Category: Blog: Community Safety Stories

Holiday Safety is vitally important

by Brenda Plascencia

Have you thought about presents and toys and their pieces and parts? Safe Kids Worldwide has and this time of the year, when many are purchasing gifts or families are getting gifts, we want to make sure that small pieces and parts are kept from the little ones in your life. What other safety tips should we keep in mind – Christmas tees, button batteries, toys and games, holiday food? Here are a few holiday safety tips to keep in mind.

  1. CHRISTMAS TREE: Make sure your tree has plenty of water by checking it regularly. Natural trees look beautiful and smell great, but if they’re not watered regularly, needles can dry out and pose a potential fire hazard.
  2. CANDLES: Keep lit holiday candles at least 12 inches away from anything that can burn, and don’t forget to blow them out when you leave the room or before you go to sleep.
  3. TOYS AND GAMES: Consider your child’s age when purchasing toys or games this holiday season. It’s worth a second to read the instructions to make sure the gift is age appropriate for the child you are buying it for.
  4. BUTTON BATTERIES: Keep a special eye on small pieces, including button batteries that may be included in electronic toys. While these kinds of games are great for older kids, they can pose a potential danger for younger, curious siblings.
  5. BURNS: Help prevent yourself and others from hot holiday food or liquid spills and possible burns. Always use the back burner of your stove and turn pot handles away from the edge.
  6. ORNAMENTS: Move the ornaments that are breakable or have metal hooks towards the top of the tree as that makes room at the bottom for the ones that are safer for young kids. 

Blog: Community Safety Stories

Smart911 and YOU!

by Brenda Plascencia

Recently Nick Holloway from the Office of Emergency Management in Missoula presented information on Missoula’s Smart911 program to the Safe Kids Missoula Coalition members.

Although the program includes emergency notifications, as well as your safety profile, this blog post is dedicated to sharing information about why the safety profile is so important.

Statistically, over 80% of calls made to 9-1-1 come from mobile phones. When you dial 9-1-1 from a mobile phone, the 9-1-1 call takers usually have only your phone number and a very general sense of your location. This is a serious problem in an emergency, particularly if you or your loved ones have medical conditions, allergies, have limited mobility or are unable to safely speak. With Smart911, you can provide 9-1-1 call takers and first responders critical information you want them to know – in any kind of emergency.

So how does the it work? First, you need to sign up. Once you have completed the sign up and if need need to call 9-1-1, your Smart911 Safety Profile displays on the 9-1-1 screen and the 9-1-1 call takers can view your addresses, medical information, home information, description of pets and vehicles, and emergency contacts. You can provide as much or as little information as you like.

Smart911 is a national service meaning your Smart911 Safety Profile travels with you and is visible to any participating 9-1-1 center nationwide. Please be advised that not all communities have a Smart911 programs however our community does have this valuable resource.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention

by Brenda Plascencia

This winter and holiday season, we wanted to share information regarding signs, symptoms and safety in regards to Carbon Monoxide Poisoning and Prevention. Furnaces and other heating elements that burn coal, wood, charcoal, propane or natural gas produce carbon monoxide, which can collect in a home or garage and cause poisoning. The gas cannot be detected by its odor, which means that many people are exposed each year, and some run the risk of serious health problems or even death. 

There are many ways to help keep yourself safe and prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. You can schedule an annual check up for your furnace and hot water heater; ensure that each of your homes and/or businesses have a carbon monoxide alarm, replace you carbon monoxide alarm every five years and consider brining one along when you travel and maybe most important is to be aware of symptoms.

To learn more, please check out this article published by Intermountain Healthcare and written by Dr. Lindell Weaver.

Blog: Community Safety Stories

Keeping Kids Safe Around Liquid Laundry Packets

by Brenda Plascencia

Did you know that liquid laundry packets are concentrated and designed to dissolve in water? They are similar in design to pods for dishwashing machines. These soap packets are easy to use and store, however, there is also a down side to them.

Each year, hundreds of children get into laundry packets and experience side effects. Many of these instances resulted in calls to Poison Control with the majority of children who are at the greatest risk being 1 and 2 year old. Some of those side effects have included difficulty breathing, excessive vomiting, severe eye burns/irritation, temporary vision loss and/or loss of consciousness.

There are ways to help keep kiddos safe.

  1. Keep the soap packets out of children’s sight and reach.
  2. Keep the soap packets in their original container, with the container closed, at all times.
  3. If a child get’s into liquid soap packets, call the Poison Help number right away at 1 (800) 222-1222.
Blog: Community Safety Stories

Button Batteries

by Brenda Plascencia

Did you ever thing about what type of batteries are running your small remotes and electronics. I am afraid that I had not, until I found one in my grandson’s mouth. I had not taken the time to look and find out what was in his toys, in my remotes nor in small battery candles. I should have. Why? Well, for one, if a child (or animal) swallows a button battery, the kiddos can often still breathe and could just cough, drool or have difficulty swallowing thus the symptoms mimic other illnesses. Secondly, batteries, if stuck in the throat can cause minor to serious burns.

Per the tip sheet provided by Safe Kids Worldwide, there are three ways to minimize risks, if having children and button batteries in your home.

  1. Keep devices with batteries out of reach, in a secure location and lock away any loose batteries.
  2. If a child swallows a battery, head to the ER immediately and ensure that the child does not eat or drink. Also, do NOT induce vomiting.
  3. Share the information to other parents and caregivers.

If you would like more information, please call the National Battery Ingestion Hotline at 1 (800) – 498-8666.