fall back with these safety checks!

At Dayton Children’s we know the time change can disrupt our daily routines. We oversleep our alarms, and it gets dark much earlier. But there’s a bright side to these changes! Experts say this is a great time of year to do a safety check and make sure your family is prepared for the winter season ahead. 

“The time change is a great time to check on some important safety items around your house because it happens twice a year which is about the time you should be doing these checks. ” says Abbey Pettiford, injury prevention coordinator at Dayton Children’s. “Along with adjusting your clocks, you should be checking smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, old medications and preparing for winter around this time! " 

As we move into the colder months, some safety items around the house can get overlooked in our busy lives. So, take advantage of the time change this week to cross these five safety tips off your to-do list and make sure your house is safe and protected! 

check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors

There are increased carbon monoxide poisoning risks with the use of fireplaces, gas-fired furnaces, and space heaters.  Replace the batteries in all smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Replace any smoke detector that is older than 10 years; and carbon monoxide detectors that are older than 5 years. Be sure to also check and recharge your fire extinguishers!

• Your home should have smoke alarms on every level, outside each sleeping area and inside each bedroom.
• For the best protection, interconnect the alarms, so when one sounds, they all sound.
• Test all smoke alarms at least monthly by pushing the test button.
• In the event of a fire, a working smoke alarm and a well-practiced fire escape plan can mean the difference between life and death.

change all batteries in your home

We recommend changing ALL the batteries in your home. Some of these items will include thermostats, outdoor lighting, clocks, phone accessories, flashlights, water conditioners and portable electronics. 

properly dispose of expired medications

Expiration dates DO matter when it comes to medications, prescribed and over-the-counter. Serious problems can be caused by taking any expired medication.  Learn how to dispose of medications by clicking here.

prepare a winter emergency kit for your home and car

This is a great time to create or restock your home and car winter preparedness kits. The home kit should include flashlights, batteries, matches, a manual can opener, first-aid kit, unexpired medications, battery-powered radio, extra pillows and blankets and a list of emergency contact numbers. For a car winter preparedness kit, we recommend it include: flares, flashlight, batteries, warm clothes, blanket, water, non-perishable snacks, shovel, reflective hazard triangle, jumper cables, sand for traction, winter hat and gloves.

check outside for hazardous material

One possible overlooked safety check is the outside of your home and storage areas. These should be checked for hazardous materials. Materials that are outdated, unused or in poor condition should be properly discarded. Any others should be moved out of the reach of children and pets. Learn more about the disposal of hazardous waste by clicking here.