Summertime is Fun Time in New York City

June 24, 2022 by

Your local NYC window guard company is keeping a finger on the pulse of sum, sum, summertime fun in the city! Make summer boredom a thing of the past with these fun activities for the whole family.

Festivals

  • Celebrate Brooklyn – One of the City’s longest-running outdoor arts festivals, providing free music, dance, theater, film and specially commissioned projects for four decades.
  • Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks – Look here to find the best spots in the city for viewing.
  • Broadway in Bryant Park – Taking place on Thursdays at lunchtime, check out sneak-peek performances from the best of Broadway and Off-Broadway on the Bryant Park Stage.
  • Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City – Experience the healing and rejuvenating power of the arts and free events hosted by the Lincoln Center this summer. 
  • NYC Restaurant Week – Explore the five boroughs through specially priced menus at hundreds of participating restaurants.
  • Harlem Week – An annual celebration of the best of Harlem which works to promote its rich African-American, African, Caribbean, Hispanic, and European history, as well as arts, culture, religion, business, entertainment, and sports.
  • Charlie Parker Jazz Festival – Each year this festival highlights some of the finest musicians in the world who reflect Charlie Parker’s musical individuality and genius, to promote appreciation for this highly influential and world-renowned artist. 

Movies Under the Stars

There are free film screenings in many parks in the city: from Brooklyn to Queens and to Manhattan. Here are a few to check out:

Explore a Food Market

When you can’t decide what you want to eat or you are in the mood to try something new, it’s time to explore a food market. 

Explore Nature

Hidden throughout the metropolis are a number of wonderful park spaces to spend some time in nature.

  • Central Park
  • Prospect Park
  • Brooklyn Bridge Park
  • Washington Square Park
  • Battery Park
  • The High Line
  • Flushing Meadows Corona Park
  • Inwood Hill Park
  • Governor’s Island

Take a Dip

  • Find the list of free public pools to help you cool off this summer here.
  • Of course there is always the beach! Make a day trip to Brighton Beach, Coney Island Boardwalk, Cedar Grove Beach, Manhattan Beach, Midland Beach, Orchard Beach, Rockaway Beach, South Beach, or Wolfe’s Pond Beach. 

What are your favorite ways to have summertime fun in NYC? At Sentry Window Guards our main focus is your child’s safety. We provide various types of childproof window locking mechanisms and safety devices for your home or building to keep everyone safe this summer! 

Filed Under: Community Involvement Tagged With: ,

Get Your NYC Home Ready for Spring with this Safety Checklist

March 16, 2022 by

Even if there is still a chill in the air, the first official day of spring is March 20. Bring in the season by running through this safety checklist for your home. No matter where you live, you should always feel secure in your own home. Even if you feel your home is already a safe space, it never hurts to take a look around with fresh eyes and spring is the perfect time to do that.

  • Store cleaning supplies carefully while spring cleaning. Instead of keeping your cleaning supplies under the sink, put them in a higher cabinet or buy locks for the cabinet doors. If someone in your home does consume a dangerous cleaning fluid, call poison control immediately, at 800-222-1222.
  • Clean gutters will keep rainwater flowing freely away from your home. Water from spring rain that gets clogged up in the gutters may lead to a leaky roof or work its way right into the walls and ceilings of your home. Left unnoticed, this type of water damage can quickly lead to mold. Spring is a good time to clean and inspect all your gutters for damage. 
  • Develop an emergency escape plan and have the whole family test it out once during the daylight and once at night. Check to make sure windows are not nailed or painted shut and teach children who are old enough how to properly and safely open windows during an emergency situation. Be sure your plan identifies a safe meeting place outside your home for everyone to gather.
  • Check all of your windows to make sure they are not a fall risk. Properly installed window guards are your best defense in preventing window falls as screens alone cannot support the weight of a child. Window stops allow you to enjoy the fresh spring breeze while ensuring windows won’t open wide enough to invite a fall. 
  • Smoke detectors and fire alarms help alert your family to fire and dangerous smoke while there is still time to evacuate. Carbon monoxide detectors alert you when there are dangerous levels of carbon monoxide in your home. To ensure proper function, test these devices at least once a month and replace the batteries twice a year. Replacing batteries on daylight saving days in the spring and fall makes it easy to keep track.
  • Maintain your HVAC system by scheduling an inspection and changing out air filters.  Systems with cracks, dirty air filters, and poor ventilation can cause poor air quality, higher energy bills, and carbon monoxide buildup. 
  • Finally, be sure you are enrolled in the Notify NYC alert system, which is New York City’s official source for information about emergency alerts and important city services. You can receive alerts through email, text, telephone, or social media. This will keep you informed about what is going on in your neighborhood.

At Sentry Window Guards we make it our mission to help keep families safe. We hope these tips will help you protect your family from at home injuries this spring. For more information regarding our window guard products and our experience and leadership in understanding NYC safety requirements, contact us today!

Filed Under: Spring Home Tips Tagged With: ,

Preventing Childhood Injuries this Summer

June 17, 2021 by

Summer is the time for kids to be active and have more time for fun and games. With the increase in activity comes an increase in the chance for an accidental injury. Keep your summer fun from turning into a summer fiasco with the following tips for preventing childhood injuries.

  • Keep your children safe while traveling around the city this summer. When riding a bicycle, all riders should follow the basic rules of the road and always wear a bicycle helmet. The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute suggests that wearing a helmet can reduce the risk of head and brain injury by up to 88% for both adults and children. Teach your child the proper way to get on and off a bus starting with standing three large steps from the curb and to always remain visible to the bus driver. Teach your child pedestrian safety and to always look right, look left, look then right again when crossing the street.
  • Play it safe at the local park. Playground falls are inevitable, but the goal is to reduce the risk of serious injury with falls from monkey bars, slides, and swings. Look for playgrounds situated on soft surfaces like rubber or wood chips as opposed to concrete or gravel. Supervise children on playgrounds to ensure they are using the equipment properly and not engaging in risky behavior. 
  • Give young children your full attention around water of any kind. Accidental drownings can occur in even a few inches of water. Teach children to never go near or in water without adult permission. Keep gates around back-yard pools and hot tubs locked, empty containers like buckets and wading pools when not in use, and make sure your children wear life jackets when boating and engaging in other water sports.
  • Anchor the furniture in your home. Use fasteners and brackets to ensure bookshelves, dressers and cabinets will not fall over. An afternoon of summer boredom can turn your children into little climbing monkeys. You can’t tell simply by looking at a piece of furniture whether it’s stable, so if your furniture isn’t already anchored to the wall, now is the time to do so.
  • Never leave small children unattended around open windows. To help prevent children from climbing up to an open window, don’t place furniture near windows. Properly installed window guards are your best defense in preventing window falls. 
  • Be aware of the dangers associated with summer grilling and campfires. Children are at risk of severe burns caused by getting too close to a hot grill or fire and should never be left unattended around these hot surfaces. Both campfires and grills should be placed in an open area away from anything that could be flammable and all grill equipment should be properly inspected and maintained to prevent any malfunction.

We hope these tips will help you lead by example to make your summer a safe one for your children. 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 Tagged With: , ,

5 Ways to Keep Your Kids Safe at School This Year

August 17, 2020 by

Going back to school can be worrisome for many parents and students, even more so during a pandemic. As your children are eager to get settled into a new school year routine, it is important to think about and discuss with your children how to stay safe. 

Stay on Top of Coronavirus Updates

We are all in this together. Schools, administration, teachers, and parents have never had to make the type of plans and decisions that we are making at this unprecedented time. The CDC, states, and school districts are constantly releasing new information and it can be hard to stay on top of the changes. But the best possible course of action is to inform yourself and prepare your child for the changes this school year will bring. The CDC has released a school decision making tool for parents and guardians and a back-to-school checklist to assist in your planning.

Keep Medical and Emergency Contact Information Up-To-Date

During a pandemic, it is even more vital that the school district has accurate and up-to-date medical and emergency contact information. This will ensure you don’t miss any school closings and critical safety information. Review and update your child’s records to ensure allergies, medications, disabilities, illnesses your child may be susceptible to, and approved pick-up persons are current. 

Stay Safe While Traveling To and From School

Whether your children will be walking, riding their bicycles, carpooling, or taking the bus to school, it is important to take proper safety precautions. Children usually aren’t ready to start walking to school without an adult until about fifth grade, or around age 10. With your child, plan a safe route and walk on the sidewalk when one is available. When cycling to school, all riders should follow the basic rules of the road and always wear a bicycle helmet. Teach your child the proper way to get on and off the bus starting with standing three large steps from the curb and to always remain visible to the bus driver.

Maintain Communication with Teachers and Administrators

Administrators, teachers, and parents all have to work together to create and maintain a healthy, safe, and productive learning environment for students. Introduce yourself to your child’s teachers early on and let them know you want to work together to have a successful and safe school year. Ask the teacher their preferred method of communication and show them that you respect their time. Keep the lines of communication open and provide supplies needed by the teacher that will help them provide a safe environment. Attend all teacher parent conferences, either in person or with video conferencing in the time of Coronavirus. 

Have Open and Honest Conversations with Your Child

Physically going back to school during a pandemic may mean required or recommended face coverings and social distancing. Allow them to get used to wearing face coverings by practicing at home. Discuss with them the importance of hand washing and social distancing. Of course, being mentally prepared for school is just as important as being psychically prepared. Help them understand that we are still learning about the virus which means plans and procedures can change unexpectedly, but it is all being done in the name of their safety.

Returning to school during the pandemic may not feel like normal – at least for a while. But having safety plans in place can ease the anxiety for parents, teachers, and students. For more information regarding Sentry Window Guard products and how they keep your children safe at home, contact us at 718-389-1777. 

 

 

Filed Under: Child Safety Tagged With: ,

Boost the Natural Light in Your Home

May 20, 2020 by

It’s time to let some light in – natural light! Rooms with natural light can positively affect our mood by making us feel more alive and vibrant. Rays of sunshine increase Vitamin D which reduces depression and strengthens bones. If you have some dark, dreary rooms that need brightening up, check out these eye opening tips.

Lighter Colors

A fresh coat of paint in white or another light color can instantly lighten and brighten a room. This tip can work for more than just your wall color. Light colors added to walls, trim, floors, cabinets, furnishings, or accents can all reflect natural light and brighten a room. If you are searching for lighter colored window guards, Sentry Window Guards is proud to be the first in the industry to offer 20 standard architectural colors in AAMA 2604 Powder Coating. This finish utilizes the newest green technology, providing an unmatched performance in durability exceeding all industry standards and is able to match any building facade and window frame colors. Sentry is also capable of matching any color that isn’t part of our standard color selection.

Add a Reflection

This one is a no brainer – shiny surfaces reflect light! Use large, simple mirrors to lighten any room. For double the benefit, place the mirror so that it reflects the light coming in from a window or a glass door. Your light reflecting powers aren’t limited to mirrors. Other light reflecting surfaces such as clear furniture, glass frames, reflective tiles, or shiny fixtures can add to the overall “mirror” effect. 

Clear the Clutter

Let’s face it, a messy room can feel dark and stuffy. Getting rid of clutter and unwanted items can free up your home making it feel bright and roomy. Make sure light coming in from your windows is not being blocked by furniture or other stacked objects. Also, clean windows will allow in more light!

Window Treatments

In areas of your home where you might need a light blocking option, such as the bedroom, consider a layered approach. Having one layer to block the light and one to allow it in will offer flexibility without compromising the natural light. For example, consider a blackout shade which you can raise during the day topped with drapes in a lighter fabric or open weave. Frosted or privacy glass is another idea that will give you privacy while allowing light to shine through. 

Renovate

If you are renovating, consider knocking down a wall or two to open up your spaces. You will be amazed at how rooms that were once closed off and dark can appear larger and brighter when the light is allowed to spread throughout the area. During renovation, also consider rooms in your home that could benefit from additional windows.

At Sentry Window Guards we make it our mission to help keep families safe in New York. For more information regarding our window guard products and our expertise in understanding NYC safety requirements, contact us today!

Filed Under: Summer Home Tips Tagged With:
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