Step-by-Step Safety in Your Home

Home Safety Tips

Fire Extinguisher

• Place a fire extinguisher in your kitchen and every other floor of your home.
• Read the instructions that come with the fire extinguisher before you need to use it.
• Check extinguisher gauges often, and occasionally turn it over to make sure the contents don’t become compacted at the bottom.

Smoke Alarms

• Install battery-powered smoke alarms to be prepared for early warnings of smoke in your home.
• Check your local building codes to make sure you have the right kind of smoke detector and enough of them for the size and layout of your home.
• Place detectors in bedrooms, and also install battery-powered carbon monoxide alarms on every level of your home.

Tip: When you change your clocks for daylight savings time, replace batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and check fire extinguisher gauges to make sure they’re full.

First Aid Kit

• Keep a well-stocked first aid kit in a centrally located spot in your home.
• It should include activated charcoal, adhesive tape, antiseptic ointment, adhesive bandages, blanket, cold pack, disposable gloves, gauze, hand cleaner, plastic bags, scissors, tweezers and a small flashlight with extra batteries.

General Tips

• If you have children, or children that visit often, place plastic covers over electrical outlets.
• Store cleaning products and other chemicals out of reach or within locked cabinets and drawers.
• Keep the phone number of your local Poison Control Center in an easily accessible, obvious spot, like a household chore list or bulletin board.
• Install ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) electrical outlets in the kitchen, bathroom and around any water source. They can help prevent electrocutions, electric shocks and some electric fires.
• Keep electronics away from all sinks, bathtubs and showers.
• Investigate stains or cracks that appear in ceilings. They could be signs of a water leak, and if not taken care of, the ceiling could weaken. If the problem is serious, call a professional.
• Take a tour around your home looking in and around everything for potential hazards, like old appliances, fraying wires or overloaded electrical outlets.
• Fix or add padding to pieces of furniture that have sharp edges.
• Before having visitors over, especially young children, think about what kids might get into, especially at their level.