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Daily Safety Activities |
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1 - Smoke Detectors
Here are tips from the Red Cross :
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- Install a smoke alarm outside each sleeping area and on each additional level of your home.
- If people sleep with doors closed, install smoke alarms inside sleeping areas, too.
- Use the test button to check each smoke alarm once a month. When necessary, replace batteries immediately. Replace all batteries at least once a year.
- Vacuum away cobwebs and dust from your smoke alarms monthly.
- Smoke alarms become less sensitive over time. Replace your smoke alarms every ten years.
2 - Young Children's Toys & Clothes
Examine your young children's belongings. Are there any loose pieces on their toys that could be a choking hazard? Are there broken parts that are sharp or dangerous? On the clothes, are there any loose buttons or snaps that might fall off and be swallowed? Go over them all today!
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3 - Check Your Medicine Cabinet
It's too easy for young children to fall victim to poisoning if the family's medicines aren't safely contained (in original containers with childproof caps) or aren't in a secure place (medicine cabinet that has childproof latches). Out of date medicines can be ineffective or dangerous. So today's a good day to go through your cabinets (and any medicine in the house) and check them out. Note - "medicine" includes vitamins! Here is a good list to help you out:
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4 - Check Your Household Chemicals
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends:
- Use the child-resistant closures that come on most medicines and household chemicals. Safety closures save lives.
- Safety latches for kitchen, bathroom, and workshop cabinets can help keep household chemicals and medicines locked up away from children.
Be sure to check any chemicals in storage sheds, basements, in the garage or in any storage area. Apply the same recommendations to all of these chemical dangers.
Refer to this article as well: Preventing Childhood Poisonings by the FDA.
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5 - Poison Lookout Checklist
Go over your house with this very useful checklist
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6 - Advance Preparation
Find the number for your local Poison Control Center. Find it BEFORE you need it:
- Look in your phone book (most likely in the special sections at the front of the white pages). Or
- Visit the American Association of Poison Control Centers website and search for it. Note - the zip code search isn't working, we used the 'map' feature to find our local center. Or
- Call your pediatrician or doctor and ask him/her for the local number.
Other things to do:
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- Learn what plants are poisonous in your area. Your local Poison Prevention Center will be able to help you.
- Keep on hand a one-ounce bottle of syrup of ipecac for each child in the home. (In case of a potential poisoning, call the Poison Control Center immediately and follow their directions. They recommend usage of this medicine.)
- Read these directions from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission about What You Should Know To Do... If There Is A Poisoning Accident
- Review what the American Association of Poison Control Centers recommends.
7 - Immunization Schedule
Are your children's immunizations up-to-date. Protect their health by reviewing the latest immunization chart from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
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8 - Car Safety
Review this safety information and take the One-Minute Car Seat Safety Check-Up .
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9 - Be ALERT Safety Tips for Parents
What else should you do as parent to keep your child safe? Here's a good summary list
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10 - Rate Your Child's Safety
Take this short quiz with your child!
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11 - Baby Safety Checklist
Every new parent should review this list - ideally BEFORE the baby arrives! It is from the U.S. Consumer Protection Agency It covers everything from cribs to medicines, from toys to drownings. If you don't have an infant, but know someone who does, then let them know about this list.
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12 - Babysitter Checklist
Review this great article and complete the checklist at the end.
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13 - Window Covering Cords
For details on how to protect your young children from strangling in window covering cords, see: Consumer Product Safety Alert - Children Can Strangle in Window Covering Cords
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14 - Pool/Spa Safety
Even though it's fall, make sure your pool and spa are safe. Pools and spas can be a drowning hazard year round. If you don't have a pool, but your children have access to someone else's pool, check that pool out as well. Drownings are a leading cause of death for children under 5. Review these recommendations from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
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15 - Emergency Information
Here are some ideas for a handy chart of emergency information for you to gather. Create a table like this and carry it with you and/or give it to others that need to know. Add additional information that is relevant for your family.
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Area Information Home Phone Number
Father's Work Phone
Mother's Work Phone
Other Phone Numbers
Cell Phone or Pager
School Or Daycare Center's number
Doctor's number
Dentist's number
Nearest Neighbor
Nearest Relative
Fire Department
Police Department
Poison Control Center
Children's Allergies
Children's medications
Health Insurance Plan #
16 - Your Telephone - Emergency Numbers
Here is a list of important phone numbers to have next to each phone in your house. Make sure this list is easy to find in a hurry. Ideas: tape it on the wall near the phone or tape it on the phone. Many of these numbers came from the work you did yesterday! Add others that are important for you and your family. If your phone is programmable, program your phone with these numbers and label the buttons clearly.
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Name Number Fire
Police
Ambulance
Pediatrician
Poison Control
Other:
Other:
17 - Your children & Emergency Information
Do your children know their name, address and phone number? Can they dial a phone? Do they know how to call for help? Review yesterday's emergency information list with them. Have them practice dialing numbers (on a disconnected or disabled phone, of course!)
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18 - Family Safety Plan: Get Started
For a list of what you should do to get started see:
Preparing a Family Safety Plan for Emergency SituationsHere are some useful websites:
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- For Kids - Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Great way to explain this to kids
- American Red Cross Family Disaster Safety Tips Excellent information here!
- Another very complete outline for a Family Disaster Plan by the National Disaster Education Coalition : American Red Cross, FEMA, IAEM, IBHS, NFPA,NWS, USDA/CSREES, and USGS
19 - Family Safety Plan: Create the Family Disaster Plan
Here are areas to discuss:
- Meet with your family and discuss the need to prepare for a disaster.
- Develop a plan to share responsibilities and work together as a team.
- Establish meeting places inside and outside your home and outside the neighborhood. Make sure everyone knows when and how to contact each other if separated.
- Decide on the best escape routes from your home. Find two ways out of each room.
- Establish an out-of-state family contact (friend or relative). Call this person after the disaster to let them know where you are and if you are okay. Make sure everyone knows the contact's phone number.
- Learn what to do in an evacuation and what you should and cannot take to a shelter.
Source: Preparing a Family Safety Plan for Emergency Situations . Refer to this article for more information. Development of this funded by the U.S. Department of Education.
For another very complete outline for a Family Disaster Plan by the National Disaster Education Coalition : American Red Cross, FEMA, IAEM, IBHS, NFPA,NWS, USDA/CSREES, and USGS
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20 - Hold a Family Fire Drill
First review what to do in case of a fire and then establish a plan (exits, meeting place, etc). Here is what the American Red Cross recommends to do in case of a residential fire. Review this with your children.
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21 - Fire Extinguishers
Here are a few recommendation from the National Fire Protection Association:
- Make sure your fire extinguisher is properly charged.
- Consider having one or more working fire extinguishers in your home. There are different types for different types of fires. (See NFPA information below)
- Be trained in how to correctly use a fire extinguisher.
For more what the National Fire Protection Association recommends, view their checklist .
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22 - Disaster Supply Kit
Do you have a basic first aid kit? What other supplies do you need? Should you have a disaster supply kit? Winter storms, floods, earthquakes, hurricanes could cut you off for days. Here is what the American Red Cross recommends for the contents of disaster supply kit
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23- First Aid
Who in your household knows CPR or Infant/Child CPR? Basic first aid? If so, are they current? Does your childcare provider or babysitter know what to do in case of a medical emergency? Call your local Red Cross, YMCA/YWCA or community college today and sign up today for a class.
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24 - Bike Helmets
Does your child wear a helmet each time he or she rides a bike? Is the helmet fitted properly? Read this article on Bike Helmet Guidelines from the CPSC.
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25 - Home Playground Safety
Is your backyard playground safe? Check it out with these guidelines.
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26 - Internet Safety
Do your children have access to the Internet? Review these guidelines with your child.
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27 - Drawstrings on Clothes
Drawstrings on children's clothing are a strangulation hazard for children of all ages (even teens!). Review this article and then check out your children's clothes.
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28 - Halloween Safety Tips
Review these safety tips before the big night!
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29 - Product Recall Notices
Have you checked the Product Recall Notices recently? Many children's toys and clothes are recalled each month.
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30 - 10 Tips to Keep Your Kids Safe At School
Review these basic safety rules with your child.
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31 - Enjoy Halloween!
