Malvern Au Pairs Focus on Fire and CO Poisoning Prevention

MALVERN, PA -- According to Safe Kids USA, fires and burns are the fourth leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 14 and under. Recognizing this, on April 13, area au pairs will meet at East Whiteland Fire Company for a fire safety meeting hosted by Cultural Care Au Pair and members of the East Whiteland Fire Company.

According to Local Childcare Consultant, Alynn Decker, educating au pairs on fire safety is a top priority for parents.

“Au pairs are often the primary caregivers for many local families during the day and in the evenings as well. Fire safety training is important because it reinforces their knowledge of what to do if there is an emergency, starting with getting themselves and the children out of the house should a fire break out.”

The training is part of Cultural Care Au Pair’s ongoing Continuing Safety Education Program (CSEP), which requires local childcare consultants to review safety education with au pairs throughout their year-long stay in the United States.

Au pairs also learn safety protocol during their 4-day stay at the Cultural Care Au Pair training school in New York before they arrive to their host families’ homes.

The au pairs are also enrolled in local colleges around the area.

The Malvern au pairs together represent the countries of Brazil, Columbia, Germany, Mexico, Poland, and Thailand. Decker, a resident of Malvern and mother of three, supports area parents and au pairs, advising them of educational opportunities, as well as organizing fun activities for the entire extended family to enjoy.

“I am always looking for ways to make safety training and education fun for our au pairs,” said Decker. According to Decker, the training will cover everything from smoke detectors to safely and quickly getting out of a home in the case of a fire, with an emphasis on the cultural differences on handling an emergency here in the United States as opposed to other parts of the world. “When you invite an au pair into your home, programs like these assure that you leave your children in the most capable hands possible. It is comforting as a parent to know that your children are with a caregiver you can trust.”

Decker suggests these safety tips for local families:

• Test smoke and CO alarms once a month and replace batteries once a year.
• Make sure you have a fire alarm on every floor of your home.
• Plan fire escape routes for your family and identify a meeting place outside the home in case of an emergency.
• Keep matches, gasoline, and all flammable materials locked away and out of a child’s reach.
• Never leave cooking food unattended.
• Introduce children to a firefighter, so they will know not to be scared in the case of a fire.
• Avoid plugging several appliance chords into the same electrical socket.
• Consider buying safety ladders for upper levels of your home and show older children how to use them.

For more information on inviting an au pair into your home, call Alynn Decker at 215-870-2781 or visit "adecker.aupairnews.com".