New York City Warns Residents About Children and Window Safety

According to a recently published New York City Health Department press release, the Health Department is now warning residents about children falling out of windows in the city, a common issue in the vertical city.

The New York City Health Department is encouraging residents to make sure that their window guards are firmly and properly in place, especially if there are young children living in apartments or condos in the city of New York.

Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, New York City Health Commissioner, said, "Properly installed window guards save lives. Landlords and tenants must each do their part to make sure window guards are in place to keep kids safe."

"It's scary," said New York City resident Paula Marie Jacob. "A lot of apartments here in New York don't have central air or even air-conditioning units. So what do people do? They open their windows all the way and these windows don't have screens or they have faulty screens that pop out. Infants and toddlers can climb up on window sills, or sit with their legs hanging out windows. One wrong movement and they can slip or fall. It's fatal if they're stories up in a building. Or even if they're on the first or second floors, they can be harmed or terribly injured if they fall."

Another New York City resident and mother Jessica Helen said, "I'd call it common sense to keep your windows safe or closed, especially when you have kids in the house. You hear way too many stories of children falling out of windows or off fire escapes because windows weren't secured correctly. This happens in not just New York. All I can suggest is if you're going to open your windows, you make sure the screens are secured tightly and that you keep an eye on your kids at all times."

Currently, New York City laws require that all apartment and condo building owners install Health Department-approved window guards in housing units with children under 11 years of age. Anyone who takes care of children under 10 must inform the landlord and have window guards installed. The Health Department advises that residents install window guards anyway, even if there are rarely children at their homes.

Tenants need to take this serious law in their own hands too. If a landlord doesn't install safety guards where they are required, they can report it to 311. Landlords can also call 311 if their tenants refuse to have the guards installed.