisher.
Heaters and Stoves
l. Don't store or leave combustibles such as trash, furni–
ture, toys, old rags, and flammable liquids near space heaters,
water heaters, kitchen stoves, or other open-Jlame deviccs.
Remove bot pads or pot holdcrs from the kitchcn stove
while cooking.
2. Repair or rcplace any vent pipe that may have
rusted, cracked or dcteriorated.
3. Use a scrcen in front of the f1replace and havc a
spark arrester on top of the chimney to keep burning brands
from coming through. (You can make a spark arrester with
Yrioch wire mesh.) Bear in mind that fire can extend
through loose bricks or cracked masonry in the chimney.
4. Keep baking soda close at hand in case of broi lcr,
oven or grease fires. Use the baking soda to smother the
fire. Don't take a chance of being sevcrely burned while
trying to carry a pan of flaming grease. A tight-fitting lid
or a breadboard might also effectively smother the flames.
Fire fighting equipment: A garden hose long enough
to reach all parts of the house - inside or out - makes a
vety inexpensivc but valuable piece of fi re fighting equipment.
A 2% or 5 pound B C type dry chcmical or carbon dioxide
fire extinguisher (from lO to 20 dollars) will provide pro–
tection against llammable liquid and electrical type home
tires. Baking soda can be used to smother mest kit::hen-type
tires.
lf fire strikes: AU members of the family should cxit
the housc: as guickly as possible. Escape routes should be
plaoned in advance. Once outsidc, the family should know
whcre to assemble for a head count.
lnside a flaming house or building: Use common
sense- don't panic! And don't carelessly open an interior
door without first testing to see whether it's hot. A closed
door will act as a barrier to smoke and fl:~mes. Stny low
w~1ere smoke conccntration is less. The majority of fire deaths
are caused f rom the smoke, not f rom thc actual llames.
Check with your local area fire department for further
information. Keep the proper fire ernergency nurnber near
the phone in an easy-to-reach location.
e Guns in Your Home
More ñrearm accidents occur in the home than out hunt–
ing or on a firing range! In fact, out of 2600 accidental gun
fatalities during 1968 - 1400 took place in tl1e home -
almost 4 every day.
Prevent a firearrn fatality or injury occurring in your
home. NEVER keep a loaded gmt i11 the h011Je .' If it's not
loaded it can't kili or injure.
In 1968, 130 JNFANTS four years old and under were
killed by guns in the home. Keep yo11r firearmJ hiddm and
o11t of reach of children .' SIOI'e firearmJ and ammtmition in
Jepa,-ate placeJ .'
And finally - NEVER point the mttzzle of c1 gmt,
whether it'J lofldetJ or not. al anyone .' This should be under–
stood and obeycd hy al! in your family. Teach your chiklren
the seriousness of firearms. Many authorities say children
should not eten be aliOtl'ed 10 play with toy guns. Write
for our FREE booklet The Plain Tmth About Child Rearing,
which covers this vital subject in dctail.