home + garden

FIXIT KAREN YOUSO

When college kids come home for a weekend visit or the Thanksgiving holiday, experts say, parents should sit them down and have a talk. Ask them if they're being safe. But it's not what you think -- it's about being safe from fire, poison and insects.

Fire-related emergencies involving college and university students are growing, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Last month's tragic death of seven students at a North Carolina beach house is a recent example.

In addition, hundreds of people die or are sickened every year from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Some are college students, notably two Virginia Tech students made critically ill when a water heater malfunctioned in their off-campus apartment.

Insects might not be life-threatening, but they are definitely a health issue. Cockroaches spread disease and bedbugs bite.

As children leave the nest and fly off on their own, they might land in less-than-safe living conditions. College and university dorms can extend parental safety nets, but eventually -- often sooner rather than later -- kids will be renting apartments and houses and living on their own. Then safety is in their hands.

On their own, college students tend not to think about these matters, said Daniel Bernardy, deputy state fire marshal. "It's all about priorities, and this isn't one of them."

Bernardy's message for parents is that they're responsible for their children as they leave home. "You need to instruct them in how to move out on their own and live safely," he said.

He recommends that parents send with every kid a "live-on-your-own safety kit." It should include, at the very least, a smoke detector, CO alarm, fire extinguisher and a safe escape plan grid (downloadable from www.checkitout.state.mn.us/HomeEscape.html). Meanwhile, teach young adults about:

Fire

Look for smoke alarms: But don't stop there. Make sure units have batteries, aren't more than 10 years old, and work when tested. And don't bet your life on the alarm only. There may not be enough devices in a building, or they may be ignored.

Prevention: Always unplug any electrical device that has a heating element: frying pan, toaster, Foreman grill. Don't leave candles or other flames unattended, even in the bathroom. As tempting as it is, don't barbecue on the deck. Smoke outdoors, always, and use a self-extinguishing ashtray (available at auto-supply stores).

Have an escape plan: You need two ways out of each room. It can be difficult in rentals, but work with the owners. "Sometimes the little old lady is giving you a nice place to stay, but sit down and talk to her about making the place safer," said Bernardy.

Beware of alcohol: Alcohol slows reaction time and dulls thinking in an emergency. In addition, you can fall asleep in a safe apartment having done nothing except have a few drinks. But what if there's a fire in the adjoining apartment and you don't wake up? It has happened, Bernardy said.

Poison

Carbon monoxide, the nation's leading cause of poisoning deaths, is an invisible, odorless gas that's impossible to detect without an alarm. Hundreds die every year from CO, but many more are impaired because long before it kills, CO damages the brain, nervous system and heart, sometimes permanently.

Get a carbon monoxide alarm: CO alarms are required in single-family Minnesota homes beginning Jan. 1, but not in multifamily homes or apartments until Aug. 1, 2009.

Suspect CO: The first signs of CO poisoning are subtle; you might be headachy, tired or nauseated, not unlike the flu. If you seem to be having a string of illnesses or if you feel better when away from home, but lousy again when you return, suspect CO poisoning. Remember, as appliances malfunction, CO can come and go, and so can your symptoms.