BLOGS – March 2014
Spread the word with daily online safety and preparedness tips on Google+, Facebook and Twitter. Use
the following blog, or create your own, and post all throughout March 2014. Remember to include the
hashtag #COPrepare.
Week 1: Daylight Savings Time Isn’t Just About Changing the Time
Daylight Savings Time resumes on Sunday, March 9, 2014 at 2:00 a.m. That means we turn our clocks
forward one hour. The semi-annual time change is also a great opportunity to test your smoke alarms
and carbon monoxide detectors and replace the batteries. New batteries help ensure that these
devices are ready to alert you to unsafe conditions.
The preparedness tips below are great safety measures for you and your family.
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Test the alarms every month, rather than just when you replace the batteries. Choose the same day
each month to do the test so you don’t forget.
Immediately replace batteries on any alarm that begins to beep or “chirp ” ─ that’s a sure sign the
current batteries are running out of power. If the alarm continues to chirp after installing new batteries,
replace the alarm.
The circuits that detect smoke and carbon monoxide do wear out over time. To be safe, plan to replace
your alarms every 10 years to ensure the alarms are fully functional. If you can’t remember when you
last replaced them, buy new alarms that are interconnected, if possible.
Place a smoke alarm on every level of your home and outside sleeping areas. If you keep bedroom doors
shut, place a smoke alarm in each bedroom.
Keep smoke alarms clean by vacuuming over and around it regularly. Dust and debris can interfere with
its operation.
Plan regular fire drills to practice your escape plan ensuring everyone in your home knows exactly what
to do when the smoke alarm sounds.
When a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm sounds, always leave your home immediately and call 9-1-1
from another location. Never, under any circumstances, go back into your home until emergency crews
tell you it is safe to do so.
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BLOGS – March 2014
Week 2: Safe and Sound at Home during Spring Break—guest blog by Safe Kids Larimer
County
Helpful hints from your friends at Safe Kids Larimer County
Each year, more than 3 million kids ages 14 and under get hurt at home. Most fatal injuries at home are
caused by suffocation, fire and burns, drowning, choking, falls, poisoning or firearms discharged
unintentionally.
Safe Kids Larimer County urges parents and caregivers to check their homes for basic safety precautions,
especially if you will be leaving them home alone over spring break. “There’s no substitute for active
supervision, but childproofing your home provides extra protection and peace of mind,” says Janet
Werst, Safe Kids Larimer County Coordinator. “It’s easy to eliminate the most obvious hazards — and it
doesn’t have to involve a lot of expensive equipment.”
It is recommended that children under the age of 12 years not be left home alone. Young children do
not have the ability to understand risk and consequences and can get themselves into a lot of trouble
without a lot of effort.
Safe Kids Larimer County recommends these precautions:
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Discuss rules and guidelines while you are away at work. Can they have friends in the
house? Where can they play in the house? What can they eat?
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Discuss where they are allowed to go outside the home. Can they go to a friend’s house or
another neighbor? Can they go to the park or to the store on their bike?
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If they will be preparing their own meals, have them practice using the stove and oven while
you are home so you can go over safety concerns. If possible, prepare meals ahead of time
that are easy to reheat in the microwave or don’t require heating of any kind.
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Create and practice your home escape plan in case of fire. Set off the smoke alarm so they
are familiar with the sound and have them practice getting out of the house safely.
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Post emergency phone numbers near the phone, including trusted neighbors, your work
phone, cell phone, poison control (1-800-222-1222), and fire/EMS numbers.
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Do not allow children to take a bath if you aren’t home. Will you allow them to go to the
neighborhood pool? Do they know how to swim and have they taken swimming lessons?
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Lock up medications (including vitamins), alcohol, and cleaning supplies so they are not
tempted.
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Discuss how and when to answer the door when you are away. General rule of thumb, if
you don’t know the person on the other side, don’t open the door and do not let anyone in
the house unless you have approved them.
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Is your child allowed to go with a friend’s older siblings or parents in a car? Who can they go
with? Do they need a car seat/booster seat?
BLOGS – March 2014
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Keep firearms unloaded, locked and out of reach.
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Stock your first aid kits…Band-Aids are a must!
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Check in at regular intervals with your child to ensure they are staying safe and having fun.
Staying home alone is a lot of fun and a lot of responsibility. Each child is different and can handle
responsibilities at different ages. If you are unsure, find a baby sitter or a neighbor who can check in on
them throughout the day. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Source: Safe Kids Larimer County, www.safekidslcc.org
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Week 3: National Poison Prevention Week
March 16-22, 2014 is National Poison Prevention Week! Poisoning is the leading cause of death from
injuries in the United States, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National
Center for Health Statistics. Poisoning prevention is in your hands. The following tips can help protect
you and your loved ones:
Safety Tips
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Use National Poison Prevention Week as a time to inspect your entire home for any medicines
or household products, such as detergents, cleaning products, pesticides, and fertilizers that
may not be stored properly. Always store medicines and household products up high.
Install safety latches on cabinets used for medicines and household products.
Ensure children can’t use chairs or stack items to climb to products stored out of their reach.
Teach children to always ask an adult before eating, drinking or touching anything.
Ask babysitters, visitors, and houseguests to keep purses or bags that contain medicines up high,
away and out of sight from your children. The same rule applies when your children are visiting
a friend or relative’s home.
Re-close medicines and other household products if interrupted during use. Many incidents
happen when adults are distracted (i.e. by the telephone or the doorbell) while using these
products.
Buy products in child-resistant packaging whenever possible. But remember, child-resistant is
not childproof, and is designed to keep children away from the product for a short time before a
parent notices.
Read medicine and product labels before each use and follow directions exactly.
BLOGS – March 2014
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Never call medicine “candy” to get a child to take it.
Never leave medicine out on a kitchen counter or at a sick child’s bedside.
Never take more than the prescribed amount of medicine.
Tell your doctor what other medicines you are taking so you can avoid harmful or dangerous
drug interactions. This includes prescriptions, over-the-counter medicine, vitamins and herbal
products.
Clean out the medicine cabinet periodically, and safely dispose of medicines that are expired or
no longer needed.
Use only the measuring device that is included with your medicine. If a measuring device is not
included or you do not receive one, ask for one from your pharmacist. Don’t substitute another
item, such as a kitchen spoon. If you don’t understand the instructions on the medicine label, or
how to use the dosing device, talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using the medicine.
Never share or sell your prescription medicines.
Some medicines are dangerous when mixed with alcohol. Consult your doctor or pharmacist
before drinking alcohol if you are taking a prescription or over-the-counter medicine.
Keep the toll-free Poison Help number, 1-800-222-1222, near your phone, or program it into
your home and mobile phone.
When you leave your children in a babysitter’s care, ensure he/she also knows about the Poison
Help number (1-800-222-1222).
Source: Poison Prevention Week Council
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Week 4: Car Seat Safety ─ guest blog by Janet Werst, Child Passenger Safety Technician
Using LATCH? Are you Prepared?
Many (but not all) parents have found that it is easier to install their car seat using LATCH or “Lower
Anchors and Tethers for Children.” LATCH was implemented in all cars made in North America after
2002 as a universal method of installing car seats. What parents and care givers do not know is that
most vehicle LATCH systems have weight requirements that won’t allow installation using the lower
anchors with higher weight limit harness car seats. Keeping a child in a five-point harness provides more
protection to the child, so higher weight limit harnesses are a good thing. Do you know when to stop
using LATCH and start using the seat belt? Don’t worry, most parents don’t.
BLOGS – March 2014
What you need to know is that beginning in February 2014 there will be new LATCH guidelines (for the
Lower Anchors only). The maximum rated weight will be a combined weight of the child and of the car
seat to 65 pounds. If your child and the car seat weigh more than 65 pounds, it is time to use the seat
belt (and tether).
How much does a car seat weigh you ask? Good question. Car seats typically weigh between 15 and 33
pounds (of course there are variations). Car seat manufacturers will be required to include new labeling
to help clarify the limits of LATCH for each seat, including how much the seat weighs and at what weight
a child can be to use the Lower Anchor portion of the LATCH system. If you already have a car seat, get
the scale out and weigh it without your child in it and do the math to figure out when you should use the
seat belt instead of the lower anchors.
Are you confused? Know that the safest method of securing a car seat is using the system that you can
use correctly and consistently every time. Seat belt or LATCH, your choice. You just need to know the
details and limits of each. Need help? There are a number of nationally certified Child Passenger Safety
Technicians around Colorado and the country to help you. You can find one nearest you by going to
www.carseatscolorado.com and clicking on the “for parents” tab on the left.
The weight of your child plus the weight
of the car seat (combined) cannot be more
than 65 pounds in order to use the Lower
Anchors. Over 65 pounds, use the seat
belt.
Source: Janet Werst, Child Passenger Safety Technician
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