Home Safety Council® Calls On Families to Take Action Against the Leading Causes of Home Injury During Home Safety Month

WASHINGTON, June 9 /PRNewswire/ -- New research from the national, nonprofit Home Safety Council reveals that while nearly all (99 percent) parents surveyed say it is important to keep their family safe at home, the majority have not taken steps to prevent the leading causes of home injury. The research makes it clear that parents and caregivers need help identifying the safety risks most relevant to their families and creating an action plan to correct them.

This June, the Home Safety Council is encouraging parents and caregivers to focus on ten simple steps they can complete to protect against the leading causes of home injury – falls, poisonings, fires and burns, choking/suffocation and drowning. By encouraging families to tackle safety dangers one step at a time and providing a checklist they can follow, the Home Safety Council aims to curb the nearly 20,000 deaths and 21 million medical visits that result from home injuries on average each year.

"We understand that all parents and caregivers are concerned and want to do what they can to keep their family members safe, but unfortunately that concern isn't translating to action," said Meri-K Appy, Home Safety Council president. "Completing a home safety makeover sounds overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be. This June, we are encouraging families to start by making ten simple and inexpensive changes in each area of the home, inside and out. Even just these ten simple steps will make a real difference in keeping loved ones of all ages safe at home."

A Safer Home for All Ages

The Home Safety Council offers the top ten tips below as a starting point for families to review each room of the home and make sure they have the basic safety measures in place. After the first ten steps are complete, families can map out the additional hazard areas they've identified at home and make an action plan to fix them – one-by-one. June is the perfect time to start working together to tackle one safety project a week.

Prevent Falls

• Install grab bars in the tub and shower. Use non-slip mats.
• Have bright lights over stairs and steps and on landings. Keep stairs clear of clutter.

Prevent Poisonings

• Keep cleaners, medications and beauty products in a place where children can't reach them. Use child safety locks.
• For Poison Help call 1-800-222-1222. Call if you need help or want information about poisons. Call 9-1-1 if someone needs to go to the hospital right away.

Prevent Fires & Burns

• Have working smoke alarms and hold fire drills. If you build a new home, install fire sprinklers.
• Stay by the stove when cooking, especially when you are frying food.
• Keep your hot water at 120˚F degrees to prevent burns. Use back burners and turn pot handles toward the back of your stove. Use a travel mug when you drink something hot.

Prevent Choking & 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.
• Place babies to sleep on their backs, alone in their crib. Don't put pillows, blankets, comforters or toys in cribs. These things can sometimes keep a baby from breathing.

Prevent Drowning

• When your children are in or near water, watch them very carefully. Stay close enough to reach out and touch them. This includes bathtubs, toilets, pools and spas – even buckets of water.

This Home Safety Month, in addition to taking action and creating a safer home, do your part to help keep other families safe at home. Visit www.mysafehome.org/give2safety to make a donation that will support the Home Safety Council's efforts to keep all families safe at home. Dedicate your gift to a friend, relative or loved one by uploading a photo and personalized message in their honor.

For more information on how to keep your family safe in and around the home, please visit, www.mysafehome.org.

About the Home Safety Council

The Home Safety Council (HSC) is the only national nonprofit organization solely dedicated to preventing home related injuries that result in nearly 20,000 deaths and 21 million medical visits on average each year. Through national programs, partnerships and the support of volunteers, HSC educates people of all ages to be safer in and around their homes. The Home Safety Council is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization located in Washington, DC.

SOURCE Home Safety Council