THE SECURE ZONE:
Looking for Hidden Hazards and Ensuring Home Security
DO YOU...
YES
NO
Make sure appliance
cords are not dangling? Look for appliances with short cords
or purchase cord shorteners.
Cover electrical outlets
with safety covers? Make sure all outlets are covered with
plastic protective covers.
Scout your lawn for
toys, sticks and other objects that could shoot out from under the lawnmower
and/or damage the blade?
Post emergency numbers
near all phones? Include police dept., fire dept., all
doctors' numbers, poison control numbers, etc.
Own working flashlights? Check the batteries, place flashlights
in kitchen, garage, bedroom, basement, pool area, etc.
Have one-inch deadbolts
installed on all external doors?
Wear proper eye protection when using any power too? Be safe when completing those "do-it-yourself"
projects.
THE PREVENTION ZONE:
Helping to Prevent Fires
DO YOU...
YES
NO
Own smoke alarm(s)?
Test batteries once a month and change them once
a year - when you turn the clocks back in the fall.
Place alarms on each level of home and in or near
sleeping areas - place alarms either on ceiling or six to twelve
inches below ceiling on a wall away from air vents.
Gently vacuum alarms periodically to ensure that
they work properly.
Use child-resistant
lighters and lock away matches and lighters outside of children's sight/reach?
Check to see that
all electrical cords do not have cracks, frays and/or breaks?
Develop and practice
a home fire escape plan with family?
Sleep with doors closed
Plan for two exit routes
Stay below smoke
Have planned central meeting place outside - go
there
Call 911 or local fire emergency number from outside
the burning building
If trapped, keep doors closed between you and smoke/fire,
stay low and signal your location from a window
Practice stop, drop
and roll to smother flames in case clothes catch fire?
Never leave cooking
food unattended? Always keep cooking area clean and clear
of combustibles.
Use portable space
heaters with care? Keeping them away from combustibles and
unplug them when sleeping or away from home.
THE MONITOR ZONE:
Monitoring for Indoor Air Dangers
DO YOU...
YES
NO
Own carbon monoxide
detector(s)? Check batteries monthly and change them
yearly — consider changing them at the same time you change the
smoke alarm battery.
Test for high radon
levels in home? Do-it-yourself kits are easy and inexpensive.
Know if there is lead
paint in your home? Leave lead-based painted walls undisturbed
if the paint is in good condition. Do not sand or remove lead paint
yourself; hire a professional to correct lead paint problems.
Have your heating
system serviced each year, following service guidelines? Make sure to follow guidelines for changing
filters.
Make sure stoves,
heaters and furnaces are vented to outside and that exhaust systems
do not leak?
THE CONTROL ZONE:
Controlling Children's Access to Poison
DO YOU...
YES
NO
Store household cleaners
in locked cabinets and install child safety latches on all cabinets
within your child's reach?
Keep substances in
their original containers with original labels? For example, don't put bleach into an
old soda bottle.
Purchase medicine
containers that have child-resistant caps? Aspirin and other medicines can be deadly
when ingested by children.
Keep vitamin lids
tightly closed and out of sight and reach of children? A few iron pills can kill a child.
Check dates of all
prescriptions and throw away all out-of-date medicines? Medicine can become poisonous when it
ages. Flush all expired medicine down the toilet and throw away container.
For liquid medications, rinse out the container before throwing away.
THE CAUTION ZONE:
Raising Awareness About Falling/Slipping
DO YOU...
YES
NO
Secure area and throw
rugs with rubber backing or double-sided tape?
Have rubber mat or
slip-resistant stickers in tubs?
Have handrails on
stairs and/or block all stairways so children don't fall?
Install bright lights
with on/off switches at the top and bottom of each stairwell?
Keep stairs clear
of all items?
Keep both hands on
the rungs and stay below top two steps when using a ladder?
______
______
Add up your Answers to see how you've done!
Check your scores against the chart below!
Total
"Yes"
Total
"No"
What is your home safety quotient?
Are you in the home safety zone?
Add up your checks in the YES column to find out!
0-12 Out of the Zone: Looks like
you need to work on safety-proofing your home! Spend some time walking
through your house with this checklist and begin making some changes.
Each step you take will help get you into the home safety zone!
13-25 Entering the Zone:You're
up-to-speed on some home safety issues, but definitely need to brush
up on your safety knowledge and practice. Take another close look
at your checklist and turn some of your no's into yes's. Start at
the top of the list and work your way down to start living in a home
safety zone.
26+ Living the Zone:Congratulations!
You know what it takes to be home-safety conscious. Continue practicing
home safety measures and try to implement the steps you did not check off.
Pick up a Top 20 safety checklist at your local Lowe's.
For more information,
call 1-800-SAFE-HOME
(1-800-723-3466)
THE SECURE ZONE:
THE PREVENTION ZONE:
THE MONITOR ZONE:
THE CONTROL ZONE:
THE CAUTION ZONE: