It breaks our heart to hear about tragedies in our community, especially ones involving children.
Last week, a 4-year-old child died in a trailer fire in McGirk. Moniteau County emergency responders entered the burning structure to rescue the child, but it was too late.
"It saddens us greatly when a small child is involved in a tragedy such as this, and our prayers go out to the family of the victim," Moniteau County Sheriff Tony Wheatley said in a news release. "I am also very proud of the deputies who risked their lives to try and save another."
We don't yet know the cause of the fire; it's still under investigation.
We can't reverse time and bring back victims in instances such as this. We wish we could. What we can do is take steps to prevent such tragedies in the future.
This is Fire Prevention Week, which is focusing on planning two ways out from each room in your home. State Fire Marshal Tim Bean urges families to plan two escape routes and conduct family fire drills twice a year.
This year's theme is, "Every Second Counts: Plan Two Ways Out."
"In a fire, a few seconds can mean the difference between life and death," Bean said in a news release. "Planning paths out in advance, discussing them with children and practicing on a regular basis will make this become second nature, so everyone will know what to do if a smoke alarm sounds in the middle of the night."
Safety tips include:
Drawing a map of your home with all members of your household, marking two exits from each room and a path to the outside from each exit.
Practicing your home fire drill twice a year. Conduct one at night and one during the day with everyone in your home, and practice using different ways out.
Teaching children how to escape on their own in case parents cannot help them.
Making sure the address on your home is clearly marked and easy for the fire department to find.
Close doors behind you as you leave this can slow the spread of smoke, heat, and fire.
Once you get outside, go to the pre-determined family meeting place at a safe distance in front of the home. Never go back inside a burning building.
All windows and doors should open easily so they can be used to get outside.
Make sure your home has smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and regularly test them to make sure they are working. Working smoke alarms should be on every level of the home, in all bedrooms and near all sleeping areas.
Think of an escape plan as an insurance policy for your family's safety: For a small investment in time, you can be prepared for something that hopefully will never happen.