General Home Safety

• Have an emergency plan in the event of injury, sudden illness, or natural disaster.
• Practice emergency plans with family or roommates.
• Post local emergency numbers near the telephone.

Fire Safety

• Install at least one smoke detector on every level of your home. Clean and test smoke detectors once a month. Change batteries at least once a year.
• Keep at least two working fire extinguishers in two separate rooms of the house. Make sure family members know how to use them.
• In case of fire, plan two escape routes out of each room.
• Teach family members never to open doors that are hot.
• In a fire, feel the bottom of the door with the palm of your hand. If it is hot, do not open the door. Find another way out.
• Stay low to the ground when escaping from a fire.
• If smoke is present, crawl low to escape. Since smoke rises in a fire, breathable air is often close to the floor.
• Make sure that children can open windows, go down a ladder and lower themselves to the ground. Practice with them. Always lower children to the ground first before you go out a window.
• Get out quickly and do not, under any circumstances, return to a burning building.
• If you cannot escape, stay in the room and stuff door cracks and vents with wet towels, rags or clothing. If a phone is available, call the fire department--even if rescuers are already outside--and tell the dispatcher your location.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Carbon monoxide is a tasteless, odorless, colorless gas that has the potential to be deadly. Stoves, water heaters, furnaces, and cars can produce carbon monoxide. At low exposure, carbon monoxide poisoning is often mistaken for the flu or a cold. Symptoms include headache, nausea, and fatigue. If you detect these symptoms, especially in children, for several days or more, see a physician and have your home checked by a professional for sources of carbon monoxide and have appropriate repairs made.

Minimize the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning.

• Have your chimney, fireplace, and venting pipes checked and cleaned annually.
• Be sure your heating appliances are properly installed and vented.
• If you choose to purchase and install carbon monoxide detectors, follow manufacturer's instructions for installation, testing, and replacement.

Poison Prevention

• Buy medicines with childproof caps.
• Keep all medications and household products locked away, well out of the reach of children.
• Install special clamps to keep toddlers from opening cabinets.
• Keep products in their original containers with the labels in place.
• Use poison symbols to identify dangerous substances, and teach your children what the symbols mean.
• Don't take or give any medicine in the dark.
• Never tell children that medicine is or tastes like candy.
• Use products that give off fumes only in well-ventilated areas.
• Dispose of outdated products as recommended.
• During work or recreation that may put you in contact with a poisonous product, set a good example by wearing proper protective clothing such as gloves or a mask.

If you suspect someone has swallowed a poison, try to find out:

• What type of poison was taken.
• How much was taken.
• When it was taken.

This information will help you and others provide the most appropriate care.

• Call 911 or your local emergency number or poison control center in your area.

First Aid Kit

Every home should have a first aid kit. Whether you buy a first aid kit or put one together yourself, make sure it has all the items you may need. A first aid kit should contain:

• Flashlight and batteries - in case the power goes out in your house.
• Tweezers and scissors - to remove splinters and to cut tapes and gauze.
• Emergency blanket - the wrap victim to minimize shock.
• Triangular bandages - to hold dressings or splints in place.
• Antiseptic towelettes - to clean cuts and scrapes and rescuers' hands.
• Adhesive bandages in assorted sizes.
• Sterile gauze pads - to place over wounds.
• Sterile non-stick pads - to place over wounds.
• Elastic bandage - to secure a splint, bandage or apply compression.
• Adhesive tape - to secure bandages or splinting.
• Antiseptic ointment - to prevent infection in cuts, scrapes, and minor burns.
• Latex/nitrile gloves - to protect against disease transmission.
• Plastic bags - for an ice pack.
• Instant cold pack - for reducing pain and swelling.
• Syrup of ipecac - to induce vomiting in case of poison ingestion.
• Activated charcoal - to absorb and neutralize ingested poisons.
• Emergency numbers - poison control centers, etc.

Poisonous Plants

Millions of people each year suffer from contact with poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac. To care for someone who has come in contact with a poison plant:

• Immediately wash affected area thoroughly with soap and water.
• If a rash or weeping sore develops, apply a paste of baking soda and water on the area several times a day.
• A lotion such as calamine or Caladryl® may help soothe the area.
• An antihistamine, such as Benadryl®, may also help dry up the sores.
• If condition persists or worsens, seek medical attention.
• Wash all clothing/shoes before wearing again.
• Call 911 or local emergency medical number if there are signals of a serious condition.

Heat and Cold-Related Illnesses

Exposure to extreme heat or cold may make a person seriously ill. The likelihood of illness also depends on physical activity, clothing, wind, humidity, working and living conditions and a person's age and state of health.

Follow these steps to care for heat-related illnesses:

• Get the victim out of the heat.
• Loosen tight clothing.
• Remove perspiration-soaked clothing.
• Apply cool, wet cloths to the skin or spray or mist with water.
• Fan the victim.
• If victim is conscious, give cool water to drink.
• Call 911 or local emergency number if victim refuses water, vomits, or starts to lose consciousness.
• If victim suffers from sunburn, follow the care guidelines for treating burns.

Follow these steps to care for cold-related illnesses:

• Call 911 or local emergency number.
• Care for any life-threatening problems.
• Move the victim to a warm place if you can; handle gently.
• Remove any wet clothing and dry the victim.
• Warm the victim slowly by wrapping in blankets or putting on dry clothes including a hat.
• Apply other sources of heat if available (chemical heat packs or hot water bottles) under the blankets.

Follow these steps to care for a victim of frostbite:

• Cover affected area.
• Handle gently, don't rub.
• Soak affected area in water 100-to-105 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Do not let affected part touch bottom or sides of container.
• Keep in water until red and warm.
• Avoid using a space heater, hair dryer, or other portable heating equipment to warm someone up.
• Avoid breaking blisters.
• Bandage with dry, clean dressing.
• Do not allow affected area to refreeze.
• Do not allow victim to walk on thawed feet until all feeling has returned.
• Call 911 or local emergency number to transport the victim to a medical facility.

Signals of a Heart Attack

• Persistent chest pain or discomfort.
• Pain may spread to shoulder, arm or jaw.
• Breathing difficulty/nausea.
• Skin appearance - pale or blue skin, moisture on face or profuse sweating.

Caring for a Victim of a Heart Attack

• Call 911 or your local emergency number for help immediately.
• Convince the victim to stop activity and rest.
• Help the victim to rest comfortably. Loosen restrictive clothing.
• Assist with medication, if prescribed.
• Monitor the victim's condition.
• Be prepared to give CPR if the victim's hear stops beating.