Avoid These 4 Heat-Related Health Problems

June 18, 2017 by

As we officially welcome the summer season this week, we have already experienced temperatures in the 80’s. Health problems caused by too much heat can affect all ages, however children and the elderly are most vulnerable. In adults 50 and older, approximately 200 die each year due to heat-related problems. We know the temperatures will continue to rise, so we urge you to follow our 4 Tips To Keep You Cool and Safe This Summer.

It’s important to recognize when hot weather is making you or a family member sick, and when to seek help. Here are 4 health problems caused by too much heat exposure:

1. DEHYDRATION  

WHAT IT IS: A loss of water in your body. It can be serious if not treated.

WARNING SIGNS: Weakness, headache, muscle cramps, dizziness, confusion, and passing out.

WHAT TO DO: Call your healthcare provider or 911. Meanwhile, drink plenty of water and, if possible a “sports drink”, which contain important salts called “electrolytes.” Among other things, electrolytes play a key role in regulating your heartbeat. Your body loses electrolytes when you’re dehydrated.

2. HEAT STROKE

WHAT IT IS: A very dangerous rise in your body temperature. It can be deadly.

WARNING SIGNS: A body temperature of 103 or higher; red, hot, and dry skin; a fast pulse; headache; dizziness; nausea or vomiting; confusion; and passing out.

WHAT TO DO: Call 911 immediately. Move to a cool, shady place, take off or loosen heavy clothes. If possible, douse yourself with cool water, or put cloths soaked with cool water on your   wrists, ankles, armpits, and neck to lower your temperature. Try and see if you can safely swallow water or drinks such as Gatorade.

Note: If you are caring for someone else who has heat stroke, only give them water or drinks if they are awake and can swallow.

3. HEAT EXHAUSTION

WHAT IT IS: A serious health problem caused by too much heat and dehydration. If not   treated, it may lead to heat stroke (see above).

WARNING SIGNS: Heavy sweating or no sweating, muscle cramps, tiredness, weakness, paleness, cold or clammy skin, dizziness, headache, nausea or vomiting, fast and weak pulse, fainting.

WHAT TO DO: Without delay, move to a cool, shady place, and drink plenty of cool fluids, such as water or Gatorade. Call 911 without delay if you have high blood pressure or heart problems, or if you don’t feel better quickly after moving to the shade and drinking liquids.

4. HEAT SYNCOPE

WHAT IT IS: Fainting caused by high temperatures.

WARNING SIGNS: Dizziness or fainting.

WHAT TO DO: Lie down and put your feet up, and drink plenty of water and cool fluids   such as Gatorade.

If you know an older adult that lives alone, take a moment and check on them daily, you may save their life.

 

At Sentry Window Guards we make it our business to help keep families safe. Now that you know how to spot and treat heat-related health problems, our wish is for you to never experience one! 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, Uncategorized Tagged With: ,

National Window Safety Week: April 2-8, 2017

April 4, 2017 by

With the arrival of spring, 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:

Tip #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.

Tip #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.

Tip #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:

  • Make sure windows are not nailed or painted shut
  • Do not install air conditioners in windows that may be needed for escape
  • Make sure at least one window in each bedroom meets escape and rescue requirements
  • Window guards, security bars, grilles or grates render windows useless in an emergency unless they have a release mechanism; update them if necessary
  • Develop an emergency escape plan and practice it during the day and at night
  • 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 Tagged With:

5 Tips to Help Prevent Window Cord Strangulation

March 1, 2017 by

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, approximately one child a month dies as a result of window cord strangulation. “Window cord strangulations are one of the top hidden hazards in the home,” explains CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. “CPSC recommends that only cordless window coverings or those with inaccessible cords be used in homes with young children.” The Window Covering Safety Council encourages parents with infants and young children to follow these prevention tips:

  1. Make sure all furniture, especially cribs, beds and other climbable surfaces aren’t near windows.
  2. Keep all window cords out of reach from infants and young children.
  3. When possible, install only cordless window coverings.
  4. If cords are on window coverings, but sure they are as short as possible. Continuous-loop pull cords, often found on draperies and vertical blinds, should be taunt and anchored to the wall or the floor.
  5. Inspect cord stops for proper installation and adjust to limit inner-cord movement.

Keeping our children safe is a parent’s number one priority. We urge you to follow these 5 tips to help prevent window cord strangulation. If you are unable to replace your window coverings with the safer products on the market today, the Window Covering Safety Council offers free retrofit kits.

At Sentry Window Guards we make it our mission to help keep families safe. While our business is to help prevent falls from windows, we also recognize the importance of preventing window cord strangulation in infants and young children. For more information regarding our window guard products and our experience and leadership in understanding New York City safety requirements, contact us today!

Filed Under: Child Safety Tagged With:

5 Tips to Protect Your Children at Home

July 18, 2016 by

At 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 approximately six kids per day die from all types of injuries in the home and 3.5 million kids are seen in the emergency department for these types of injuries? Here are 5 tips to help you protect your children in your home and keep them safe:

  1. FULL ATTENTION – Parents get busy. We get that. However if you have a young child in the bathtub or around water, please give them your full and undivided attention. Drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death for children ages 1-4.
  1. CHECK BATTERIES – Check smoke alarm batteries every six months to help reduce the risk of death by home fires. A working smoke alarm can reduce this risk by half.
  1. CRIB SAFETY – Be sure and keep cribs clear of objects such as stuffed animals, bumpers and blankets. Hundreds of infants die each year due to suffocation or strangulation because of these objects in the crib.
  1. MEDICINES & CLEANING PRODUCTS – Make sure and keep all medicines and cleaning products up and away from curious little hands. Don’t leave medications on nightstands or kitchen/bathroom counters if children can reach them. Avoiding storing cleaning products under kitchen sinks unless you install childproof locks.
  1. WINDOW GUARDS & SAFETY GATES – We’ve already mentioned how many kids fall each year in the U.S. from windows. Reduce this risk by installing window guards. We also recommend installing safety gates to keep children from falling down stairs. On average, 93,000 children age 5 and under are seen in the emergency department for stair-related injuries.

At Sentry Window Guards we make it our mission to help keep families safe. While our business is to help prevent falls from windows, we also recognize other types of in-home injuries that affect children. We hope these 5 tips are taken seriously and will help you protect your children from home injuries. 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

3-Year-Old Boy Falls to His Death in Manhattan

July 11, 2016 by

Sentry Window Guards is sad to report a fatal fall involving a 3-year-old boy from a 13th story apartment building window last week. By law in NYC, anyone with children 10 years or under must have window guards on all windows. However, if the window guards aren’t properly installed, it’s the same as if you didn’t have them installed at all. When a window guard is properly installed, there is no way possible a 3 year-old could remove it. Unfortunately that was the case in this tragic event and the window guard was found on the ground near the boy’s lifeless body. Read the full story here.

At Sentry Window Guards we make it our mission to help keep families safe. If you don’t have window guards or you aren’t sure your window guards are properly installed, please contact us today. On average about 5,000 kids fall each year from windows in the U.S. Let’s reduce this risk and prevent these types of tragedies by installing window guards properly.

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, Tips on Window Guards
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