Every year, thousands of dollars in damage is caused by Christmas tree fires. Something that makes our hearts happy can end up creating devastation. If you have a live tree, it must be kept watered often, and many artificial trees and their lights could be risky, too. Please heed the warnings from this great infographic sent to us by Courtney Fettu, and also use her advice on how to dispose of your tree properly.
Enjoy this beautiful Christmas infographic, sent to us by Thomas Fairclough, of Ason’s Solicitors. He warns us to not be so festive that we forget to stay safe. We know you will find this very informative in a pretty way.
Protecting Your Home From the Inside Out
It becomes more evident every day that the world can be an unstable place. The uncertainty of tomorrow can be frightening, but there are many measures you can take to improve the safety conditions of your life. There are many unfortunate events that could happen around your home, but taking the right precautions can help to keep you and your family as safe as possible.
Keep All Weapons Locked Away Safely
The number of accidents caused from inside the home due to improperly stored weapons is unnecessarily high and growing every day. If you are a gun owner, it would be wise to consider investing in a gun locker, especially if there are children around. Locking up your weapons securely and safely can help to eliminate the chance of them falling into the wrong hands, and many safety experts also recommend keeping the keys on you at all times as well as locking up the ammunition separate from the weapon.
Reduce Fire Hazards in the Home
Home fires can be devastating and extremely dangerous, but fortunately, fires are another type of accident that can be prevented when the right precautions are taken. First off, clear any dust around heat vents and electrical outlets as dust can clog outlets and combust with the right amount of heat. It’s very important to keep your electrical outlets up to date as well; if the outlets have trouble holding a cord in their socket, it’s time to replace them. Also, make sure to keep an eye on the cords of your electrical appliances, and stop using them once they become frayed or thin.
Never turn your back when you’re cooking something on the stove or in the toaster, and always double check to make sure the oven has been turned off.
Avoid placing something flammable near a flame. Candles should never be near any fabric, and it’s a good idea to blow out a candle if you’re planning on leaving the room for more than a few minutes. If you’re a smoker, always make sure that you put your cigarette completely out before leaving it unattended.
Keep All Entries Locked
This one might seem obvious, but it’s amazing how many people leave their doors unlocked even while they’re away. Don’t allow intruders to have easy access to anything. Make sure all doors, garages, and windows (windows are the easiest to forget) are shut and locked, and always double-check that everything is sealed up before you leave the house or go to bed. Also, use two locks on each door to prevent lock picking.
Secure Your Home with Lights
No criminal wants to be in the spotlight when committing any illegal acts. If you surround your home with bright LED lights, you are at least making a statement to any future intruders that you have taken a precaution to eliminate their ability to blend into the night. Motion sensory lights are a cost effective form of home security due to the fact that they do not stay on all night and run up your energy bill like other outdoor lights.
Leaving on a visible house light is a common practice to make it look like there is someone home. To save on the electric bill, you might want to consider purchasing an electronic timer that can turn your lights on and off automatically after being set to a certain time. This will save you money and make it more believable that someone is inside.
Invest in a Home Alarm System
Home alarm systems don’t mean what they used to; they don’t have to involve complex wiring through your walls. In fact, there are many fairly priced and easy-to-use wireless home alarm systems out there that can fit any budget or home. A more advanced system would clearly be the best bet, but any alarm system in your price range would help to tighten the security of your home.
Create a buddy system with your neighbors
Creating good bonds with your neighbors is great for security strength. When you know the people in the homes around you, they are more likely to notice suspicious activity and are more likely to let you know if they see something questionable.
Install a mail slot in your door
This is a good way to prevent mail and identity theft. Mail boxes are wide open, and anybody could walk by and open up your mailbox. With a private slot, your mail goes right into your (hopefully) locked door.
Home is where the heart is; it’s also where your family and valuables are. There are many ways to tighten the security of your home, so you can keep it a place where comfort and safety are felt and good memories flourish.
James Anderson is a sports enthusiast, survivalist and blogger born and raised in West Virginia. He writes about secure storage for school lockers.
Submitted and shared by Tina Marconi, of babysitters.net.
Few words strike fear in a parent’s heart like “fire.” There are many different ways for children to inadvertently start or be injured in a fire, and the potential for destruction is so great that the mere mention of fire can set off a panic among parents. Here are ten of the most common dangers of fire in relation to children.
1. Matches and Lighters – Most children have a natural curiosity about fire that is paired with a limited understanding of the dangers that are typically associated with it. Access to matches or lighters can present a very real fire hazard as that curiosity takes hold.
2. Attempts at Cooking – Many appliances and gadgets in the kitchen produce heat; from the stove to the toaster, there are several opportunities for a child to accidentally set a kitchen fire in their attempts to cook.
3. Burning Candles and Horseplay – Kids, especially when there are more than one in the room, have a tendency to spontaneously burst into spirited play. However, rough-housing in a room with a lit candle can lead to serious problems. Should the candle be knocked to the floor or a flammable object fall into its wick, a small fire can quickly become a large blaze.
4. Campfires – Camping is a part of childhood for many, and sitting around campfires is a cherished part of the experience. When proper caution is exercised, the potential for a devastating fire injury is reduced; be sure that kids have a good knowledge of campfire safety before sending them off into the great outdoors.
5. Unattended Fireplaces – There are few things as homey as a crackling fireplace on a cold day, but leaving the fire unattended in a house with children can easily lead to injury and property damage. Curious kids might be tempted to throw things into the fire or engage in other unsafe behavior in the absence of an adult.
6. Hairstyling Appliances – Older kids that are beginning to use heated hairstyling appliances like curling irons and straighteners can create a fire hazard by placing the appliance on a flammable surface or forgetting to unplug it when they’re finished.
7. Lamps – When messy kids throw clothing over a lamp, or those with a penchant for decorating deliberately place scarves over lampshades, they are inadvertently creating a fire hazard in their own bedrooms.
8. Overloading Electrical Outlets – As more and more of the modern child’s entertainment comes from electronic gaming and computer devices, there may not be enough outlets in the room to accommodate everything. This can cause kids to overload outlets with surge protectors and the like, which can pose a serious fire risk.
9. Flammable Substances – The moment that a kid understands what flammable liquid is and the noticeable effect it has on an already-burning fire, curiosity can take hold and lead to very serious trouble. Educating kids about the dangers and repercussions of playing with fire is the best way to prevent this risky behavior.
10. Smoking – Despite the many programs aimed at keeping kids away from smoking, there will always be a few that insist on sneaking cigarettes. The need for secrecy paired with a limited understanding of fire safety make cigarette-related fires among the most common.
Kids are never too young to start learning about fire safety and prevention; this ongoing lesson could be one that saves their life. Additionally, if you have concerns that your child has an unhealthy fixation or obsession with fire, there are programs through your local fire department that can point you in the right direction to get help.
TEN COMMON HOLIDAY ACCIDENTS AND HOW YOU CAN AVOID THEM
GUEST POST
We’ve all seen holiday horror stories from fictional ones like National Lampoon or real ones like Black Fridays gone bloody. But did you know that there are many things that can happen to the real life average American that aren’t seen on television? To give you an idea, we have gathered the 10 most common holiday accidents to help you better avoid them.
This article was sent to us today, December 24th, by Brooke Stafford, a nursing practitioner student and also a writer for Family Nurse Practitioner Degrees. The site helps students find the right nurse practitioner degree to fit their needs.
Thank you, Brooke, for this informative article. The ten safety reminders that you have written about also apply after Christmas, as well, in taking down trees and decorations. We know the malls will be packed with shoppers either exchanging gifts or looking for more bargains. So we need to pay attention to the tips you sent us! Please stay in touch, and good luck in your studies in the health field.
By now, many of you already have your homes beautifully decorated, with the tree trimmed and glowing lights outside the house. If we’re too late for you, this warning is for those who haven’t done their decorating yet, and/or all of you who will be taking them down in a few weeks. According to the U.S. Consumer Safety Products Commission, around 12,500 people each year are treated in emergency rooms for cuts, shocks, and other holiday decorating-related injuries. Four in ten accidents are reported to be falls from ladders, with men being the ones hurt more often than women.
The American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons advises that when working on a ladder, position the ladder close to the area you plan to work, and keep materials near-by, in order to not to have to reach too far. They also advise to take your time in order to avoid risks. More good advice from the AAOS: place some nightlights in rooms where you’ve had to rearrange furniture to accommodate decorations. This will hopefully help your family avoid falling by lessening nighttime confusion.
If you choose a fresh Christmas tree, be sure to keep it watered frequently. Artificial trees should be marked “fire resistant”, indicating the tree will likely not catch on fire. Hundreds of fires are attributed to dried-out Christmas trees each year, resulting in approximately 17 deaths, and an average of over $13 million in property loss and damage. Be certain that any lights you put on your tree are tested in recognized labs that show they meet safety standards. Many imported lights may not meet those safety standards. Christmas trees are things of beauty, but there are other hazards involved, in addition to the lights on them. Avoid decorating with breakable or sharp decorations. If using “angel hair” (spun glass), be sure to wear string knit gloves to avoid cutting your hands. Also, art snow sprays can contaminate the lungs and cause skin irritation, so read the container’s directions carefully.
Candles also start numerous fires each year, resulting in an average of 150 deaths, 1,200 injuries, and approximately $385 million in property loss. Please be sure to never leave your home with candles burning. Of course, you would never leave burning candles in the reach of children or where they could be tipped over by pets. Many times we have seen persons dislocated from their apartments because of the carelessness of a tenant that left a burning candle unattended.
We hope your holiday decorating goes by without incident. The emergency rooms are standing by, just in case, but let’s keep them quiet this year by staying safe and healthy for the holidays!