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Awareness into Action
Committing to Keep Your Family Safe
By Mark Stackpole
Christopher Campbell is a single father living in Campbell, Calif. As his 12-year old son, Dominic, has grown up, Christopher has found that his home safety concerns have grown as well. "When Dominic was an infant, I made it a point to restructure my living style in accordance with his immune system," he says. This included everything from frequent dusting and vacuuming to the use of air purifiers. "Once he became mobile, I moved onto the next step of childproofing the house – outlet plug covers, tables with rounded corners and safety latches on kitchen and bathroom cabinets."
Of course, homes with children must pay even closer attention to safety. While all parents are theoretically familiar with childproofing, there is always room for improvement. Are poisonous materials out of the reach of children? Children under the age of 5 experience the highest rate of nonfatal poisonings. Are the stairs protected by safety gates? Are window guards (with a quick-release emergency mechanism) installed on upstairs windows? Has furniture been moved away from the windows in order to prevent children from reaching them? Remember that falls are the leading cause of injuries in the home. Are you keeping an eye on kids while they are in the bathtub or swimming in the pool? Even buckets with a little water can put a child at risk for drowning, which causes an average of more than 800 deaths per year, with children under the age of 5 again being the most vulnerable.
Campbell also has household policies in place to guard against burn injuries and fire in the home he shares with his son. "Pots and pans are removed from the stove immediately after cooking, and appliances like the toaster and coffeepot are unplugged after use," he says. "This reduces the risk of someone being burned by hot water or oil and will also keep the house from burning down as the result of an appliance that was left on."
