SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii -- With children out of school, enjoying their summer break, parents and guardians must be sure to keep their keiki safe -- whether outside or inside their homes.
Windows let cool breezes in, but they can also pose a safety hazard. Preventing falls out of windows is as important as learning how to use a window in an emergency.
Unattended children run the greatest risk of falls and injuries, so the best first step is to watch your children as they play. No prevention measure can substitute for careful adult supervision.
The National Safety Council provides the following tips:
•Set and enforce rules about keeping children's play away from windows or patio doors. Falling through the glass can be fatal or cause serious injury.
•Keep furniture -- or anything children can climb upon -- away from windows. Children may use such objects as a climbing aid.
•Windows provide a secondary means of escape from a burning home. Determine your family's emergency escape plan and practice it. Remember that children may have to rely on a window to escape in a fire. Help them learn to safely use a window under these circumstances.
•Keep your windows closed and locked when children are around. When opening windows for ventilation, use windows a child cannot reach.
With extra vigilance, parents and guardians can help ensure windows don't pose a safety hazard for our children.
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