Keeping Your Family Safe

There’s no better feeling in the world than having a family and, as those who have families know, their safety becomes your number one priority. To make sure your summer holiday is jam-packed with memories and laughter – you’ll want to follow these 4 easy tips to keep your family safe.

Emergency plan

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Should you be faced with an emergency, tensions will be high and you will undoubtedly be stressed and panicked. An emergency plan is a detailed evacuation or safety plan that you and your family can design and study in the best of times so that you’ll know what to do if the worst should happen.

Summer is the perfect time to discuss and practice emergency plans with your children and talk with them (in a clear and calming way) about what you would do in the case of a fire or a flood. Make sure your kids are aware of exits and plans so that they can keep calm in an emergency situation. 

Safety around water

Everyone has memories of childhood summers spent by the pool. As summer approaches all over the country, different families are looking forward to beating the heat by the pool or playing on the beach and whilst pools bring great joy they can also bring with them added dangers – especially for children.

Toddler drownings are utterly devastating and 67% of them take place in swimming pools. Adding to the danger is the fact that drownings can occur quickly and silently, in as little as 20 seconds and a few centimeters of water. Make sure your toddler knows how to swim and that you are trained in infant CPR.

Smoke alarms

Smoke alarms are a vital safety tool. They can save lives by alerting you to smoke before flames or a few fumes break out into a full-blown fire. However, for smoke alarms to be effective they have to be in proper working order, smoke alarms should be tested; batteries should be changed and clean of dust in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association guidelines.

All common areas and bedrooms should be well fitted with smoke alarms. In order to reduce the number of false alarms coming from your kitchen smoke detector, where possible it is important to fit the alarm ten feet from the cooking source and one foot from any doors, ducts or windows. If you’re interested in learning more about smoke and fire hazard and what you can do to minimize them, head here. 

Checking roadworthiness of car before embarking on a family road

Roadtrips are a great way to spend the summer, with hours of sing-a-longs and eye spy, not to mention the great destination. Though it is important to check the roadworthiness of the car before embarking on a family road trip. During festive season millions of motorists take to the highways usually to visit relatives out of state or to go to their favorite holiday destinations. For peace of mind before you get on the road you should perform the following safety checks on your vehicle: 

• Check your brake fluid levels;
• Make sure your lights (including your brake lights) are working correctly;
• Check your wipers are functional and that your windscreen is in good condition;
• Check your brake pads
• Make sure you have a spare tire and the tread of existing tires. 

According to the US Tire Manufacturers Association, 35% of American drivers can’t tell if a tire is bald. Bald tires are going to decrease your ability to stop or swerve particularly in rough terrain or inclement weather – putting your family at risk. Make sure you perform all these checks and then you will be ready to get on the road and make memories with your family this summer.

To find out more about fire hazards and other hazards in your home, feel free to refer to Storemasta.

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