Safer Child Products

A friend called us on Friday night telling us that the neighborhood next to ours had a fire. Any fire is upsetting, but when it’s so close to home it’s even scarier.  That’s when I remembered that we are supposed to test our smoke alarms at the same time we are changing our clocks.  Well, the alarm off my kitchen goes off every time I broil, so I know that one works, and the one upstairs is hard wired to our electric system, so I never really worried about that.  However, I was reading a post from Safe Kids Worldwide and they pointed out that even when alarms are hard wired, they need back up batteries in case of a power outage and that the unit itself only lasts 8-10 years.  I know we have been in our house longer than that, so I think it’s time to change out our smoke alarms! 

I read that “having a working smoke alarm reduces a person’s chances of dying in a fire by half!” I say that’s worth the effort!  Make sure you have a smoke alarm on every level of your home and outside the sleeping areas. 

Safe Kids offers Fire Prevention Tips as well.  Check them out at http://www.safekids.org/safety-basics/safety-resources-by-risk-area/fire-burn-and-scalds/fire-prevention-tips-1.html

Let’s keep our families safe!

Safer Child Products

Christmas may be over, but many families keep their trees and lights up until after New Year’s.  Also, it is still Hanukkah and many families are lighting candles.  Never leave burning candles unattended, be sure to remove dish towels, and wooden serving utensils from area around candles.  Stay alert to the condition and freshness of your tree.  Keep water in the tree stand.  Dry trees are more likely to catch fire.  http://yourlife.usatoday.com/parenting-family/story/2011-12-19/Christmas-trees-and-trappings-can-fan-fire-risk/52065596/1

I watched a TV program about Amazing Christmas Light Displays.  They were huge and beautifu, however, think of all the extra electricity this requires.  Do not overload your circuits or your extension cords.  Do not hesitate to contact an electrician if you blow a fuse or are concerned about the strain your light display may be placing on your system.

Safer Child Products

I was speaking with a friend of mine who has a toddler and she was commenting on how her little one gets into EVERYTHING!! At that age children need to be very closely supervised.  Not only do they move fast, but they are very curious.  If they can’t see or can’t reach, they will reach up and feel the surface to see what’s there.  They will pull on anything hanging down, i.e.: a cord or a tablecloth.  What worries me most this time of year is the potential for burns via candles or hot pots.  As the weather gets colder and the holiday season approaches, we are more likely to be cooking soups, stews and ciders.  Be sure to keep pot handles turned in, so they are not hanging over the edge of the stove.  Cook on back burners whenever possible.  If you have a flat top cooking surface, consider getting a plastic guard for the front of your stove, like the one shown in One Step Ahead http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=29&cmSource=Search

In addition, many of us like to burn candles, whether it is for pure pleasure, or for religious observances.  Keep burning candles out of reach of curious   hands, keep away from curtains and tablecloths, and remember not to wear loose of dangly clothing while cooking or lighting candles as well.  Candle sticks can be placed on a glass or metal tray, or even on aluminum foil, so that if a lit candle falls over, it will not burn the surface or light anything else on fire. 

For more at home safety tips to prevent burns, go to http://www.safekids.org/safety-basics/little-kids/at-home/burn-prevention.html

Safer Child Products

I know I am not alone when I say that my smoke alarm beeps every time I try to cook.  It is loud and annoying and I need to open all the kitchen windows to make it stop.  But isn’t that the point?  Don’t we want the smoke alarm to beep when there is smoke?  At least I know the one outside my kitchen works!  But, what about the others?  I have a smoke alarm on each level of my home, do you?  I even have one attached to my security alarm that will contact the fire department directly.

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) suggests that smoke alarms be tested every month, but the batteries should be changed once a year.  How am I going to remember to do this?  Pick a holiday or your birthday, and use that as the date to replace your smoke alarm batteries every year, or do it when you change your clocks in the fall or spring.  Even if your smoke alarm is hard wired to the electricity in your home it needs to be checked.  These smoke alarms often have a battery backup in them and those too need to be changed annually.  I just learned from reading the USFA website that the life span of a smoke alarm is 8-10 years.  Do you know how long you have had your smoke alarm?

Keeping your smoke alarm in working order is an important step in keeping your family safe in case of a fire, but it is not enough.  Your family needs to create and practice an emergency escape plan. Teach children what to do in case of a fire, when to leave the house, and where to meet. Don’t forget to keep matches and lighters out of reach of children and never leave burning candles unattended http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/citizens/home_fire_prev/alarms

Also concerning is that studies show that 78% of school-aged children sleep through smoke alarms.  In the study, “Parents reported that of the 22% of children who awoke, only half identified the noise as a smoke alarm. And only half of those children knew that smoke alarms mean Get Out Now.”  How are you going to address this in your family?  Read the rest of the article at http://healthland.time.com/2011/03/25/children-sleep-through-fire-alarms-study-shows/