The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and Boys & Girls Clubs of America have created a great site for parents regarding internet safety. There’s an interactive section designed just for kids, and information for parents, law enforcement, and teachers.

Visit the main site: http://www.netsmartz.org/index.aspx

Children’s site: http://www.netsmartzkids.org/indexFL.htm

Educators site: http://www.netsmartz.org/educators.htm

Recently your friends have been talking about their home safes. The discussions are general, non-specific. You then notice that crime seems to be increasing; after all the economy is suffering and when the economy suffers crime does increase, but why should you buy one? Really what is the point of having a safe inside of your own house? Safes are something that banks have so what is the point of having one inside your home?

Safes give you the ability to protect items within your home that possess value, be it to you or to someone else.

Do you have a will? Where are you going to store those wedding photo proofs that are irreplaceable and everyone tells you need to be put in a safe place? Do you own any expensive jewelry, precious metals or gem stones? Are there small children with access to your possessions? If you answered yes to the last question then answer this one, do you own a gun? Are you sure they a) can’t find it and b) if they do that it’s not loaded?

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If you have guns in your home for hunting, protection or recreational shooting, you need to have somewhere to keep them. Many people love to display their guns in a beautiful gun cabinet, with a wood finish and glass doors so everyone can see them. Others choose to keep their guns in a gun safe- a locked, metal cabinet that securely stores the guns, but doesn’t display them for view. Which one is the best choice for you?

More and more people are choosing gun safes over display cabinets. A gun safe will prevent your guns from being taken out without your knowledge- which could thwart a burglar or more importantly, save a life. If you have children in your home, it’s a no-brainer- you need a gun safe to keep these weapons from being discharged accidentally or by the wrong people.

Some high quality gun safes have the security of a locked metal cabinet, with the look of wood and glass for display. These safes use a thick, tempered glass and a wood veneer, so they serve as furniture while keeping your firearms secure. You can find gun safes that resemble cedar chests or others that look just like a armoire, so you can keep your guns hidden while having a lovely piece of furniture to display.

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Liberty Mutual’s “Be Fire Smart” site is a great resource for fire safety information, presented in a fun and interactive way. There are separate sections for parents, teachers, and children - covering a variety of fire-safety and prevention topics. On the site you will find information on planning fire escape routes, tips for preventing fires, and other home safety information - most of it interactive or using video.

There are also fun ways to teach kids about fire safety, including:

• Download and print the Be Fire Smart coloring book.
• Learn what all of the firefighting gear is called, and what it is used for.
• Play a game called “How Fast Can You Spot Trouble”.

If you are a parent, be sure to review this information yourself to make sure you know how to keep your home and family safe from fire. Use the teaching tools to help your kids understand important safety tips.  

If you are a teacher, they have a wide variety of teaching materials available to you, including complete lesson plans for fire safety awareness.

Great Site! Way to go Liberty Mutual!

More than 9 million children between birth and age 19 are seen for injuries each year in U.S. emergency departments, and injuries are the leading cause of death among children in this age group.

During Home Safety Month —and all year—take some simple hands-on steps to make your home safer. You can protect the ones you love by preventing child injuries at home.

Learn more about it here.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children encourages families to “Take 25“, to sit down with your children for just 25 minutes - talking to kids about ways to be safer. On their site you can find educational materials for parents, and tips on how to talk with your kids about these sensitive subjects.

They offer 25 tips to help you get the conversation started, including:

1. Teach your children their full names, address, and home telephone number. Make sure they know your full name.
2. Make sure your children know how to reach you at work or on your cell phone.
3. Teach your children how and when to use 911 and make sure your children have a trusted adult to call if they’re scared or have an emergency.
4. Instruct children to keep the door locked and not to open the door to talk to anyone when they are home alone. Set rules with your children about having visitors over when you’re not home and how to answer the telephone.
5. Choose babysitters with care. Obtain references from family, friends, and neighbors. Once you have chosen the caregiver, drop in unexpectedly to see how your children are doing. Ask children how the experience with the caregiver was and listen carefully to their responses.

Take 25 was started to commemorate National Missing Children’s Day on May 25th. First proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan in 1983, the day serves as an annual reminder to the nation to renew efforts to reunite missing children with their families, remember those who are still missing, and make child protection a national priority. It’s a time of reflection and renewed hope for millions of families in communities across the country.

Additional Resources:

• Child Safety Resources for Parents & Guardians
• NetSmartz - Help keep your children safe online.

Take 25 minutes to visit the site right now.

  

“Mr. Yuk” was conceived in 1971 as the mascot for the poison control center at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. The original design was created by Wendy (Courtney) Brown, a grade-school student at a school near Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital.

As part of a contest held by the poison center, Wendy drew the now-familiar face, along with a stick-figure body that was not included in the finished sticker design. Her design won, and Wendy was compensated for her time and talent with a prize: a tape recorder. Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital now owns all exclusive rights to the Mr. Yuk design. It appears on small green stickers that can be affixed to any container of poisonous substance.

The Mr. Yuk stickers are bold and obvious. Mr. Yuk does not include details of the poisonous attributes of the contents. The logo itself is intended to be enough to dissuade children from ingesting the poisons.

You can request a free sheet of Mr. Yuk stickers by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope to this address:

Mr. Yuk
Pittsburgh Poison Center 
UPMC
200 Lothrop Street
BIR 010701
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

http://www.chp.edu/CHP/mryuk

There are additional poison-prevention-education materials available at the Mr. Yuk web-store.

“As children spend more time at home during summer break, parents should ask themselves if they are doing everything they can to keep kids safe at home,” said Anne-Marie Rouse, with ADT Security Services. “It’s easy to get into vacation mode and forget about home dangers that put kids at risk.”

The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports the following toys which pose higher risks of injury or death.

Top Toy Hazards

• Scooters and Ridings Toys- The chance of serious injury increases for children not wearing helmets and other safety gear.
    
• Toys with Small Parts- Most parents are aware of the danger of small parts on toys that can pose a choking hazard for smaller children. It is important to buy age appropriate toys and to make sure older children keep their toys out of reach from their younger siblings.
    
• Balloons- Do not let children under 8 play with or have access to un-inflated or broken balloons as they pose a choking hazard if swallowed.
    
• Magnets- Many popular toy manufacturers use small magnets as components of toy sets. Magnets pose a serious danger if swallowed as they can stick to each other across a bowel wall. This can lead to infection, surgery or even death. Note: Written warnings are not mandatory on toys containing magnets.
    
• Battery chargers and adapters- As it becomes harder and harder to find toys that don’t require batteries, the need for battery chargers and adapters has grown. When unsupervised by an adult children can be exposed to the risk of thermal burns.

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What’s involved in a home baby-proofing project? Surprisingly enough, it’s pretty basic and most of it is common sense. Let’s do a quick room-by-room rundown, starting with the nursery or child’s room…

Baby-Proofing The Nursery :

• The Crib: Cribs must meet today’s safety standards set by the American Society for Testing and Material (ASTM). The crib mattress must fit snugly in the crib, leaving no gaps in between. If you can fit more than one finger between the mattress and the side rails, your mattress isn’t a good fit. Slats need to be 2 3/8 inches apart or less to prevent your baby from poking his head through. Finally, the crib shouldn’t have any decorative cutouts or elevated corner posts, as clothing could get caught on these. 
• Crib Bedding: While there are frequent disagreements as to whether crib bumpers should or shouldn’t be used, most pediatric organizations advise against using them altogether, citing them as a suffocation risk. To further reduce the risk of suffocation, it’s best to avoid soft bedding, pillows or excess blankets. 
• Changing Table: First and foremost, make sure that your changing table is sturdy. It should also have a safety strap and 2-inch guardrails on all sides to help prevent falls. 
• Window Cords: Don’t keep the baby’s crib near a window, especially if that window has blinds or chords of any kind as they create a significant risk for strangulation.

Read more tips here…