Summer Safety

The summer season marks the time for families to enjoy some of America’s traditional summer pastimes – barbecues, pool parties and backyard gatherings. However, family festivities could be interrupted by a trip to the emergency room if you don’t follow simple steps to safeguard your family and friends against summer hazards.

The Home Safety Council recommends following these guidelines to keep your family safe in the summer:

Grilling Safety

According to the NFPA, gas and charcoal grills caused an average of 900 structure fires and 3,500 outdoor fires in or on home properties in 2002, resulting in a combined direct property loss of $30 million. To make sure your next barbecue doesn't go up in flames, the Home Safety Council recommends the following safety tips:

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Swimming Safety

According to The State of Home Safety in America™ report, drowning is the fifth leading cause of unintentional injury related death, yet a recent Home Safety Council study found that less than half of the U.S. adults surveyed supervise children when they are in or near water. Drowning is a silent and sudden event, so it is crucial for parents and caregivers to recognize water dangers, and take an active role in supervising children when they are in or around the water.

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Playground Safety

According to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), there were nearly 47,000 injuries on home playgrounds to children under age 15 in the latest year studied. The report also finds that over a ten-year period, more deaths to children occurred on backyard playgrounds than on public playgrounds. Adopt the following safety guidelines with playground equipment in your home, and also use the following guidelines to inspect any equipment in your neighborhood or school before your child plays there.

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Home Security

Planning a vacation? Invest some time to review your home's security and to make improvements that will keep it from being vulnerable to break-ins. The Home Safety Council is committed to helping you enhance the safety and security of your home, even when you're away. Print out the checklist before you leave on your next trip. Walk around the perimeter of your home and objectively evaluate its vulnerability. Try to look at it the way an intruder or thief would, and make changes well before you leave town.

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