You try your best to create a safe home for your family — but there’s a lot of intention that goes into creating that environment. From poisonous cleaning products to choking hazards, and fires to burglaries, preparation and awareness are key in keeping your home hazard-free and secure.
Poison-proof Your Home
Unintentional poisoning from prescription painkillers is now the leading cause of accidental death, according to the National Safety Council.
Be sure to only take prescribed medicines and doses. Always read labels and follow warnings. Keep medicines out of reach of children. You should also keep the Poison Control Center number in or near your phone — (800) 222-1222.
To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, install a carbon monoxide detector and check the batteries monthly. Don’t leave a car running in a garage with the door closed.
Be careful not to mix household or chemical products together. Keep cleaning products and other chemicals out of reach of children.
Remove Risk of Suffocation
Hundreds of children under the age of 1 suffocate each year. To prevent infant suffocation, keep babies from getting trapped between mattresses and bed frames or walls. Be careful of blankets, pillows, pacifier cords and drapery that might smother or choke your child. Consider wearable sleep sacks as alternatives to blankets.
Only use cribs that comply with the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association. Avoid cribs with drop side rails or missing parts.
For both infants as well as older children, make sure no unsafe plastic bags are lying around. Don’t leave small items around where children might swallow them. Be sure to monitor children during meals, teaching them how to take small bites and avoid foods they can choke on.
Reduce Potential for Falls
Emergency treatment is needed for millions of people each year who suffer from fall-related injuries. To prevent falls, keep clutter off the floors. Avoid rugs or tape them down. Keep stairs safe by providing sturdy handrails. Install non-slip mats and grab bars in bathrooms. Wear shoes or slippers when walking around the home.
Install Automated Alarm Systems
Millions of American suffer from home fires and burglaries each year. Install a home automation system with automated fire, smoke and burglar alarms to product yourself from these incidents. Today’s home automation products enable you to activate and control your alarms from a single device such as your smartphone. You can also view security cameras on your smart TV or smartphone and have your security system connected to motion detectors that automatically alert you and authorities when your yard or home has been breached.
Make it Look Like You’re Home
Most burglars will avoid hitting a home with a car in the driveway, according to a survey of convicted criminals conducted by Portland’s KGW News. If you’ve got an extra car that’s normally parked in your garage, leaving it in your driveway could deter burglars. If you don’t have an extra car, consider inviting your neighbors to park theirs in your driveway when you’re not home, especially if you’re going to be gone on vacation for an extended period. A loud TV, radio or dog will also discourage burglars.
There are many worrisome elements that can come between you and protecting your home, but with preparation, you can prevent and avoid many potential hazards.
I teach Americans all the time about keeping their homes safe and what is usually forgotten in these articles is having a home defense weapon and using 3M film to stop window breakage.. An alarm will ONLY alert the homeowners and alarm company who takes anywhere from 30 seconds to one minute or more to respond to the alarm. Then you have to wait until police come to assist you… IF they come. A federal judge has ruled that police have NO DUTY OR RESPONSIBILITY to assist an individual UNLESS He has a relationship with that individual (Warren VS D.C.)
A good shotgun or two in the hands of competently trained homeowners will do more to assure your safety than anything in this article. Further, adding 3M window film to all windows stops or slows down smash and grabs. The film holds the glass together and perpetrators have to “work” to get the glass to break apart which they don’t want -takes too much time!.
You’re welcome. NOW GO get trained in real home defense!