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Parents warned of dangerous trend among teens who are trying the “fire challenge”

NIT – It’s hard to miss the viral reach of the Ice Bucket Challenge, part of a fund-raising effort to fight the ALS disease where people dump buckets of ice water on other people’s heads. So far, celebrities and regular folks have taken part and millions of dollars have been raised.

At the same time, law enforcement and health officials across the country are now warning of a dangerous counter-trend prevalent among teens: the fire challenge.  In this trending phenomenon, flammable liquid such as nail polish remover or hand sanitizer is applied to the skin and then lit on fire, and the ensuing scramble to put the flames out is recorded for a hearty laugh and then posted to Youtube or Facebook. Afterwards, friends of the burn victim are then challenged to do the same thing.

The National Fire Prevention Association has issued official warnings against the “fire challenge”.  Many fire and life safety educators are wondering what actions can be taken to help stop this challenge. Unfortunately, the answer to the question is complex and there appears to be no single answer.

Parents are being warned to discuss the obvious affects of burning the skin and to monitor their child’s use of social media.

“This is a very dangerous practice that can result in significant life-threatening burns or death,” said Ankeny, Iowa Fire Chief James Clack. “As kids head back to school, we want to make parents aware of this now so they can discuss the issue with their children and prohibit the behavior from occurring or being considered in the future.”

WARNING: Videos may be graphic.

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