Keeping Your Family And HomeSafe Takes On New Urgency (NAPSA)—With health costs as high as they are, the last thing you need is for an avoidable accident in your house to land you in | the doctor’s office. Still, about 45 percent of unintentional injuries occur in or around the home, according to Yale Medical Group. Fortunately, there are ways to avoid becominga statistic. “Simple steps can help keep families safe,” says Debra Holtzman, an acclaimed safety expert and author of the best-selling book “The Safe Baby: A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Home Safety and Healthy Living.” “The key is to plan ahead and be prepared for emergencies.” Holtzman, who has appeared on the “Today” show, “Dateline NBC”and “Martha Stewart Living Radio,” has a numberof tips that make obvious sense. While some may sound familiar—multipurpose fire extinguishers, for example, should be kept on hand—others help protect against household hazards that aren’t obvious but are just as dangerous. Stay Safe—Designating a safe room in your home may be a new idea to many, but it could mean the difference between life and death during a hurricane or tropical storm. A big closet or interior room, without a window,is ideal. Opt for flashlights and radios powered by hand cranks so you won’t have to worry about depleted batteries. To keep your home safe from intruders, you might upgrade your security via motion sensor lights, along with dead bolts and peepholes for exterior doors. And check the references of anyone working in your hometo verify trustworthiness. Stay Healthy—No moreprocrastinating—if you haven’t done so, it’s time to put togethera firstaid kit. Essentials include nonlatex gloves, antiseptic wipes and Having a variety of bandages on hand can help keep families pre- pared for emergencies. assorted bandages. Holtzman recommends Nexcare Bandages, since they provide a variety of styles for all kinds of activities and feature a diamond-shaped, 360-degree adhesive seal that keeps out dirt and germs. Stay Connected—Think twice before trying to pare expenses by disconnecting the corded landline phone that plugs into a phone jack in your home. It often works during power outages—unlike cordless phones—and cell phones can be unreliable. Also, post a list of emergency numbers, including out-oftown contacts, since it’s sometimes easier to connect with a long-distance number outside of an emergency area than a local number within it. Stay Kitchen-Cautious— Store knives and other sharp utensils in drawers with safety latches. Keep fruit and vegetables free from disease-causing bacteria by washing them thoroughly—evenif the packaging says the produce has been prewashed. Also, keep Nexcare Waterproof Clear Bandages near the sink. These ultrathin waterproof bandages keep water out and stay on when washingproduce, dishes and hands. For more information, visit www.nexcare.com.
