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Infants, Toddlers, & Preschoolers
Triplets in House Fire in Bethesda--Install Fire Detectors
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Anonymous
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I started to post something about this earlier for what I presume is the same reason the story has so many of us shocked and horrified - it seems like such an awful and ultimately preventable tragedy. I can't help but find the parent's actions outrageous - not to have working smoke detectors, not to have called 911 immediately, not to have sufficient language capability so that he understood what his nanny was telling him, and not to have immediately removed his children from the house - especially since he reportedly is a former senior official for the Dept of Homeland Security. HOWEVER, I don't see much point in judging, since it accomplishes nothing and since all of us have undoubtedly done things as parents (or forgotten to do things) that we later regret, particularly in the midst of a crisis.
So my take-aways were - as the OP said, install and CHECK smoke detectors; make sure you have an escape plan; have clear communications with anyone who works in your home; and always always call the professionals and remove your kids immediately if there's any sign of a fire. Oh, yes, and pray for the children's well-being and the entire family. |
Anonymous
| Yes, they made a lot of mistakes, but these people share a pediatrician's office with my family and it is quite obvious they love their kids. Learn from this, pray for these kids, and move on. |
Anonymous
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To be honest, my take away from this story is for my family to never hire a babysitter who does not fluently -- *fluently* -- speak the language that I speak.
I've been tempted before, because the 2 candidates I'm thinking of had so many other outstanding qualities, but I passed. I passed because one DC has a food allergy and it just made me too nervous to not be able to speak concretely about symptoms ("hives" for example). Anyway, this sad story puts it to rest for me. Caregiver speaks my language, fluently. |
Anonymous
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I'm confused - I didn't read anything about a language barrier causing any problems?
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Anonymous
| Apparently, the nanny told the Dad the house was on fire - but he thought she meant the neighbor's house was on fire. I think that was why he went outside, didn't get his kids immediately. What an awful, awful situation. |
Anonymous
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Does anybody know if there is a consultant who can help you develop a fire escape plan? I worry about second story bedrooms and having no quick and easy way to get young kids out if the fire separates you from their room.
Separately, these kids, and their parents, will be in my thoughts. I agree with the no judging crowd. I have a ridiculous number of hard-wired and battery smoke and CO detectors in my house, but I may be doing something else that would look equally stupid to people on this board in hind sight. |
Anonymous
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I'll say a prayer for the family. Thank you OP. I hope that I never find myself in this situation. It's really terrible and sad.
Thank god for our firefighters too. |
Anonymous
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Does anyone know if there is any kind of a fund set up to help the family? Or if there is any help the community can provide?
Such an awful tragedy. |
Anonymous
My understanding is that the family is relatively well-off, insured, with a support network. I would (and do) direct my help to families who have similar catastrophes but have nothing to fall back on. And if I were to have something like this happen, I wouldn't really expect an outpouring of material/ financial support. |
Anonymous
| Yeah, they definitely don't need any money. Perhaps a donation to a good cause in their name if you really want to do something. |
Anonymous
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I think I just heard on the news that at least two of the children have been upgraded to good condition. True?
Just hoping for a piece of good news now on this. |
Anonymous
To the friend of the family - would you mind keeping us updated on how the triplets are doing? I'm really hoping for the best for them and want to hear of their progress. Thank you. |
Anonymous
| I cried my eyes out reading that story. Just another reason why firefighters are my heroes. My God, what brave people they are. |
Anonymous
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I read the story in disgust- anyone with three kids and no fire dectors and doesn't get their kids out of the house first before they put a house on a fire shouldn't get to keep them-- |
Anonymous
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20:36, despite what you say, you obviously didn't really read the story. I got a chill when I got to the part about the husband misunderstanding the nanny's imperfect English, thinking she was saying something like "fire back house," -- meaning a fire at another house, rather than a fire at the back of his own house.
That could very easily happen to any of us who have a nanny who is a non-English native speaker, smoke alarm or not. |