Safety For The Remaining Holidays And The New Year

The holidays are almost behind us, and I hope it was a happy one for all you. I also hope it was a safe one.  With visitors still remaining, and New Year’s celebrations coming up, here are some helpful hints for keeping your home and life accident-proof in 2018 and beyond:

• If you have young children or young visitors, you might want to purchase a child-proofing kit with grip and twist door knob covers, latches and plug protectors, heat resistant oven door locks, and cord channel kits to protect against trips and falls.

• Why not update your door locks with electronic deadbolts?  A set with a numeric keypad avoids leaving or losing keys for visiting family.

• If you don’t have a monitored alarm system, perhaps now is the time to invest in one, especially if you have plans to travel away from home this holiday season.
• I always worry about “trip and fall” situations, so make sure your entry is free of fallen leaves and other debris, and replace all burned out light bulbs with LED ones to avoid a “man who came to dinner” situation.

• Consider using HEPA filtered air purifiers throughout the house to avoid the spread of germs in this major cold and flu season.  Perhaps preventatives like vitamins, Airborne, or other products of your choice, can add an extra layer of protection.

• At all times of the year, fire extinguishers and smoke and C02 detectors are a must, but especially when holiday lights, candles, fireplaces and lots of cooking are occurring.  Be sure to check the batteries.

• You might be thinking about redoing or updating your bathroom in 2018, but in the meantime, adding a non-slip floor mat in the shower and some grab bars can avoid a major accident for elderly or very young visitors.

Let’s all keep safe and healthy and look forward to a great 2018.