Few things are more tragic than to read of children injured or killed in home accidents, such as house fires. To educate children properly on these and other dangers, I propose "Damage Camp," an educational program for children.
At Damage Camp, children will have a hands-on, adult-supervised opportunity
to learn what happens when water is thrown onto an oil or grease fire, the dangers posed by broken glass of different kinds, the severity of falls from different heights, the physical characteristics of different kinds of materials such as steel, wood, and plastic, and the like.
A health component should cover the risks of extremes of temperature, dehydration, exhaustion, and the importance of diet and exercise in being ready to confront life head-on.
Imagine a parent's relief when the smoke detector goes off in the middle of the night, knowing that the children in the house have been professionally drilled in a realistic simulation on how to reach safety.
Other useful skills would be the theory of simple machines, such as levers and pulleys, in gaining mechanical advantage in real-life situations, such as emergency tire repair, or vertical rescue. The goal is to install initiative and resourcefulness in the child who may face a dangerous situation.
A possible objection to Damage Camp is that no insurance company would certify such a "dangerous" program. But the value of the education received at Damage Camp in reducing the incidence of home accidents and insurable loss is obvious. Insurance companies should promote or even sponsor such a program, granting a discount to homeowners whose children have completed Damage Camp.