In 1971 the Consumer Product Safety Commission established the Children’s Sleepwear Flammability Standard, ensuring fire-resistant sleepwear for all children up to 14 years of age. This action resulted in a 90% decrease in fire-related child deaths sustained while wearing sleepwear.

In 1996 the CPSC lowered this standard, once again placing American children at risk for burn injuries.

The new standard, enacted in 2001, allows sleepwear for babies younger than nine months not to be fire-resistant, leaving them with no protection at all. Further, sleepwear for children up to age 14 does not need to be fire-resistant if it is snug fitting. Generally, parents purchase sleepwear that is at least one size larger to allow for growing room, making even snug fitting items unsafe.

The fire safety community, including trauma surgeons, fire fighters and Dave Borowski, and members of Congress are working to re-establish the Safe Children’s Sleepwear Standard through legislation. The passage of S. 2188 and/or S. 2208 in the Senate and H.R. 4896 and/or H.R. 730 in the House would re-establish the Standard.

We urge you to write to your representatives in support of this legislation and urge them to vote for the re-establishment of the Children’s Sleepwear Flammability Standard. Contact information for your representatives may be found by calling (202) 224-3121 or at http://www.house.gov or http://www.senate.gov.

three general purposes: to customize the content you see, to fulfill your requests for certain services and information, and to contact you.