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Teach your child how to call 911 in an emergency.
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Post the Poison Help number 1-800-222-1222 by every phone in your home and program the number into your cell phone.
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Make sure to have a plan of escape from your home in case of a fire. Review and practice the plan with your family.
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Install smoke alarms inside every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, in furnace areas, and on every level of your home, including the basement. Buy alarms with long-life lithium batteries. Standard batteries should be changed every year. Test alarms every month to make sure they are working properly.
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Install carbon monoxide (CO) alarms outside each sleeping area and on each floor of your home. CO is a toxic gas that has no taste, no color, and no odor. It comes from appliances or heaters that burn gas, oil, wood, propane, or kerosene.
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A home is safest without firearms. If you must have a gun, make sure the gun is stored unloaded and locked in a safe or with a trigger lock, with the bullets locked in another place.
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Make sure all the rooms in your home are free from small parts, plastic bags, small toys, coins, and balloons that your child could choke on. Keep magnets and button-cell batteries out of sight and out of reach of children. Frequently check in, around, and under furniture for these items.
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Secure bookshelves, dressers, TVs, and all tall or heavy furniture to the wall with straps, brackets, or screws.
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Use cordless window coverings in all homes where children live or visit. If this is not possible, make sure drapery and blind cords are tied up high, with no loops. Loose cords can strangle children, so remember to check the cords in all rooms to make sure they are out of reach.
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Make sure window guards are secured to prevent a child from falling out the window.
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Block all stairs by using child gates.
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Check electrical cords and replace any cords that are worn, frayed, or damaged. Never overload outlets. Cords should run behind furniture and not hang down for children to pull on. Remove unused cords.
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Store matches and lighters out of your child's reach or in a locked cabinet. Teach your child that matches and lighters are to be used by adults only.
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Only use candles when an adult is in the room. Blow out candles if you leave the room or go to sleep.
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Keep houseplants out of your child's reach because some may be poisonous. Teach your child to never pick and eat anything from an indoor or outdoor plant. Also, teach your child to ask an adult first before picking and eating homegrown fruits or vegetables.