I was reading the other day about drowning stats and came across some household injury statistics . . . and I was surprised.

There were over 29 million non-fatal injuries in 2015 alone (CDC.gov).

The most common injuries were a result of: falls, poisoning, suffocation, and burns. This got me thinking, how to we prevent them…and how do we treat them?
 

Some easy prevention tips include:

  • Remove clutter from the house, garage, yard, etc. If you have to step over items in the garage, it might be time for a garage sale.
  • Keep all medications where children cannot get to them . . . and safely throw away medicine you no longer need.
  • Pay close attention to where dangerous chemicals are stored, and always watch out when stove burners are on. And as Gwyn (our Chemical Engineer) would remind us, never just dump chemicals down the drain . . . dispose of them properly.
  • Always supervise children. One time our two year old boys were quiet and granddad went upstairs to find them in the sink playing with the water fully running!

How to treat injuries:

  • Take a CPR / First Aid class and learn how to treat minor injuries.
  • Know and post the Poison Control Center phone number – 1-800-222-1222
  • And call 9-1-1 if an emergency occurs.Survey your house . . . see if you can reduce potential injuries . . . and let’s stay safe!-Coach Mike