Contact: Fire Inspector Brad Hall
Office: 864.596.2446
Email address: jbhall@cityofspartanburg.orgArson Awareness Week 2008
Arson Awareness Week (May 4-10) is a national campaign focused on educating citizens on the dangers of fire and arson. This year’s theme is “Toylike Lighters—Playing with Fire.” The goal of this of this campaign is to focus public attention on the dangers of toylike or novelty lighters in the hands of children. Toylike or novelty lighters have been responsible for injuries, deaths, and accidents across the Nation. Children are attracted to novelty lighters because they look like toys. Many of these lighters look like animals, miniature cars, mobile phones, cameras, fishing lures, stacks of coins, markers, and doll accessories. One lighter is nearly identical to the popular rubber ducky bath toy—it even quacks! There are also toylike and novelty lighters that look like tools such as tape measures, drills, hammers, and paint brushes. Ironically, there are even lighters that mimic a Dalmatian donning a fire helmet, a red fire truck, or fire extinguishers.
 
According to Fire Inspector Brad Hall, “Fire Departments across the nation tell parents to put matches and lighters out of reach of their kids, and we tell children not to play with these items because they are dangerous. The problem with toylike lighters is that many times, neither the parents nor the children realize the ‘toy’ they just bought is actually a lighter. When a potentially dangerous object is masked like a toy, we have a huge safety concern for our kids.”
 
Parents are encouraged to inspect any toys their children find in check-out lines or other areas where lighters may be sold. Numerous injuries have occurred from children picking up a toylike lighter while their parents were distracted while purchasing merchandise. Merchants are also encouraged to discontinue sales of toylike lighters or relocate them to a place out of the reach of children and make sure they are clearly labeled as lighters.
 
Additional information on Arson Awareness Week and toylike lighters can be found at the United States Fire Administration website at: http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/subjects/arson/arson_awareness.shtm