Home dangers are often easy to miss, but for West Virginians, it is a problem that is too serious to ignore.  In fact, West Virginia ranks third in the Nation for falls in the home and has the fifth highest rate for overall home injury-related fatalities, according to the Home Safety Council. 

Nationally, home-related injuries result in nearly 21 million medical visits and 20,000 deaths each year with the three leading causes being falls, fires and burns, and poisonings.

As I look forward to spending time this summer with my granddaughter, Madison Kaylee, who is about to enter the "terrible twos," I know that keeping loved ones safe at home is a full-time commitment.  Together with the Home Safety Council, I encourage all West Virginians to take action to create a safe home environment this summer. 

Following are some simple tips to help with home safety this summer and throughout the year:

• Install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on every level of your home and test them monthly.
• Create a fire escape plan for your family that shows two exits out of every room and where to meet outside. Practice makes perfect – hold a family fire drill at least twice each year.
• Always stay in the kitchen while food is cooking on the stove.
• Keep stairs and pathways clear of clutter. In homes with babies and toddlers, use baby gates at the top and bottom of stairs.
• Keep disaster “Ready Kits” on hand at all times. 
• Install grab bars in bath and shower stalls, and use a non-slip mat or adhesive safety strips inside bathtubs and showers.
• Post emergency numbers next to every phone in your home.
• Install child locks on all cabinets used to store dangerous items.
• Keep your water heater set at 120 degrees Fahrenheit or less.
• If you have a pool, install four-sided pool fencing with self-locking and self-closing gates. Fencing should completely isolate the pool from the home and be least five feet high.
• Practice touch supervision—stay within arm’s length and constantly supervise children in or near water such as pools, ponds, bathtubs and buckets.

To learn more about safeguarding your home from common mishaps, visit the Home Safety Council at www.homesafetycouncil.org.  

Madison Kaylee and I wish you a safe and enjoyable summer, from our family to yours, and hope you keep these simple steps in mind to help us reduce the number of home-related injuries in West Virginia and keep our families safe and sound.