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Safety

Top 3 most hazardous household objects

Toys

The idea behind a toy is to provide a child with entertainment, education, fun, or some combination of the three, but the actuality is that toys are often the cause of injury. Parents and caregivers must be as vigilant when selecting toys as they are when protecting children from more obvious hazards.

Children under the age of 3 are at greatest risk of toy injury, due, in part, to their propensity for placing small objects in their mouths. Toys and parts of toys should always be larger than a child’s mouth. According to the National Safe Kids Campaign, 54 percent of toy-related deaths in 2002 were due to choking, 43 percent of which involved balloons. Since latex balloons are primarily the culprit, Mylar balloons are recommended. Do not allow children to inflate latex balloons; if latex balloons are used, deflate and discard them after use. Toys that make loud or shrill noises should be avoided.

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Protect yourself with burglar alarm systems

A burglar alarm can provide extra security, acting as one more level of deterrent to burglars who seek easy entry. But they shouldn’t be considered burglarproof and are certainly no substitute for quality locks and security-conscious habits. The alarm system must be reliable and be used dependably by all family members. The consistent peel of false alarms will soon be ignored by neighbors. Police departments in many communities will not respond to an alarm unless summoned by an individual. Consider informing police in your area of the names of two key-holders in the event that the alarm is engaged. Read More »Protect yourself with burglar alarm systems