How to Make a Home Disaster Escape Plan

September 20, 2021 by

If a disaster such as a fire breaks out in your home, you may have only a few minutes to get out safely. This is why having and practicing an escape plan is so important. According to an NFPA survey, while 71% of Americans have an escape plan in case of a fire, only 45% of those have practiced it. Both planning and practicing are important, especially if there are young children or anyone with mobility issues in the home. So, follow the steps below to create an effective disaster escape plan.

  • Draw a map of your home, indicating all windows and doors. As a family, visit each room of your home and find two ways out, labeling them on your map. Make sure windows and doors required for an escape are all accessible.
  • Discuss a plan to have one adult assigned to help get babies, young children, or family members who need extra help out safely. Teach able-bodied children techniques to escape on their own in case they can’t be reached.
  • Decide upon and draw up a meeting place outside of your home for everyone to gather after an evacuation. This can be a tree, light pole, or mailbox that is a safe distance away from the front of your home. Teach everyone to NEVER go back inside a burning building. Once they are out, stay out.
  • Practice your home fire drill at least twice a year. Practice once at night and once during the day with everyone in your home, and practice using different ways out. During the drill, test the smoke alarms so that everyone knows the sound. 
  • When you hold your fire drill, everyone in the family should practice getting low and going under the smoke to the exit. During the drill is also a good time to teach children how to use the back of their hand to check doors for heat before opening and to use a different way out if the door is hot.
  • If escape ladders are part of your disaster escape plan, show everyone where they are kept and spend time practicing using them during your drill.
  • If you live in a multi-residence building, always plan to use the stairs to get out, never the elevator. Make sure to practice using the stairs as part of your escape plan. 
  • If you can’t exit a multi-residence building due to smoke or fire in the hallway or stairway, call the fire department to report your exact location and gather in a room with a window to await their arrival. Close all doors between you and the fire. Use duct tape or towels to create a seal around the door and over air vents in order to keep smoke from coming in. Wave a flashlight or light colored cloth at the window to let the fire department know where you are located.
  • Children can become scared and confused during emergencies, so teach them not to hide from firefighters and other emergency personnel. 

A fire or other disaster can easily occur in your home, regardless of your home’s age, location, or condition. Take the time to make and practice an escape plan for the safety of everyone in your home. For more information regarding Sentry Window Guard products and our experience and leadership in understanding NYC safety requirements, contact us today!

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How to Protect Your Home While Traveling

August 18, 2021 by

Late summer and early fall are a great time to head out of town for a last minute getaway or visit distant family. There are always a million things to take care of before leaving, but don’t forget to secure your home before traveling for any length of time. It is hard to imagine a worse ending to a trip than returning to find that your home has been damaged or burglarized. Take time to protect your home with this checklist:

  • Place a hold on mail, newspapers, and packages in your absence. Overflowing mailboxes and newspapers piled up are a dead giveaway that you are away from home.
  • Take care of the yard before you leave town. Accumulating snow or leaves, grass in need of mowing, and overgrown hedges are a big sign that no one has been home for a while.
  • If you have a home security system, alert them of your travel plans and make sure the alarm is set properly when you leave. Display your security stickers prominently near your most obvious and accessible entry points like your front and back door. Signs from your security company make a bigger difference than most people realize.
  • Alert a trusted friend or neighbor of your travel plans and have them check in every few days. They can take care of any unexpected deliveries and carry on with normal routines such as watering plants and bringing trash cans to the curb. If you can afford it, and have someone willing, a house sitter is even better. 
  • Set timers on interior lights, and appliances like the television, to give the illusion that someone is always home. A house that looks lived in is less likely to become a target. Motion-sensor exterior lights can also prove to be useful for general home security when you are both home and away.
  • Remove any spare keys that you have hidden around your property. Being away gives crooks extra time to search for a key so don’t give them the opportunity!
  • Be prepared for a power surge while you are away. Unplug all electronics or make sure they are plugged safely into a surge protector.
  • Secure yard or patio items that could be picked up with a hefty gust of wind. You never know what the weather will stir up while you are away.
  • Enroll 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 while you are traveling.
  • Do not broadcast your travel plans on social media sites either before or during your vacation. Before your trip, inform only those who need to know. There will be plenty of time to share thoughts and photos of your trip after you are safely home. 

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 experience and leadership in understanding NYC safety requirements, contact us today!

 

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How to Keep Pets Safe and Secure in the Home

July 19, 2021 by

Sentry Window Guards knows that pets are a part of the family! Owning a pet can reduce stress, offer a constant companion, and create a fuller life. Because we love our pets so much, we want to keep them safe and secure when we are home and especially when we are away. Keep the following tips in mind to keep your beloved pets safe, secure, and healthy.

  • Make sure all electrical cords are taped down or they are out of reach. There is a risk of electrocution for pets that chew on an electrical cord. There is also the risk of a playful pet pulling a heavy item on top of them when playing with or getting caught in a dangling cord.
  • Watch out for choking hazards. Small items, like batteries, jewelry, toys, office supplies and more can cause your pet to choke if they chew on them. Keep these items high enough where your pet can’t reach them or store them in a secure container.  
  • The trash can is an area of temptation for curious pets, so it is important to keep your trash secure. Pets can find all sorts of dangerous objects in the trash can such as raw or spoiled food, household chemicals, or choking hazards. Either purchase a trash can with a pet safe lid or store the trash in the pantry or under the cabinet keeping the door closed at all times.
  • Keep food and water dishes clean. Bacteria can grow quickly in food and water bowls so they should be washed daily. Having at least two sets of food and water dishes on hand is helpful. You can use one set while the other set is being cleaned. 
  • Store cleaning supplies and other chemicals out of reach. Your garage, basement, and cabinets can house a number of substances that pets aren’t necessarily attracted to, but curiosity can get the best of them. Antifreeze is a particular danger because it smells sweet to pets and is deadly to them. Get medical help right away if your pet gets into any household chemicals.
  • Keep over the counter medicines, prescriptions medicines, and vitamins up and away from your pets. Plus, keep all medicines in their original child-resistant containers relocking safety caps after each use.
  • If you are a plant lover and a pet lover, be sure to do some research before combining your two loves. Certain plants, including lilies, tulips, foxglove, azaleas, ivy, chrysanthemum, daisies, geraniums and others, are toxic to pets.
  • Make sure your pet can be identified in case you are ever separated. Have them wear a collar with tags that contain your contact information. For extra protection, talk to your vet about getting them microchipped as well. 
  • Never leave pets unattended around open windows and make sure that the windows in your home are securely closed and locked before you head out. Properly installed window guards are your best defense in preventing window falls. It is also an excellent idea to place a decal on your window specifying you have pets to help emergency responders know to rescue your pets if you ever have an emergency at your home while you are away.

At Sentry Window Guards we make it our mission to help keep all members of your family safe, even the furry members! For more information regarding our window guard products and our experience and leadership in understanding NYC safety requirements, contact us today!

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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!

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How to Be Weather-Ready in New York City

April 15, 2021 by

Between severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, flooding, tropical storms, snow and ice storms, and droughts, New York sees its fair share of weather related emergencies.

The weather can certainly be unpredictable, in some cases you will have a few days to prepare for severe weather, in others only a few minutes. We have included some steps below to ensure you and your family are ready for the next round of severe weather in our area.

  • Collect and store items for an emergency supply kit. It is recommended by FEMA to have a 72-hour supply of food, water, medications, and other essentials for each family member. Be sure your emergency kit includes first-aid supplies, flashlights, batteries, a whistle to signal for help, copies of important family documents, and blankets.
  • It is best to have multiple ways to be alerted of severe weather, especially at night. 
    • A NOAA weather radio with a tone alert is the best way to stay informed because power lines, wifi, and even cell towers can be knocked out during severe weather. The NOAA broadcast is directed by the National Weather Service. They broadcast weather forecasts, travel conditions, storm warnings and emergency alerts around the clock. If you would prefer to only receive updates specific to the NYC area, most models let you enter a location-based code, eliminating broadcasts that don’t pertain to you. Find a weather radio that can be powered by batteries, so you keep getting updates even in the event of a power outage.
    • Make sure your cell phone is subscribed to wireless emergency alerts. When the National Weather Service issues a severe weather alert for your location, the system looks to see which cell phone towers are included in the warning. All cell phone towers within the warning area send out an instant emergency alert to WEA-enabled devices. These alerts are pushed out for tornado warnings, flash flood warnings, hurricane warnings, dust storm warnings, extreme wind warnings, and tsunami warnings, as well as local dangers such as AMBER Alerts and evacuation orders.
    • Enroll 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.
  • Make sure all members of your household know what to do, how to find each other, and how to communicate in a weather emergency. Decide ahead of time the safest place in your home to gather and ride out severe weather. Choose an interior location on the bottom level of your home away from all windows and exterior doors. You can even place blankets, cushions, shoes, and helmets in this location ahead of time. Get more ideas at Ready.gov. 
  • If you live in a high rise building, in most cases of severe weather you will shelter in place away from exterior walls and away from windows and glass. If your building is being evacuated during severe weather you will need to know where the closest emergency exit is located. Remember not to use elevators and stay to the right while going down stairwells to allow room for emergency workers. When possible, take your emergency kit with you.

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!

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