Children must learn how to manage being alone at base home Published June 15, 2007 By Chrissy Cuttita 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs TYNDALL AFB, Fla. -- A knock at the door, a stove, first aid and fire are all on the list of things that are sometimes scary but need to be responded to for someone 10 years old or up left home alone at their base residence. Luckily, Youth Center personnel provide the tools to ensure they are safe. Saturday more youth signed contracts with their parents/caretakers and walked away a bit braver with certificate in hand after completing this month's three-hour course appropriately titled "Home Alone." "We teach things they need to know," said Jeannie Holland, volunteer instructor and school age assistant lead at the Youth Center. On her list of things to cover are fire safety, hurricane preparedness, stranger danger, kitchen risks, emergency kits and first aid. Tyndall Instruction 34-202 states children should not be left home alone without completing the class offered at the Youth Center monthly. The "am I ready to be alone checklist" has been complete and stored with instruction material in a special place for every youth that has been certified. For one graduate of the course, the lessons were applied in a real-life situation. "Someone knocked on the door when no one was home," said Nick Calla, 12. "I got so scared I got my stick, boots and spy gear." Luckily for Nick, the unknown figure turned out to be his mother's friend. She got in an accident and needed help. And lucky for them both, he had his emergency numbers on hand. It's been at least a year since Nick took the course but after being home a few times alone, he's confident and ready to prepare his brother who will go to the class next. "I enjoy it, that's why I volunteer," said Ms. Holland. "I know it's an important thing to do, especially now with a lot of latch-key children. I feel good they know what to do in case of emergency." Jacob Morrow, 10, recently took the class and learned his mother's limits. "Something bad could happen," he said, describing the result if he didn't listen to her rules of not using the stove or oven and not letting people come over when she is out. "I wasn't so scared the first time," Jacob said. "Everything was locked. My folder is in my room, in my computer desk." Ms. Holland is proud the children keep their references handy and occasionally checks to see if the information is retained by talking to course graduates while they are attending Open Recreation at the Youth Center. The base instruction said children ages 10 to 11 can stay home without adult supervision for two hours or less, day or night, while a child ages 12 to 15 can stay home up to 10 hours during daylight but only four hours after dark. Teens 16 and above can stay home alone for up to 72 hours. According to the instruction, all youth left home alone need to have emergency phone numbers and feel comfortable in the situation. Parents and caretakers are the best judges to determine if their child is ready. There has to be no determined or suspected behavioral, emotional, medical, physical, psychological, or psychiatric condition that impairs ability to function alone. To stay home, they all must take the Home Alone course. The regulation also covers if the children can babysit or care for younger children and there is a mandatory course for that too. Only youth over 12 can care for children provided that youth 12 to 14 do not watch children under 3. Only children at least 16 years old can accompany children in self-directed Youth Center activities. Additionally, there are rules about leaving children in vehicles unattended. A child under 6 should never be left in this situation. Youth 7 to 9 can be left in a vehicle but only for 15 minutes and anyone under age 11 cannot be left in a vehicle without the keys being removed and the handbrake applied. For safety reasons, no child should be left in a car in hot weather. It all comes down to caring for the children and that's the reason Ms. Holland enjoys the job she's had for 15 years. "My seven grandchildren are definitely an influence," she said. "And one is getting ready to come to my Home Alone course." The next course is scheduled for 1 to 4 p.m. July 21 at the Youth Center. For more information, call 283-4326.