According to the “2010 National Health Observance” calendar the month of June is “Home Safety Month”.  By providing focused education, information, and resources, this initiative provides communities with tools to maintain safety in households.

Several factors are considered in determining the level of safety in a home.  These are the seven occurrences that families are at risk of experiencing in their homes:

-Falls

–Poisonings

–Fires 

- Burns

–Choking/Suffocation

–Drowning

- Poisoning

According to the Home Safety Council recent studies show that while almost all parents (99 percent) feel it’s important to keep their family safe at home, very few are taking all of the recommended steps to prevent home injuries. Nearly half (49 percent)  of caregivers have not installed a carbon monoxide alarm in their home. 40 percent of parents do not store medications in high cabinets secured with cabinet locks.

Here are a couple of ” Home Safety Tips”:

To prevent falls: Have bright lights over stairs and steps and on landings. Keep stairs clear of clutter

To prevent fires and burns: Have working smoke alarms and hold fire drills. If you build a new home, install fire sprinklers.

To prevent choking and suffocation: Things that can fit through a toilet paper tube can cause a young child to choke. Keep coins, latex balloons and hard round foods, such as peanuts and hard candy where children cannot see or touch them.

For more information on “Home Safety Month” and tips and resources for keeping families safe in domestic settings, please visit  www.homesafetycouncil.org .