Young Latino children a high risk for fire fatalities during winter season

In a 2009 study conducted by the National Fire Protection Association, young children are a high risk for fire fatalities during winter season. In addition, the months of December, January, and February accounted for one third of all home fires and home fire deaths. This is significant because according to the United States Census, 25 percent of the Hispanic population was under the age of five and Latino families had a higher concentration of preschoolers among their population than any other race or ethnic group. During this winter season, the National Latino Children's Institute (NLCI) has expanded its efforts across the country to bring ¡Ay Chispas!, a national bilingual initiative created by NLCI, to convey the importance of fire safety to children and their families.

Children playing with fire is the leading cause of child fire fatalities in residential structures. Furthermore, the conditions in which Latino families live (older homes and apartment buildings in urban settings with inadequate electrical wiring, older heating plumbing and few efforts to modernize for safety) exacerbate the risk for residential fires. Residential fires account for 84 percent of all civilian fire deaths.

More importantly and culturally relative, because of long work hours, larger-than-average families and single-parent homes, other siblings and elderly adults frequently have a major responsibility for the care of younger children. US Fire Administration concluded that, “these two high risk groups (the very young and elderly adults of all ethnic groups) represent over one-third of all fire deaths.” Markedly, “children in urban areas were left unattended more often than rural or suburban children because they had no other choices.”

“In a country where Latino children have the second-highest poverty rate of any children’s population group, and socioeconomic factors are predictors of fire and fire-related fatalities and injuries due to human actions, this is a particularly vulnerable demographic subset,” said Josie Garza, executive director, NLCI. “Nationwide Insurance’s involvement has helped us reach more Hispanic communities throughout the country and plant the seed through prevention education.”

Although fire prevention organizations provide Spanish language education materials, they are often translations, poorly written and don’t recognize and respond to the values and beliefs of the Hispanic community. Support from Nationwide Insurance has helped NLCI expand the reach of fire prevention messages and create a national public education campaign that resonates with the Hispanic community.

"I knew that Nationwide in partnership with NLCI, was doing the right thing when a parent at one of my Ay Chispas events gave me a huge hug and in tears said thank you for caring about my family. At Nationwide we welcome the opportunity to educate our neighbors and aid them in protecting what's most important to them; their families and their homes. I am proud to be a part of such a tremendous program and I believe we are making a difference."

¡Ay Chispas! is a bilingual, culturally grounded, public awareness campaign developed by NLCI, in partnership with Nationwide Insurance, that addresses a major safety issue (fire prevention) faced by Latino children and their families while recognizing the importance of understanding and integrating Latino cultural values, attitudes and behaviors into prevention messages.

For additional information about fire prevention go to www.nlci.org.