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: ,

6 Tips To Help You Winterize You And Your Family

January 10, 2019 by

New York City has already experienced frigid temperatures this winter season. Keep your home warm by setting your thermostat properly, reversing ceiling fans, and considering energy efficient windows. But what about “winterizing” you and your family? As we experience colder temperatures this winter, winterize yourself with these 6 tips:

Tip #1 – Dress in layers: You can always remove a layer when you are hot. Thanks to polypropylene and silk, long underwear provides additional heat without the bulky versions of the past. Wear warm socks or slippers to keep your feet warm.

Tip #2 – Move your body: Nothing warms the body up quicker than to get it moving. Run up and down the stairs a few times or grab your family and have a dance party in your living room. You’ll be shedding some of those layers quickly while having fun and doing your body good!

Tip #3 – Hot food and drinks: Feel your body instantly warm up by sipping on a warm cup of coffee or hot chocolate. Add a bowl of hearty beef stew and a slice of warm bread to warm your insides and satisfy your palate!

Tip #4 – Kitchen heat: Get cooking and baking in your kitchen and you’ll be surprised how quickly it can help warm your home. Run your dishwasher during the day and open it up after the cycle to allow some of the warm steam to seep into your kitchen.

Tip #5 – Warm slumber: Dress warmly and have warm bedding. Flannel or jersey sheets are much more cozier than chilly percale sheets. Warm bodies rest better than shivering ones!

Tip #6 – Snuggle: Nothing is better than snuggling! Body warmth is almost as good as a heating blanket. Got no body or pet to snuggle with? Make a minimal investment in a body pillow or pull out that huge stuffed animal you won at the carnival in high school!

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 staying warm and safe this winter. For more information regarding our window guard products and our experience and leadership in understanding NYC safety requirements, contact us today!

Filed Under: Safety Tips, Winter Home Tips Tagged With: , ,

Tips To Avoid Christmas Tree Fire Hazards During the Holidays

December 5, 2018 by

Happy Holidays New York! With the excitement and anticipation of this magical season, we want you to remember a few safety tips when trimming your Christmas tree. Although beautiful to admire, overloaded lights and dried-out trees are a recipe for fire disaster. According to the National Fire Protection Association, here are some scary facts:

#1: Fire departments respond to an average of 210 structure fires caused by Christmas trees each year.

#2: One of every three home Christmas tree fires is caused by electrical failures.

#3: Although Christmas tree fires are not common, when they do occur they are more likely to be serious.

#4: A heat source too close to the tree causes roughly one in every five of the fires.

We advise you to take the necessary steps to ensure you and your loved ones stay safe during the holiday season.

1.  How to choose the right tree for your family:

  • Artificial Tree: Make sure it’s labeled, certified or identified by the manufacturer as fire retardant.
  • Live Tree: Choose a tree with fresh, green needles that don’t fall off when touched.

2. Where to place the tree in your home:

  • Cut 2” from the base of the live tree trunk before placing it into the tree stand.
  • Make sure the live or artificial tree is at least three feet away from any heat source such as a fireplace, radiator, candle, heat vents or lights, and not blocking an exit.
  • Add water to live tree stand daily.

3. How to safely light the tree:

  • Indoors or outside, use only lights that have been tested for safety.
  • Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections.
  • Do not use more than three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord.
  • Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, house, walls or other firm support to protect from wind damage.
  • Never use lit candles to decorate the tree.
  • Always turn off Christmas tree lights before leaving home or going to bed. Lights could short out and start a fire.

4. How to dispose of the tree after the holidays:

  • Get rid of the live tree when it begins dropping needles. Check with your local community to find a recycling program for your tree.
  • Bring outdoor electrical lights inside to prevent hazards and extend the life of the lights.

At Sentry Window Guards we make it our mission to help keep families safe in New York. While our business is to help prevent falls from windows, we also recognize the importance of preventing potential fire hazards in the home. 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: Holidays, Safety Tips, Winter Home Tips Tagged With: , ,

Tips to Help Keep You Safe from Heating Equipment Accidents

October 19, 2018 by

Autumn and cooler temperatures have arrived. While it may be a few more weeks before turning on the heating system, a space heater may be used to make things more comfortable in the evenings. But safety precautions must be taken seriously when you utilized heating equipment in the home. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), heating equipment is a leading cause of home fire deaths. Here are a few simple safety tips and precautions you can practice to help prevent heating equipment fires from happening:

  1. Keep any flammable items (curtains, paper, plastic, solvents, matches, lighters, etc.) at least three feet away from heating equipment.
  1. Create a “kid and pet-free zone” at least three feet around the heating and teach children to stay away. Invest in a baby play yard or fence system to create the zone, still keeping it at least three feet from the heater.
  1. Never try and cook on a space heater.
  1. Never stick objects into the heater.
  1. If you have a fuel burning space heater, make sure to use the right kind of fuel as specified by the manufacturer.
  1. Remember to turn off all heaters before leaving the room, going to bed or leaving your home.
  1. If the heater is portable and you need to move it, make sure it has cooled down completely before touching it.
  1. Test smoke alarms monthly.

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 heating equipment safety precautions in homes. 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, Winter Home Tips Tagged With: , ,
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