Fire Prevention Week has started, and state officials are reminding parents to do what they can to help protect their homes – and especially their children – from fires.

Safe Kids Kansas and the state fire marshal say 57 children ages 14 and under in the state died in fires between 2000 and 2006 and another 377 were hospitalized. The most common causes for the deaths were children playing with items that can ignite a blaze and cooking equipment.

The two departments offer these tips:

¢ Smoke alarms should be on every level of your home, outside every sleeping area and in each bedroom, and should be tested each months. Alarms should be replaced every 10 years.

¢ Have a fire escape plan, and make sure everyone in the home has practiced the plan. The plan should include two ways out of every room and a meeting place for the family outside the home.

¢ Keep matches, candles, gasoline and other flammable materials locked away and out of children’s reach.

¢ Never leave a burning candle unattended.

¢ Keep children away from cooking and heating appliances.

¢ Place space heaters at least 3 feet from curtains, papers, furniture and other flammable materials. Always turn off space heaters when leaving the room or going to bed.

¢ Consider a home sprinkler system. The combination of smoke alarms and sprinklers can reduce your chances of dying in a fire by 82 percent.