Keep Your Belleville, IL Home Safe with These Childproofing Tips
Between 2007 and 2011, an average of 49,300 fires involved children playing with fire. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of fires involving play occurred in homes. More importantly, home fires accounted for 23% of fires, but 98% of civilian deaths, 93% of civilian injuries, and 91% of property damage. Fires resulting from children playing with fire cause an average of 80 civilian deaths and 860 civilian injuries.
Fires are one of the biggest dangers faced by children, in the home. As the above statistics show, the best way to childproof your Belleville, IL home is to keep lighters, matches, and even candles away from children. A child with a lighter or match is a catastrophe waiting to happen.
Remember, often, children don’t react to fire the same way that an adult might. Instead of looking for the nearest exit, too many children will look to hide and put themselves at extreme risk. You can avoid this scenario by creating an escape plan in case of fire. Practice your plan with your children, perhaps even holding a mock fire drill 3-4 times a year, until the entire family understands what to do in case of fire.
In addition to everything else you do to protect your children from fire:
- Be sure that there are working smoke detectors in every room of your home
- Store all flammable materials outside of your home, or at the very least absolutely out of the reach of your children
- Invest in fire extinguishers, and have at least one extinguisher in the kitchen
Two More Potential Hazards in Your Belleville, IL. Home & How to Eliminate Them
Here are some steps that you can take to help avoid hazards to yourself and your children. Take a look at how dangerous your home really is.
Falls – Falling accidents are the number one cause of death in America, outpacing deaths from disease, car accidents, and even guns. Reduce the risks of falls with these simple tips.
- Be sure all staircases have solid handrails, securely affixed flooring, adequate lighting, and safety gates if there are small children in the home.
- Keep all outside stairs clear of debris and hazards like ice and snow. When necessary use secured mats to make surfaces less slippery.
- Secure rugs to avoid slipping and water pooling on slick surfaces.
- Provide an easy space for kids to put away their toys. Secure skateboards, bikes, and other mobile toys away from walkways to avoid trips
Poisonings – Each year, nearly two million calls are made to poison control centers nationwide. Use these tips to help to protect your children.
- Store medications properly and out of reach
- Secure paint and other chemicals up high
- Keep detergents and other cleaning supplies locked up and away from children and pets
