5 Things Oct. 11: 'One Thousand White Women,' Fire Prevention and More

Five Things You Need to Know Today is a Patch column that provides readers with essential, daily information at a glance. Check back later for more, and let us know what you think of the feature in the comments section.

1. Knitting and “One Thousand White Women” book discussion
Norton Public Library will host the Knot Just Knitting group at 1 to 2:30 p.m. in the community room. Afterward join the afternoon book discussion group who meet the first Thursday of each month at 4 p.m. This month's selection is “One Thousand White Women,” by Jim Fergus. Request the book through the online library system.

2. Healthy-Steps program for cancer patients
The Oncology Department at Sturdy Memorial Hospital will offer offers a six-week Healthy-Steps exercise and movement program for cancer patients on Thursdays 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Hospital’s Conference Rooms D & E. Healthy-Steps is a therapeutic exercise program provided by the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, which combines gentle movements, dance and music to improve overall wellness, range of motion, balance, strength, and endurance, as well as emotional well being and self-image.  The class is taught by a certified Lebed Method instructor. Registration is required. For more information and to register call 508-236-7010.

3. Fire prevention and safety tips
It’s National Fire Prevention Week, so Amica Insurance is sharing five basic fire prevention tips – as well as some important safety reminders.
• Talk to children about the dangers of playing with matches and lighters. Store matches and lighters in a locked cabinet or out of reach.
• Turn off the stove and blow out any candles when you leave the room.
• Make sure chimneys, fireplaces, wood and coal stoves and furnaces are regularly inspected and cleaned.
• Keep combustible materials away from fireplaces, wood stoves, stove tops and other heating sources.
• Store gasoline in approved containers and keep the containers in an outdoor shed or other area away from your home.

Nearly two-thirds of all fire deaths occur in homes that either have no smoke alarms or the smoke alarms weren’t working, according to the NFPA. Also, make sure you have an evacuation plan with two routes of escape, in case one route is blocked by fire or smoke. “Don’t forget to rehearse the plan, so everyone knows exactly what to do if a fire breaks out. The evacuation plan should include a meeting place so everyone knows where to go if there is a fire,” said Lisa St. Onge, an assistant vice president with Amica Insurance.

Here are five other fire safety tips:
• Install smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms on every level of your home, including the basement. Make sure there’s a smoke detector inside each bedroom and/or sleeping area.
• Demonstrate for children what a smoke detector sounds like and talk to them about what to do if they hear one.
• Test each smoke detector and carbon monoxide alarm monthly to make sure it works.
• Replace batteries in all smoke and carbon monoxide alarms twice a year, when you change your clocks for daylight saving time.
• Replace the smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors alarms every 10 years.

4. Map of Play by KaBoom!
Check out the Map of Play, a newly updated online tool from KaBOOM!, the national non-profit dedicated to saving play. KaBOOM! envisions a playspace within walking distance of every child in America, and the Map of Play aims to be the comprehensive map of where playspaces exist across the country. You can find, rate, and photograph play spaces that exist in your area, and add new sites to the map. As the map grows, this tool can be used by communities to advocate for improved playspaces, and KaBOOM! can work with communities to better understand where investments in the play-scape are needed. Visit mapofplay.org to get started.

5. High near 60, low around 42
Today will be sunny, with a high near 60. West wind will be 8 to 14 mph. Tonight there will be increasing clouds, with a low around 42. Southwest wind will be 3 to 7 mph.