Home and Community Safety

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The Facts: 

o   In 2013, 93,200 unintentional-injury related deaths occurred in the home and community

o   The top 7 causes of injury and death in this category are:

1.)    Motor Vehicles                                                                                                                        

2.)    Poisoning

3.)    Falls                                                                                   

4.)    Choking                                                                            

5.)    Drowning

6.)    Fire and Burns

7.)    Emergency Preparedness

o   About 2.5 million nonfatal falls were treated in emergency departments in 2013

o   More than 250,000 hip fractures are reported every year, and 95 percent of those are from falls.

o   The average dollar loss per burglary in the U.S. is $2,185 according to the FBI.

o   A majority of convicted burglars say that they intentionally avoided homes with security systems.

Tips: 

1.)    Instead of storing valuables in your night stand, put it in your child’s dresser. Burglars are more likely to look in the master bedroom rather than a child’s.

2.)    Keep your car keys next to your bed when sleeping. If you hear a burglar in the middle of the night, press the panic button on your car. This will most likely scare the burglar off.

3.)    If you cannot afford to purchase a security system, put a decal up anyway. An established thief may not be fooled, but you may elude a less experienced one.

4.)    Protect yourself against a house fire. Make sure to have a working smoke detector and change the batteries once every year. Plan and practice a family escape route.

5.)    Weather emergencies can happen at any time. Before these events occur,  make sure to:

•         Keep an emergency kit in your car
  

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•         Have at least 3 days’ worth of food and water in your home at all times
•        Assign one family member to learn first aid and CPR

6.)    Falls are the leading injury related deaths for people 65 years or older. This can be prevented though. A few ways to keep your home safe is to:

•          Install railings on both sides of the stairs
•         Provide adequate light in every room of the house and outside the home
•         Provide grab bars in the tub/ shower and near the toilet
•         Harvard Medical School gives credits exercising as a great way to prevent the physical hardships of aging. Do activities like Tai Chi; it has been proven to improve balance and muscle tone

Sources: 13 Things You Never Knew About Home Safety; http://www.rd.com/slideshows/13-things-you-never-knew-about-home-safety/view-all/

Home and Recreational Safety; http://www.nsc.org/learn/safety-knowledge/Pages/safety-at-home.aspx

8 Surprising Home Invasion & Burglary Statistics; http://www.safewise.com/blog/8-surprising-home-burglary-statistics/