Daycare Fire

[Leanna]

Has everyone heard about how dangerous keeping batteries in a drawer can be? Especially 9 volts? There are a ton of stories out there about it if you want to google it. I read somewhere that countless fires are started this way and most people don't know how dangerous it is to just toss them in a junk drawer or box. I had never heard of it until I saw a news story...

Really? Like extra ones that have never been used or old ones? Or both? I have some new ones in a drawer right now.

[NeedaVaca]

Really? Like extra ones that have never been used or old ones? Or both? I have some new ones in a drawer right now.

http://www.kctv5.com/story/24594124/kctv5-exposes-the-9-volt-battery-fire-danger

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2012/08/22/experts-warn-against-storing-9-volt-batteries-in-junk-drawer-due-to-fire-hazard/

http://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/firesafety/news/20120808-9-

volt-batteries.html

[TwinKristi]

That's what they think happened in our house fire. We had some of my late mother in law's items in boxes and she always liked blinkey, lighted things and we think one of the items may have had an old battery in it and caught fire. Or there may have been batteries in camping equipment we had, but it was mainly her stuff that was deemed the hot spot. Later in the summer someone left some old unwanted toys along their fence while cleaning stuff up and those caught fire and burned their fence and almost their home and the neighbors. Since ours was behind the house we didn't smell smoke or see a fire until it had already smoldered and eventually started a fire and burnt most items in our storage room.

[ColorfulSunburst]

well, clearly not everyone is the same. Call me a terrible parent if you want. I don't really care what you think.

There are lots of reasons why I feel this way--and I don't have to defend myself to some faceless stranger who won't even use a username to ID herself.

i know myself and I know I will try to safe children without looking are they my own or not.
Ladies don't take an offense but I would never put my own child in a daycare where owner has own children in care. Just because in a dangerous situation she/he would be worry only about own children.

[TwinKristi]

Really? Like extra ones that have never been used or old ones? Or both? I have some new ones in a drawer right now.

It's mainly old ones.

[TwinKristi]

i know myself and I know I will try to safe children without looking are they my own or not.
Ladies don't take an offense but I would never put my own child in a daycare where owner has own children in care. Just because in a dangerous situation she/he would be worry only about own children.

Well I hope you never have to find a home daycare because the majority of them have their own children. Obviously home daycare isn't for you and that's fine and dandy but your reasoning is quite silly. Someone else above posted they would let their own child die in a fire to save all the daycare kids if that's what she had to do, she would choose her own son LAST! But you'll make a judgement about ALL providers with their own children in their care? Wow!

[NeedaVaca]

It has nothing to do with the age of the battery. It's the contact of metal as small as a paperclip or a key, etc...touching the ends of the battery that can ignite or start the spark.

[My3cents]

And that's your choice but to me they are a member of my family (probably more-so than most of my family members) that can't just be "replaced" like a lost pair of earrings. Heck, my brother once caused a kitchen fire that lead my mom in the hospital for smoke inhalation and I was mad because they left the cats in the house (they opened the windows {screened} but still). Pets maybe 'replaceable' to you but to me there are living being with unique personalities just as humans are (though, not many people are all that "unique" IMHO). It may seem silly to you but sometimes it seems like everyone I have ever cared about has either left me or continued to disappoint me time and time again- except them.

But the reason why I brought up my pets is that I'm not 100% sure what I am doing with my cats during daycare hours- If I'm going to have them in my room or a closed off section during daycare hours or let them free roam. I am not going to just leave them in a locked area, trapped with no exit to be put to their death either by being tortured and burned to death or slowly asphyxiated by smoke inhalation (which ever gets them first). As a HSP who has dealt with depression, I know personally I would not be able to live with that guilt and that no matter what the start of the fire was that I would always blame myself and never find inner peace. Just thinking about it right now is reducing me to tears.

I understand you- I love my pets too. but if it came down to my pets or a human I am going to go with a human every time- It would hurt me to loose my beloved animal but for my kids it would hurt more if they lost me or I lost them-

Hugs to you- I feel your love and passion.

It is ok if we don't agree on this and I respect you for the way you feel. I feel differently about this subject. lovethis

Thinking about this is hard, but its probably good that we do put thought into all of it and we do drills etc..... it just helps prepare us that much more and again I hope none of have to go through this-

[ColorfulSunburst]

Well I hope you never have to find a home daycare because the majority of them have their own children. Obviously home daycare isn't for you and that's fine and dandy but your reasoning is quite silly. Someone else above posted they would let their own child die in a fire to save all the daycare kids if that's what she had to do, she would choose her own son LAST! But you'll make a judgement about ALL providers with their own children in their care? Wow!

You see what you want see in my words. ))) I don't judgement ALL. But some messages above proof the correctness of my choice. I'm worried about my own child and would look for a person who will not need to make a choice which child to safe first and will just try to safe all that she can.

[My3cents]

I am not admonishing you for your perspective.

I was just trying to put out another perspective that supports Starburst's line of thinking.

To each his/her own.

I only commented because you quoted her and then questioned her because her beliefs didn't align with your line of thinking.

It is clear that YOU would not save your cat if there was a fire.

Starburst would risk her life to save her cat.

You questioned that.

I was simply pointing out that she feels differently than you

What is your perspective BCat, if your pets and kids and daycare kids were all in the same house? Just curious.

I also once knew a lady that was moving and loved her cats so much but was not allowed to take them with her to her new home- no animal policy. She had them put to sleep because she loved them so much and no one would care for them the way she would.

[Starburst]

Well, I don't have any children at this time but I have played this scenario many times in my head and I personally would rather die in the fire trying to save as many of the children possible (and even my pets) than survive it and live with the guilt of thinking that there is more I could have done. And trust me, even if there wasn't children there I would risk my life for my cats (, IK crazy cat lady but they are my babies). It's not even that I would fear what others would say or think but what I would think of myself. Better to die with dignity than live a coward (JMHO).
**************************** another post:
And that's your choice but to me they are a member of my family (probably more-so than most of my family members) that can't just be "replaced" like a lost pair of earrings. Heck, my brother once caused a kitchen fire that lead my mom in the hospital for smoke inhalation and I was mad because they left the cats in the house (they opened the windows {screened} but still). Pets maybe 'replaceable' to you but to me there are living being with unique personalities just as humans are (though, not many people are all that "unique" IMHO). It may seem silly to you but sometimes it seems like everyone I have ever cared about has either left me or continued to disappoint me time and time again- except them.

But the reason why I brought up my pets is that I'm not 100% sure what I am doing with my cats during daycare hours- If I'm going to have them in my room or a closed off section during daycare hours or let them free roam. I am not going to just leave them in a locked area, trapped with no exit to be put to their death either by being tortured and burned to death or slowly asphyxiated by smoke inhalation (which ever gets them first). As a HSP who has dealt with depression, I know personally I would not be able to live with that guilt and that no matter what the start of the fire was that I would always blame myself and never find inner peace. Just thinking about it right now is reducing me to tears.

So you would go back in a burning building/house to save animals? Have you ever had a house fire? We had one about 2yrs ago and while it was outside, it was a room attached to our house. A man came running up before the fire truck got there and was trying to extinguish the the fire with a hose which I appreciated but jeeze, don't risk your life for our possessions! Seriously! Looking back, while I didn't think it would reach our house when we went out, it was possible. I didn't even think of where my cat was because I was worried about my 6 kids and dh. I love my cat and would never want him to die but I was NOT risking my life and potentially leave my kids motherless to save our cat. I would have hard time sleeping at night if the man who was helping us was hurt let alone killed! Everyone values life differently and some live recklessly but the lost life of a human adult or child and that of a cat is much different to me.

Well that may be how YOU read it, but I'm genuinely curious if this is just what she envisions in her head or what she actually has experienced. Practicing a fire drill and actually being in a fire are WAY different. Like Countrymom said, you're running on pure adrenaline. Sure if my cat was laying nearby I would grab him on my way out but only speaking from personal experience my life and the concept of my children having a mother is more important TO ME than running into a burning house to save a cat. It has no baring on her feelings what so ever.

See, I never said I wouldn't save my cat. I said I wouldn't risk my life to go run into a burning building but would grab him if he were close by. I'm in no way saying she's wrong, ( Well it kind of seems like your personally attack me) like I stated before, I'm just curious if she's actually experienced this.And I mentioned that there was a house fire But it also makes me question her plans if there really was a fire during daycare. What about the DCKs? Are you going to leave them on the sidewalk alone to go back in to save animals? If you're faced with the choice of animals or DCKs what would you do as their lives are equally important yet animals are closer than family. I know someone mentioned earlier that they had the idea that they'd have to leave their own son and get DCKs out first. I'm really not saying she's wrong I'm just honestly curious as to her thoughts on this. For me it's a no brainier, kids before pets but obviously not for her. I'm not putting her down, I'm not insulting herGee, saying that I'm reckless and that I would put the Daycare children in danger even though I clearly stated I would risk my life making sure I would get as many children got out alive as possible. I never said that I would put my kids before pets because again... I HAVE NO CHILDREN!. I don't really understand why you need to come explain to me that two people with two different lives may think differently? I'm plenty aware of that by her post, I don't really need someone to clarify for me. Well you keep stating that you have 6 kids (when I have NO KIDS) and seem to be tearing me apart because I said as a general statement that I would try to save my pets, and yes, even risk my life, to make sure they came out safe. Not to mention apparently assuming that I live in a 'fantasy' would where house fires don't exist or that I never experienced one when I clearly stated there was a house fire and clearly stated ways that you can die in a fire...

Like I said that is your choice and completely up to you but not a choice I would make obviously you didn't really read all of my post because I did say that we had a house fire (over a year ago) that left my mom in the hospital with smoke inhalation. And actually when I was about 4 we did have a house fire in the small 1 bed-room apartment (attached to my great-aunt and uncle's house) that my grandma, my mom, my younger brother, and I all lived in early in the morning while we were all sleeping at the time and it wound up completely burning the attached apartment; So I do know it's not something to toy around with. You also didn't read that don't have any children of my own right now (unless you count my cats).

Plus that's a really low blow saying that I would jeopardize the daycare children. There are different way to make sure my cats get out, you don't know how my set up is or if I would have an assistant. Right now I don't even know what the layout of my house would be (haven't moved into it yet) and chances are my mom would be home because she is going to be working nights. If they are in a bedroom, I could just break a window to make sure they have away out or if they free roam make sure all the doors are open so they can get out. There are lots of ways to try to help someone in a house fire.

But thanks for calling me "reckless" because I value what you see as a lower life form... But keep in mind that you don't know me, you don't know my family, you don't know what I have lived through, and you don't know what things would completely destroy me psychologically. I don't shouldn't have to justify myself to you, only God can Judge me.

[Jack Sprat]

My heart goes out to everyone involved.

A long time ago I was thinking it over and came to the sobering conclusion that, at the time when my DS was a baby and not walking, that if a fire broke out I would probably save all the dcks first and come back for DS. Let's face it. The news wouldn't care if a provider's OWN child was injured or killed, but you'll be lambasted by everyone in the city if a dck gets injured or killed--especially if you saved your own child first.
It makes me tear up thinking about it even now, but my feelings are the same. And I pray with all my heart that I never have to act on that.

I too completely understand where you are coming from! Its sad but, its true for me. Thankfully, my own children are older and if I am telling them to get the f- out of the house (sorry pretty sure that word would be said) they are going to.

[drseuss]

Not sure if this info is buried somewhere in the above comments re: 9V batteries. Old and new 9V batteries are a fire hazard. In order to store them and dispose of them safely, you cover the negative and positive ends with electrical tape.

[NeedaVaca]

Not sure if this info is buried somewhere in the above comments re: 9V batteries. Old and new 9V batteries are a fire hazard. In order to store them and dispose of them safely, you cover the negative and positive ends with electrical tape.

Yes, thanks! I actually wrote that but forgot to quote so it might look "lost" . Someone had said mostly only old ones which is definitely not the case!

[drseuss]

Yes, thanks! I actually wrote that but forgot to quote so it might look "lost" . Someone had said mostly only old ones which is definitely not the case!