Rainbow Injury Prevention Center

An important part of raising kids is careful supervision of their activities in the home, where they spend most of their time.  Be aware of your children’s surroundings at all times in order to prevent serious injuries.

Safety on a Budget

In these tough economic times it may seem even more difficult to think about what’s necessary to keep your family safe.  Here’s the good news: Keeping your children safe doesn’t have to be expensive.

There are plenty of free things you can do and low-cost safety devices that can help make your home safer, without breaking your budget.  Consider the following tips to help you get started:

• Keep an eye on your children at all times.  This is the best way to keep children safe, and it doesn’t cost a penny!
• Keep poisonous items, such as medicines and cleaners, locked away and out of reach of children.
• Don’t let children play on stairs, furniture, balconies, roofs, or in driveways, streets or parking lots.
• Practice an escape plan with your family in case of a fire or other disaster.
• Cook on back burners and keep handles facing away from the front of the stove so curious children can’t pull hot contents down on themselves.
• Keep bathroom doors closed with a hook-and-eye latch above a child’s reach to keep kids away from hazards in the bathroom.
• Tape up any loose rugs firmly to the floor/carpet to avoid slips and slides of running toddlers.

We all know that nothing replaces active supervision, but the right safety devices can go a long way in helping to protect children.  Be a savvy shopper with these low-cost investments, and remember, a higher price does not mean the device is safer or easier to use.

• Outlet plugs (average $2 in stores)
• Cabinet/drawer locks ($4)
• Window stop ($5)
• Furniture strap/bracket ($5)
• Smoke alarm ($10)
• Carbon monoxide alarm ($20)
• Window guard ($30)
• Safety gate ($40)