Safety Tips for the Home

Swimming Pools:

Never leave a child unattended for any reason. Install either a four sided fence that surrounds the entire pool or a gate which closes by itself. Drowning in home pools is one of the leading causes of accidental deaths.

Spas and Whirlpools can also cause injuries.

Keep all stairways and halls well lit.

Install grab bars in your shower to hold on to.

Childproof all medicine cabinets as well as kitchen and bathroom cabinets.

Keep fire extinguishers in your home and keep them in a spot where you know where they are.

Buy an emergency first aid kit to keep in your home and know where you place it.

If there are any electrical outlets in your home that are not being used place electrical outlet safety plugs into them.

Make plans with each family member on what to do and where to go if and when severe weather approaches.

Keep an emergency supply kit on hand with batteries, flashlights, weather radio, blankets and non-perishable food items.

Keep drapery and blind cords tied up and out of children's reach.

If you have toddlers install safety gates at the bottom of any stairs and at the top.

Keep the cords to all kitchen appliances out of the reach of children.

If you are working inside a garage make sure there is adequate ventilation to prevent the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Keep your yard and gardening products inside of a locked cabinet.

Place smoke alarms throughout your home. Check the batteries to keep the smoke alarm working properly.

Keep all the lids to toilets closed.

Never leave a child unattended in the bathtub. It only takes a second for a child to drown.

Keep all cords to lamps and other electrical products out of the flow of traffic to preent any tripping.

Use ladders or step stools to reach things up high.

Make sure to keep curtains away from portable heating units.

Install deadbolt locks on all doors.

Install security cameras.

When you are cooking on the kitchen stove turn the handles of pots and pans in towards the stove to prevent them from getting knocked off or grabbed by a child and causing burns.

Designate a meeting place for all of your family members in case of a fire.

Install lighting at both the front and back entrances to your home.

For more information about home safety go online and visit homesafetycouncil.org