Child safety

[claireLouise]

Hi Guys,

I have been recommended by the Fire Brigade to leave my front door open in case of fire. However my front garden is open plan so I am concerned about the safety of children escaping.

I have looked into changing my door handle to have a code or magnets but these all seem expense (£200 plus).

Any advice on a cheap solution would be appreciated.

We have considered a chain but that would mean my husband who works from home would not have easy access in or out of the house.

Looking forward to your advice.

Regards

Claire

[jaja]

why?????? i dont understand why you would need to, i dont have mine open and what would you do in winter? the kids would freeze. Surley ofsted would not be happy if you left your front door open, plus anyone could walk in and see you and the kids or worse they could try and escape. Nurserys dont have to do that, why should we, I wouldnt leave my door open at all.

am i missing the point of the question? my brains on overdrive.

[angeldelight]

Sorry but are you sure you did not misunderstand what they meant ?

That means you would see doors open in every street if we all had to do the same - imagine kids and the pets running out - not to mention who might come in and help themselves to our stuff

Sounds a little odd or am I misunderstanding this ?

Angel xx

[mum22]

Hi

Did they mean leave it unlocked or physically open - the unlocked bit i understand in case you waste precious time in the event of an accident looking for a key - as for physically open - :eek:

x helen

[Spangles]

That's what I was thinking too Helen, leave it unlocked not open?

I wouldn't do that though, anyone could walk in! That's not safe at all! Apparently we've got a man round here who just walks into peoples homes, poor man is not very well but I'm not sure if that makes it better or worse!

No, no way would I leave my doors unlocked!

[berkschick]

Mine is definately closed! And locked but the key is on the window ledge next to the door. High enough for little fingers not to get to it but close enough for me to reach in an emergancy.

[Mollymop]

If you keep your key on a hook near the door, if there was a fire it wouldn't take too long to kind the key and unlock the door. The fire brigade have to realise that the risk of a child escaping because the front door is unlocked is a greater risk than if a fire broke out and you had to unlock the front door.

[sarah707]

After taking advice from various people including the local fire brigade, my front door key is in a nominated pot on a bureau to the side of my door - not on a hook, police and insurance companies don't like hooks apparently :rolleyes:

Every morning I check that the key is in the pot in my daily risk assessment and that there is nothing else in the pot or impeding immediate access to the pot.

I also have a chain. There is no way I would leave my front door unlocked - when I am in the back I cannot hear intruders :panic:

[Wendy Woo]

I keep my doors locked but i have hooks at the top of each one for the keys. I have found this much betta as wen someone comes to the door u always no where the keys r.

[flora]

Being half a mile from civilisation, my front door is always unlocked, so is the back one. Kids can't escape even if they do get past me :laughing:

[susi513]

I have very talented escapologists amongst my lot so my main exits are always locked, and a chain on the front door as well. There is always a key on a high hook next to the front and back door so an adult or taller child can let everyone out. The position of the hook rack is such that I don't think its possible to reach with a wire through the letter box. IAlso never leave the key in the lock. I got in my old house once by hooking wire through the lock itself, into the loop on the back door key and turned the key. I also got in another time by reaching the key in the same door with a wire coat hanger through a nearby window.

An open door also allows a large quantity of oxygen inside to fuel a fire. It is usual advice to close doors and windows in case of fire to slow down its spread.

An open or unlocked door is not only a safety hazard in terms of children leaving the property undetected or without an adult, it also makes it easy for people to enter the property without your permission or knowledge.

I hope there's been some sort of misunderstanding, this seems absurd advice. I agree with Sandra, the odds of having a fire are far less than problems of children escaping.

[disney]

i always lock my door and my key does hang up i have not yet had a visit from the fire bragade but was told by my inspector the other week that the key has to be put up high away from were minded children can reach .

but back to what susi513 was saying about her door im afraid im not understanding very well what you mean hun ,but then im loaded with a cold sorry :blush:

[SimplyLucy]

I leave my door unlocked but I have a small bolt high up (so children can't reach). I feel a lot safer doing it this way as i wouldn't have to fiddle with a key in an emergency.

[claireLouise]

why?????? i dont understand why you would need to, i dont have mine open and what would you do in winter? the kids would freeze. Surley ofsted would not be happy if you left your front door open, plus anyone could walk in and see you and the kids or worse they could try and escape. Nurserys dont have to do that, why should we, I wouldnt leave my door open at all.

am i missing the point of the question? my brains on overdrive.

Hiya,

Just to clear up the door needs to be unlocked but your point about anyone walking in or a child escapinging still concerns me. However it is one of the recommendation as part of my condition to registration. The Care Commission say it is my responsibility to do a risk assessment and deternmine how to deal with the risk of an unloked fronmt door.

Claire

[claireLouise]

If you keep your key on a hook near the door, if there was a fire it wouldn't take too long to kind the key and unlock the door. The fire brigade have to realise that the risk of a child escaping because the front door is unlocked is a greater risk than if a fire broke out and you had to unlock the front door.


Hiya,

This is my sentaments exactly. Fire Brigdage sadly did not agree!

Claire

[sarah707]

I was thinking about this earlier...

There was a piece in my local paper today saying the Police are recommending everyone to lock their doors during the nice weather as there have been a spate of burglaries due to people not hearing what's going on at the front while they are out in the garden.

Also, I am certain your home insurance would not pay out if your door was unlocked! :eek: