4 Tips to Protect Kids from Drowning

July 14, 2019 by

At Sentry Window Guards, our business is to keep children safe by preventing window fall accidents from occurring. We also recognize other dangers such as drowning. Summer is in full swing and families are flocking to pools, lakes, rivers and oceans to cool off. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drowning is a leading cause of injury death in children ages 1 to 14 years old. Three children die every day as a result of drowning and drowning kills more children ages 1-4 than any other injuries except birth defects. Parents and guardians can play a key role in protecting children from drowning with these 4 tips:

  1. Life-Saving Skills: Know how to swim yourself. If your child is drowning and a lifeguard is not around, you will be the lifeguard and your child’s life may depend on it. Take an extra step and invest in a Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) course. Your decision can mean life or death for your child.
  2. Life Jackets: If your child is a weaker swimmer, invest in a life jacket. If your child is swimming in lakes, rivers and oceans they should have a life jacket if they are under the age of 13. Unexpected currents and rip tides can cause distress in a swimmer, especially children or weak swimmers.
  3. Install a Fence: If you have a swimming pool at your home, it’s wise to install a fence or some form of gate around the pool. We know kids can sneak off quickly. You don’t want your toddler or a neighbor child wandering into your pool unattended. We know the tragic stories that this causes unfortunately.
  4. Bathtub Safety: It seems far-fetched that a child could drown in a bathtub, but unfortunately drowning happens quickly and quietly and it’s possible. Never leave an infant or small child unattended in a bathtub.

When enjoying outdoor water activities and even indoor in the bathtub, please pay attention to your child. A drowning takes very little time and so does reviewing the 4 tips to help protect kids from drowning. For more information regarding our window guard products and our experience and leadership in understanding NYC safety requirements, contact us today!

Filed Under: Child Safety, Safety Tips, Summer Home Tips Tagged With: ,

Tips To Help Prepare For Severe Summer Weather

May 21, 2019 by

Preventing severe weather disasters from happening is out of our control. However, we can control how we respond if we are better prepared. Following a few tips to help prepare you in the event you should encounter a disaster will not only help you respond more quickly, but can also save your life and the lives of your loved ones.

  1. PLAN OF ACTION: Evaluate the risks of severe weather in your area and plan accordingly. Set up a plan of action with your family and designate a place to meet if your family is separated during a severe weather disaster. Monitor the weather on a regular basis and invest in a quality weather radio. Many smart phones have weather apps that can alert you of severe weather in your area. Designate a safe place to keep all of your important documents such as your homeowner’s insurance policy.
  1. EMERGENCY SUPPLY KIT: Be smart and prepare a home emergency preparedness kit. You can find a checklist for one at gov. Make sure your kit has enough emergency supplies, dried and canned food, and water for at least three days. Store all battery-powered flashlights, lanterns and candles together for quick retrieval.
  1. UNDERSTAND YOUR HOMEOWNER’S POLICY: It’s important to understand your homeowner’s insurance policy and what you are covered for in the event of a disaster. Make sure to complete an inventory of your home assets along with documentation such as photos or videos.

At Sentry Window Guards we make it our business to help keep families safe. We strongly suggest you take these three tips seriously and make arrangements to prepare for severe weather disasters now. Preparedness can mean the difference between a disaster and a tragedy. For more information regarding our window guard products and our experience and leadership in understanding NYC safety requirements, contact us today!

Filed Under: Child Safety, Summer Home Tips Tagged With:

National Window Safety Week 2019

April 1, 2019 by

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reminds everyone that it only takes 5 minutes to prevent a child from falling out a window!

Spring is here and many homeowners are eager to open windows and let in the fresh air. Each year, the Window Safety Task Force of the National Safety Council takes the first full week in April to educate on the importance of practicing window safety year-round. National Window Safety Week is designed to increase awareness on helping to prevent accidental window falls and the proper use of windows for emergency escape purposes.

***Falls from a window can result in serious injury or death and pose an especially dangerous threat for children. Every year, about eight children under age five die each year from falling out a window, and more than 3,300 are injured seriously enough to go to the hospital.***

Here are 3 tips to help keep your home safer and prevent window fall accidents from occurring:

1 – Install window guards and stops. Properly installed window guards are your best defense in preventing window falls. Window stops are also a good idea to help allow you to enjoy a fresh breeze while ensuring windows won’t open wide enough to invite a fall.

2 – Open windows from the top and close after use. If you have windows that can open from top and bottom, choose opening the top versus the bottom to prevent falls. Don’t leave opened windows unattended if small children are present.

3 – Be sure windows are clear of chairs, cribs or other furniture being too close in proximity, especially if you have crawlers or climbers.

The Window Safety Task Force recommends the following items be a part of your fire emergency plan:

  1. Make sure windows are not nailed or painted shut
  2. Do not install air conditioners in windows that may be needed for escape
  3. Make sure at least one window in each bedroom meets escape and rescue requirements
  4. Window guards, security bars, grilles or grates render windows useless in an emergency unless they have a release mechanism; update them if necessary
  5. Develop an emergency escape plan and practice it during the day and at night
  6. Keep emergency escape ladders in second- or third-story bedrooms and teach everyone in the home how to use them.

At Sentry Window Guards, our business is to keep children safe by preventing window fall accidents from occurring. Visit here for more tips from the National Safety Council regarding emergency plans and preventing window falls. And remember if you reside in New York City, homeowners MUST have window guards on their windows BY LAW if children 10 years or younger are living in the home. For more information regarding our window guard products and our experience and leadership in understanding NYC safety requirements, contact us today!

Filed Under: Child Safety, Falls From Windows, Safety Tips Tagged With: ,

6 Tips to Protect Kids from Medicine Poisoning

March 10, 2019 by

16554651_sAt Sentry Window Guards, we understand how dangerous a fall from a window can be. In fact, by law in NYC, anyone with children 10 years or under must have window guards on their windows. On average about 5,000 kids fall each year from windows in the U.S. But did you know that medications are the leading cause of child poisoning? Did you also know a child gets into medications almost always during a moment alone? Here are 6 tips to help you protect your children in your home and keep them safe from medicine poisoning:

  • Up and away and out of sight and reach – If you store all medication as prescribed, your child will be safe. Taking the time to store your medications safely is worth the investment in your child’s safety.
  • Safe dosing device – Kitchen measuring devices such as a teaspoon or even a kitchen spoon won’t measure the exact amount as a dosing device. Avoid over-dosing your child and use the device that comes with the medication.
  • Child-resistant packaging – Keep the medication in the original child-resistant packaging if possible. There is a reason why the medication includes this feature.
  • Make storage a habit before baby arrives – Babies as young as 3 weeks old have gotten into medication and landed in the ER. Make it habit before your first born to practice safe storage.
  • Reminder tools – If you are afraid you’ll forget medication dosing times and you tend to keep the medicine handy, set an alarm on your watch or cell phone; leave a note on the refrigerator; if dosing times are during the same time as a daily task such as brushing your teeth, store the meds safely nearby; or use a medication schedule card.
  • Poison Help Line – Keep the number in your phone and post visibly in your home on the refrigerator or near the front door. Be sure any babysitters or family members have the number as well.

At Sentry Window Guards, our business is to keep children safe by preventing window fall accidents from occurring. We also recognize other dangers in the home such as medicine poisoning. We hope these 6 tips are taken seriously and will help you protect your children from poisoning accidents. For more information regarding our window guard products and our experience and leadership in understanding NYC safety requirements, contact us today!

 

 

Filed Under: Child Safety, Safety Tips Tagged With: ,

6 Tips to Help Protect Children from General Falls

February 15, 2019 by

“Falls are the leading cause of childhood injury and most of them happen around the home,” says Christopher Moir, M.D., pediatric surgeon at Mayo Clinic Children’s Center, who has cared for a wide variety of injuries related to falls. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every day approximately 8,000 children visit the ER as a result of a fall. Unfortunately some of these falls result in death, especially from falls from windows.

Here are 6 tips on how to protect children from general falls in the home:

1. Parental/Guardian supervision is a must. Never leave a child unattended.

2. If placing infants in car seats, carriers or bouncy seats, always strap infants in securely.

3. Do not keep bouncy seats and car seats on countertops, tables or laundry appliances. Keep them on the floor.

4. When changing infants on a changing table or couch, keep one hand on them and don’t leave them unattended.

5. Always use baby gates at the top and bottom of stairs.

6. Make sure infants can’t crawl out of cribs and/or portable cribs.

Seek medical attention immediately if a child falls and it appears to be serious or life-threatening. If not, still watch the child to see if behavior changes and warrants medical attention.

At Sentry Window Guards, our business is to keep children safe by preventing window fall accidents from occurring. Visit here for more tips from the National Safety Council regarding emergency plans and preventing window falls. And remember if you reside in New York City, homeowners MUST have window guards on their windows BY LAW if children 10 years or younger are living in the home. For more information regarding our window guard products and our experience and leadership in understanding NYC safety requirements, contact us today!

 

Filed Under: Child Safety, Falls From Windows, Safety Tips Tagged With: ,
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