If you are looking into purchasing a security safe for your home you might be surprised at the options available. There are a variety of security safes ranging from ones that can be built into your home to freestanding. Before beginning your safe shopping excursion you should first consider what you plan to put in your safe. Are you looking to store documents, jewelry, cash, electronics or other items? Knowing what you will be storing in your safe will make your purchasing decision an easier one.

Safes are used for primarily two reasons. The first, to protect your items from theft and the second to protect your items from fire. You can get safes that offer protection from one or the other or both. You will need to decide, before shopping which type will suit your needs.

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Most everyone has some type of valuable that should be kept some place safe. From jewelry to coin collections to important paperwork and more a home safe can be very handy for storing valuable possessions. On the search for the perfect safe for your home you will find an abundant of choices available. Here is a look at some features that you should consider high priority when choosing a safe for your home.

Home safes offer different types of protection. The main choice consumers have is whether to choose a fire proof safe, a burglar proof safe or one that protects from both. Of course within each option there are different degrees of security levels to decide on.

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Inside this article, you will learn how serious that danger of Carbon Monoxide can be at home and at work. It is recognized as a serious health hazard, responsible for more deaths than any other form of poisoning around the world Carbon Monoxide (CO) especially dangerous because it is a combination of Carbon and Oxygen that cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted. On average, in the United States death from CO poisoning averages nearly 170 annually.

The final outcome of inhaling CO is oxygen-starvation of the body’s internal organs. As CO is taken into the lungs, it unites to the hemoglobin far more rapidly than oxygen can. This results in the failure of internal organs, as they become starved for enough oxygen to work properly. Early warning signs of poisoning include headaches, fatigue and nausea, all of which can easily be mistaken for influenza.

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Source: Orlando Examiner

With the current winter storm sweeping the nation already responsible for at least a dozen deaths, it’s not surprising people are seeking refuge in their warm homes.

But when the weather turns cold outside, things can heat up inside — sometimes a little too much, if you don’t take precautions.

Dumping nearly 20 inches of the white stuff on Madison WI, and 15 more in Green Bay, the year’s first major pre-winter snow storm swept a large portion of the U.S. this week, leaving Wisconsin in a state of emergency.

As the winter storm moved off the East Coast, it left in its wake the return of “lake effect” snow bands, lingering blustery conditions and frigid temperatures.

On Wednesday, a follow-up storm was approaching from the West, where temperatures have been lower than normal — including a record 16-degree reading in Redding, CA.

Winter storm conditions blanketing much of the nation comes with a triple-threat to household health and safety — issues related to carbon monoxide poisoning, home heating and power outages, according to the Home Safety Council.

However, while you can’t change Mother nature, you can change behavior to keep the home safe when winter blasts howl around your home.

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Utah Department of Transportation and its public safety partners have created a program called Zero Fatalities, and recently released a powerful 15-minute documentary addressing the growing problem of texting while driving today. View the video below.

The intent is to alter the public’s current perception that traffic fatalities are an inevitable reality that must be accepted. Instead, by making minor changes to our driving behaviors, our roads will become safer for drivers and passengers. We can prevent the deaths of thousands of people.

Traffic fatalities are preventable - not inevitable, yet they are the leading cause of death for children, for teens, and for everyone between 3 and 33 years old. In fact, according to the National Safety Council, your chance of dying in a car crash sometime in your life is one in 84. How many crashes can be prevented each year if everyone in the car is properly restrained, or not drunk, or drowsy, or speeding?

There are techniques and emerging technologies that can help remind drivers to ignore their phone and text messages while driving.

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Thank you to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve in the defense and interest of our great country. Without your service and sacrifice, and the steadfast support of your families and friends, our way of life would not be possible.

Each year electrical fires result in millions of dollars in property damage, causing an even higher percentage of damage than fires caused by many other sources, such as unattended cigarettes and candles.

As part of Fire Prevention Week, the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) reminds you that many electrical fires can be prevented. Preparation, safety, training, and continuous education are the most important practices a business owner should implement.

Electrical fires consistently rank among the top five causes of commercial building fires involving health clinics and hospitals, manufacturing plants, nursing homes, warehouses, farming operations, bars and restaurants, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

A study by the U.S. Fire Administration found electrical malfunction was the leading cause of 4,065 fires in medical facilities between 2004 and 2006, resulting in more than $34 million in property losses.

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The iPhone has many applications that let you view Web cams from around the world, but what about turning your phone into a remote camera of its own? A new app called IP Camera does just that. This $1.99 tool takes a photo from your iPhone’s camera every 12 to 15 seconds, then posts it to a local Web page that can be accessed from other computers on the same network.
All that’s needed for setup is to make sure your phone is on Wi-Fi, then to jot down the special local HTTP address it gives you. It will keep running until you quit the application manually or get a phone call; although like any good iPhone app it starts right back up when you’re done with a call.

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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.

Here’s a great group of tips from Gillian Grigor at grandparentscafe.com:

Front path and steps

• Make sure that the paths to the house are even, no major cracks, roots or rocks.
• Keep steps and paths clear of snow and ice.
• Check the stairs - no holes or uneven concrete.
• Hand rails, both sides if possible.
• Path and front entrance well lit. Movement-detector lights work well.

Entrance, Hallways and Stairs

• Declutter - make sure that shoes are put away and outdoor clothes hung up. If there are children, teach them to put their toys away.
• Lighting - halls and stairs should be well lit. A night light in the hall between bedroom and bathroom is vital.
• Take up any loose mats that could be a tripping hazard.
• Check that stair rails are secure.

Bedrooms

• No loose mats or rugs
• Make room around the bed, especially if your elderly Mom or Dad uses a walker.
• Have an easy to reach lamp by the bed. If it is awkward to reach the lamp, a sound activated (”clap-on - clap-off”) lamp will help.
• A phone beside the bed.
• For folks stiff with arthritis or others who may feel light-headed when they first stand up, a bed assist handle is a great help in preventing falls.
• Again, keep the area around the bed as clutter-free as possible.

Bathroom

• Where possible install wall bars at the end (tap end) of the bathtub and one on the far wall. A wall bar beside the toilet may also help.
• Some all in one piece, preformed tub surrounds should not have wall bars added. Clamp-on tub grips, or a floor-to-ceiling pole next to the tub can be used.
• Use non-slip mats in the tub or shower.
• A tub or shower stool is useful for those with poor balance.
• Any medications should be clearly marked. A dosette or blister pack will make it easy to keep track that the medications are taken as prescribed.

Living Room

• Remove loose rugs and mats
• Make sure that there is room for a walker if one is used - coffee tables often have to be moved out of the way.
• Avoid rocking/swivelling chairs
• Loose electrical cords are a tripping hazard. Route them away from traffic areas where possible, or use duct tape to fix them to the floor.
• A portable telephone is safer than a fixed phone. Many falls occur when people are rushing to answer the phone. Keep the handset nearby at all times, putting it back in its charger beside the bed overnight.
• Have good lighting, easy to reach switches.

Kitchen

• Make sure that essential utensils are easy to reach
• Use a sturdy step stool to reach higher cupboards
• Have a smoke alarm and be sure to check the batteries regularly
• If your older person has fairly severe memory loss, it may be necessary to limit their cooking or even unplug the stove.
• See that any spills are quickly wiped up.

 
Author Gillian Grigor is the proud grandmother of two 9 year olds and a new grandbaby boy. For more grandparenting ideas, you can visit her website:http://www.grandparentscafe.com - This site offers information on grandparent’s rights, distance grandparenting, seniors health, as well as photos, stories, games, and more.
 

Some 280 pre-kindergartners from Saline, Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and surrounding areas will learn comprehensive safety skills this summer at Safety Town at Houghton Elementary School in Saline.

The 4- and 5-year-olds will attend multimedia sessions and participate in hands-on activities two hours a day for nine days…

…The program, which has been conducted for 25 years, is a joint project of Saline Area Schools and the Saline Police Department.

At Tuesday’s session, students were taken in groups through the “Smoke House,” a trailer set up like a home with bedroom where a nontoxic liquid creates a harmless “smoke” in the space. The exercise is to teach children how to respond to a fire.

Children learn the importance of crawling on all fours. The bedroom door becomes hot - a signal that they must exit some other way. In this case, the exit route is down the ladder outside the bedroom window, with adults assisting the climb down.

Find out more about Safety Town here.

With the economic downturn we are seeing the rise in home burglary.  According to U.S. Department of Justice statistics, an American home is broken into about every 15 seconds and a homeowner loses an average of nearly $2,000 in possessions and damages

It is said that every home is a potential target.  With that in mind ADT has listed several tips to prevent your home from becoming burglarized:

• Make sure all hedges and shrubs are trimmed and not covering windows. Overgrown bushes and trees close to your house can be good hiding places and also are an indication that you may be away from home. However, thorny bushes beneath windows can be a deterrent.
• Keep areas in and around the home well lit. A dark property is more attractive to burglars - most will choose not to enter a house that is well lit. Consider installing motion sensor lights outdoors and putting indoor lights on a timer. Also, install lights on other outdoor buildings, such as sheds or garages.
• Always lock all windows and doors when you leave home. According to the Burglary Prevention Council, most home burglaries occur during the day, when people are away at work or school. Practice and remind your family to always close and lock all doors and windows when leaving the house unattended.
• Never hide keys around the exterior of your home. Thieves look in mailboxes, under doormats and above doorways for keys. Do not make it easy for them to get into your home. If you will be out of town on vacation, leave emergency house keys with a trusted neighbor or consider a lock box if you must leave keys outside.
• Never put your name on your mailbox or record your name on your answering machine. Thieves look for any information they can find to gain easier access. Only put the house number on your mailbox and door and say you are “unavailable to answer the phone” on the answering machine without stating your name. By turning down your phone ringer, thieves will not hear calls go unanswered - a sign no one is home.
• Consider a monitored burglar alarm system. A recent Rutgers University study found that alarm systems are an effective deterrent, making a home less attractive to intruders. Make sure your burglar alarm system includes a loud inside alarm, detectors at all exterior doors and motion sensors in bedrooms and main living areas. Most insurance companies also offer a discount of up to 20 percent on homeowner’s policies when you install a monitored alarm.

“Right now we have the summer burglary season colliding with more desperate economic times. That makes it even more important than ever for homeowners to take steps to protect their most precious possessions - family and home.”

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.”

Falls are the most common home hazard, especially for seniors. Falls account for 25% of all hospital admissions, and 40% of all nursing home admissions 40% of those admitted do not return to independent living; 25% die within a year. (Source: LearnNotToFall.com)

“You can’t underestimate the danger of falls - especially for older people” says Martin Simenc, president and CEO of Home Safety Services. “A fall can be a life changing event, often preventing someone from living at home again.”

The CDC recommends that older adults can take several steps to protect their independence and reduce their risk of falling. They can:

a. Exercise regularly; exercise programs like Tai Chi that increase strength and improve balance are especially good.

b. Ask their doctor or pharmacist to review their medicines–both prescription and over-the counter–to reduce side effects and interactions.

c. Have their eyes checked by an eye doctor at least once a year.

d. Improve the lighting in their home.

e. Reduce hazards in their home that can lead to falls.

Expert recommend installing grab bars in the shower and bathtub, using bathing seats instead of standing in the shower, eliminating throw rugs altogether, and keeping hallways clear and well lit.

A medical alert system should be considered. More than three-quarters take place either inside or in close proximity to the home, where a medical alert system can be of immediate assistance.

Source: NotWeb Network

Every year, around 1.6% of American households embark on a key home improvement plan. Only two other loan application desires are more popular than home improvement projects requests. With the rise in home-improvement cases, accidents and injuries have also increased. In this article lets review the use of ladders as they are one of the most usable equipment in almost all the home improvement project whether commercial or residential.

Whether in use inside or outside, tools and equipment must be dependable and operated safely. Reliable gear is essential to safety management. Confidence in the equipment is critical. Many home improvement projects require the use of a ladder. When using a ladder in the project consider the following features.

The ladder should be in compliance with OSHA standards. If the ladder does not comply with OSHA, it should be eliminated as a ladder choice. With the OSHA rules in place it is possible to minimize the number of accidents that take place using the ladders.

Use a ladder prepared for the quantity of weight being applied. Never load the ladder beyond the manufacturer?s specifications for weight capacity. Verify the weight capacity before purchasing a ladder. Consider the weight of the person using the ladder as well as the load to be carried by that person…

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Source: The Expositor

Despite climbing unemployment and a struggling economy, there is one industry doing quite well during these troubled times.

“It’s a proven fact that burglaries go on the rise when the economy starts to go down,” said Darren McCallum, a security consultant with Security One Alarm.

While that may be true, it’s not a trend that London police are seeing locally.

“We have not seen a dramatic spike in break and enter statistics recently,” said Const. Amy Phillipo. “We have seen a slight increase so far this year, compared to last year.”

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Source: Home Security News Blog

In Washington County in Western Maryland, more than 1,200 residents who bought home security systems from unlicensed APX salespeople last year are eligible for refunds. This is all part of a settlement between the state’s Attorney General’s Office and Salt Lake City, Utah based APX Alarm. The government claims APX had door-to-door salespeople working and selling systems in Washington County that were not licensed.

In Maryland, alarm companies and individual salespeople must be licensed, but APX representative Nathan Wilcox told The Herald Mail that company officials didn’t realize area salespeople did not have licenses. Never the less, the AG’s office says that last summer, APX salespeople circulated throughout neighborhoods and were pushy and at times would lie about area crime statistics.

Here are some of the complaints. Sheriff Douglas Mullendore said this of APX salespeople’s actions, “kind of pushing the door and walking in uninvited.” Meanwhile, one local state politician, Christopher Shank, said on APX salesperson would not leave his property. While, a few other residents complained that salespeople came and knocked on their door at night.

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1. Install smoke alarms on every level of your home and outside every sleeping area. Test them monthly. If your smoke alarms are ten years old or more, replace them. If you build or remodel your home, install fire sprinklers.

2. Develop a fire escape plan for your family: Point out two exits from each room, pick a meeting spot outside, and hold a fire drill at least twice a year.

3. Always stay in the kitchen while food is cooking on the stove.

4. Keep all stairways, paths, and walkways well lit. Use railings.

5. Install grab bars in bath and shower stalls, and use a non-slip mat or adhesive safety strips inside bathtubs and showers.

6. Post the National Poison Control Hotline number (1-800-222-1222) and other emergency numbers next to
every phone in your home.

7. Install child locks on all cabinets used to store dangerous items such as poisons, matches, and lighters. Install carbon monoxide alarms.

8. Keep your water heater setting at 120°F or less.

9. Install four-sided pool fencing with self-locking and selfclosing gates. Fencing should completely isolate the pool from the home and be at least five feet high.

10. Constantly supervise children in or near bodies of water such as pools, ponds, bathtubs, toilets, and buckets.

Source: Smart Homeowner 

Last year, Fireside completed construction on a three-level, 4,000-square-foot timber-frame home that became the first residence in Michigan to achieve Platinum-level LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. That’s the highest level of certification available for homes under the U.S. Green Building Council’s popular green-building rating system.

The home, dubbed Burnside’s Inn, incorporates many of the latest energy-efficient systems and green building products. It features a custom timber-frame structure designed by Marty Birkenkamp of Riverbend Timber Framing, located in nearby Blissfield, Mich., in the southeastern region of the state. Building systems such as ICFs (insulating concrete forms) and SIPs (structural insulated panels) were used to construct the home. In addition, it has a geothermal heating and cooling system, as well as a stand-alone solar energy system. The result is an energy-efficient demonstration home Burnside uses to tout the benefits of building green…

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The Bed Bunker is a 1300lb modular secure lockbox that fits under your mattress by replacing the boxspring. Available in a variety of bed sizes, the fireproof safe is secured via a tamper proof mul-t-lock locking system. $2700-$5200.

Source: CityNews.ca

…In case you haven’t heard about this latest worm making the rounds in the PC world, it’s a program which some believe could have the ability to infect as many as 15 million computers around the planet - or none, depending on who you’re listening to.

The virus is supposedly set to go off on April 1st - the day for fools - but no one seems to know exactly what its purpose might be.

Reports have warned it could allow hackers to get access to personal files, turn your machine into a spam zombie, uncontrollably sending out thousands of ads to others, or be used as part of a ‘denial of service’ attack on a big site. Those occur when thousands or even millions of computers try to reach the same site at the same time, knocking it offline…

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(source: Denver Post)

Sales of home security safes have multiplied as homeowners worry about an increase in crime tied to the economic downturn and as confidence in banks and financial institutions wavers.

Several Denver security companies are reporting that sales of home security safes have doubled since the recession deepened last fall.

“With the economy not doing as well, people are scared of theft and are concerned about their house getting broken into,” said Jennifer Wickhorst, an administrator with Englewood Lock and Safe. “Women want to lock up their jewelry, and people are using security safes for passports, checks and anything with personal information on it.”

Paul Rossman with the Arapahoe County Security Center said security businesses

“Anytime there’s an economy problem, crime rates go up and our business goes up. When things are bad, things are good with us,” Rossman said. “We’re really selling a lot of safes, and we have a hard time getting them in here. There’s a lot of demand and very little supply.”

The increase is mostly due to safes being purchased for homes, said Lenny Guida, who owns Master Security Center in Denver, which has doubled its safe sales in recent months.

“Usually, residential households mainly purchase gun safes, but now it’s home security safes,” Guida said. “The security safes they’re buying are typically lower end. People aren’t spending a ton, maybe $200 to $250 and up to about $400.”

Although customers are typically tight-lipped about why they need a safe, Rossman said, sales are frequently driven by low confidence in banks and safe deposit boxes.

That was the case for a Castle Rock woman, who declined to be named, who with her husband bought a $350 safe in November from Amazon.com.

Though the couple realize a major bank failure is unlikely, they’ve decided to secure a week’s worth of cash in the event of a disaster, she said.

“We initially thought about purchasing a safe to keep our birth certificates and passports somewhere safe and fireproof, but then we started to get more serious about it as we watched the economy,” she said. “Some of these big banks started to fail, and it became a reality for the first time in my life that I might not be able to get cash out of the ATM.

“It keeps you prepared for the unforeseeable, which has become a lot more foreseeable.”