Spring has sprung. It’s time to open the windows and let in the fresh air. Flowers are in bloom and the days are longer thanks in part to Daylight Saving Time.
When we set our clocks forward, the National Safety Council (NSC) recommends we also review our home safety checklists.
Smoke Alarms
Three out of every five home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Smoke alarms provide an early warning of a fire, giving people additional escape time. In fires in which the smoke alarms were present but did not operate, almost half of the smoke alarms had missing or disconnected batteries. Spring is the ideal time to change the batteries in your smoke alarms. Also test the detectors to make sure they are in working order.
Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible, odorless gas, and it can kill you. Without a detector, there’s no way to tell that it’s building up until it’s too late.
CO alarms should be installed in a central location outside each bedroom and on every level of the home. Spring is also the time new batteries should be installed in carbon monoxide detectors.
Family Emergency Plan
The NSC recommends every family have an emergency plan in place in the event of a natural disaster or other catastrophic event. Spring is a great time to review that plan with family members to make sure they know what to do. The emergency plan should include communications info outlining how your family members will contact one another if they get separated and where they will meet if it’s safe to go outside. Create a shelter-in-place plan if the outside air is contaminated. If this is the case, windows, doors and air vents should be sealed with plastic sheeting. A getaway plan should also be in place that includes various routes and destinations in different directions.
Clean Out the Medicine Cabinet
Spring is a time to clean and declutter. Don’t forget your medicine cabinet. NSC recommends you take unwanted or expired medicines to a prescription drop box or take-back event near you at least once a year.
If you, or someone you care about has been injured, contact Rosenberg & Gluck, personal injury attorneys, for a free, confidential legal consultation to learn more about your options.
