From Clearissa Coward’s Command Center
Home Safety Tips – Keep Your Family Safe
It’s summer and more than likely your children are home a lot more because school is out. Top that with summer sleepovers, pool parties and all that goes along with an active and happy summer and I know you want to make sure your home is safe for your kids as well as their friends. In this blog post, I will provide several Home Safety Tips to help you make sure your home is ready for all of the summer activity and beyond. Accidents happen all the time within the home, but not on our watch…right? Listed below are several tips to follow to ensure safety in each room in your home.
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In the Kitchen
- Keep flammable materials away from the stove. Do not let oven mitts, paper towels, etc. come into contact with the hot pots and pans or the burners. Also, make sure handles on the stove are turned inward and away from little hands to avoid burns.
- Use cleaning products with caution. Ensure that you do not put the cleaning products within reach of your children. Keep them out of reach so they cannot accidentally poison themselves.
- Never leave sharp objects or tools unattended in a place where little hands can reach them. It may take a little effort but it is worth it to put them away even if you are not done with the project to protect your little people.
- Ensure that all electrical cords are kept away from water and flammable objects like curtains and hand towels. The cords could overheat and catch fire. Actually, I would suggest using power strips instead of extension cords when possible. Power strips are easier to turn off, which will save you on electrical bills, and they are usually on the floor near an outlet and not stretched across the pathways. I realize extension are necessary in some cases, but use sparingly.
- Ensure that your appliances are getting the proper ventilation. You can do this by keeping them away from other objects and regularly vacuuming out the back of your appliances. You can even elevate some, like computers to keep them from overheating. And unplug small appliances like toasters, TVs, computers, and coffeepots when not in use.
In the Bathroom
- Just like in the kitchen, ensure that all cords are kept away from water. Water and electricity do not mix and can cause an electrical fire could electrocute you as well. Again, Water & Electricity Do Not Mix.
- Use non-slip floor mats. The shower floor can be slippery when wet. By using a non-slip floor mat you are protecting yourself from slip and fall accidents. Bathroom falls can devastate a life. Especially the elderly and the very young.
- Like in the kitchen, keep cleaning supplies locked away and out of reach of small children to prevent accidental poisoning.
In the Bedroom
- You should not smoke at all. Take that from an ex-smoker. I am not judging, I just want you to be safe and healthy. Never smoke in your bedroom, or anywhere in your home. Flammable objects could catch fire from your cigarette and destroy your home and belongings. And please DO NOT smoke in bed. That is a disaster waiting to happen.
- Purchase a mattress that is flame resistant. If a fire breaks out in your bedroom, then you want to be protected and allow yourself as much time as possible to figure out your escape route. I also suggest that you have a plan in place for you and your children so that everyone knows what to do and where to go if, God forbid, a fire starts.
- You’re most vulnerable when you sleep. To ensure your safety in case someone were to come into your home, keep a phone and light by your bed. To avoid a break in as much as possible, install an alarm system and more importantly, use your alarm system. Another deterrent for thieves or worse is motion lights. I need to do this myself, but install them in places where ever there are dark spaces on your property.
In Your Yard
- To ensure the safety of your pets and kids, surround your yard with a fence. The fence can help keep your little ones and pets in and can also keep wild animals and unwanted guests out. It is amazing how many homes have recently had alligators, wolves and even bears invade their yards.
- If you have a pool, make sure that it’s covered and fenced in. This will protect your kids from any risk of falling in and drowning. Having an alarm on the fence or the door leading out to your pool will alert you of any possible security breaches by your children so you know where they are and can prevent accidents.
- Again, put tools, lawnmowers and any items you think could harm a child. This includes sharp pruning tools, and electrical yard tools as well. Better safe than sorry.
In Your Garage
- Keep any harmful substances you store in the garage out of the reach of your children and pets.
- Keep the space clean and organized. Ensure that there are no sharp objects that are out in the open and in easy reach of your children and pets.
- Always remove the keys from your car and lock your car doors as well. Children are curious and accidentally getting locked inside a hot car is a possibility if cars are left unlocked.
- Before backing out of your garage, make sure all children are accounted for. Check for children’s toys and gadgets as well. Children are out and playing all summer and assuming they are inside and safe is not acceptable. Check before you back up. Walk completely around the car.
Your home is a place to live and love, and it should be your safe haven. To ensure that you achieve the highest degree of safety within your home, follow these steps and do what you think is right for your home. All homes and families are different, so there will be different ways of keeping each one safe but this is a good starting point. There are companies that you can hire to come in and evaluate your home to make sure you do not have any holes in your safety plan.
Which room or area of your homes could use a safety refresh? Have you discussed an escape plan with your family? Do you take the time to walk around your vehicle before moving it?
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Until next time…I remain in my Element – God Bless!
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These are very good tips, so much to look OUT for to be safe.
Thank you Julie. Yes there is a lot we can do to keep our families safe. Thank you for stopping in.
Clearissa these are all such important tips especially for families with little ones and pets. We just got a dog and I am amazed at all the things we think about safety wise, that we took for granted before
Such great info! Thank you Clearissa!
Clearissa, These are all wonderful safety tip reminders fOr everyone.
So many opportunities for fun, but so much risk if we don’t practice caution! Thanks for this heads up!
Hi Michele, my pleasure. We can all relax and enjoy once we get the safety stuff out of the way. 🙂
You are very welcome Vivian. Thank you for stopping by my little piece of the cyber world. Do come again. 🙂
Awww you have a new furbaby? How fun. Yep, you see things from a totally different perspective when little ones and pets are concerned. What kind of dog did you get?
All good tips to remind us to be safe ♥
Thanks Dee. I’m glad they were a good reminder. 🙂
Awesome tips! The one thing that really stands out to me on this list is, parents need to be very cognizant to make sure their kids aren’t beind their cars. Many years ago when my kids were in their early teens their friend was putting on his rollerblades in the driveway. His mom didnt see him and she ran over his leg. Thankfully all he ended up with was a shattered leg, but it could have been so much worse.
Oh my goodness. I cannot imagine running over a child. It must be the most horrible feeling in the absolute world. I ho9pe my list will serve as a reminder for somone. Thanks for stopping in.