Health – You seem to think that taking a course is the be-all and end-all of all safety issues. I just disagree with that.
As a parent, I am being realistic about what will raise awareness in the frum oilam. How many parents do you know who have taken courses from ARC and AHA? I will answer my own question: almost none. If the people don’t care about safety or don’t make it a priority, believe me, they are not taking time or money to go to a course about it.
I also did not say that it is the Rabbonim’s responsibility to make sure parents watch their children or do bedikas chametz in a safe way. If that is what you thought, please re-read my post. I am talking about RAISING AWARENESS of the importance of safety and prevention and creating a general attitude among the frum oilam that it is unacceptable to be lax in these areas. Whatever it takes to raise awareness should be and must be done.
And yes, you DO need to say to people that the menorah is a fire hazard and make sure that it is on something stable and make sure that the baby can’t reach up and pull it down. And the proof that it is necessary to do so: there is an increase in burns in religious homes around Chanuka-time year after year! To prevent this from happening you don’t need to take a course. All you need is for parents to be aware that this could seriously harm their child and to apply a little foresight and seichel in setting up the menorah.
If people didn’t have the general attitude of “What’s the big deal?” and would rather have the attitude of “Better be safe than sorry”, then this wouldn’t be an issue at all.