Safety first: Preventing household accidents

Transcription

1 We hope this booklet has been of help. If you have any other questions about fire prevention, accident prevention or first aid, contact your local fire department, doctor or Red Cross. This booklet contains generally accepted information about fire prevention, accident prevention and first aid. However, because every situation is different, the distributor of this brochure cannot be held responsible for the use of the information contained herein. Safety first: Preventing household accidents Farmers Group, Inc.

2 Emergency phone numbers To be prepared, post these important numbers by your telephone. Doctor Hospital Poison control center Ambulance Gas company Electric company Neighbors Fire department Police department Pharmacist Preventing home fires and accidents Farmers is more than just a business; it s a family of 16,000 agents and employees, and over 8.5 million customers. And while our family may be a large one, there is no less care and concern for each member than in any other family. So it s important to us to help our people; not just by picking up the pieces after a disaster, but by helping our family members prevent these disasters. Because fires and other accidents are all-toocommon household tragedies, Farmers has created this brochure to help. Please follow the common-sense advice inside on how to protect your loved ones. Important facts you need to know Eighty Americans will die needlessly today. Many will fall down stairs or off roofs. Some will be poisoned by household cleaners, expired medicine or carbon monoxide. Still others will be trapped in home fires. These people men, women and children comprise the more than 29,000 people who die in accidents in the home every year. Most of these accidents could have been prevented. Insurance agent 16 1

3 Fire safety Be prepared When fire strikes, everything happens fast. There s no time to make a plan. That s why you should have a family fire emergency plan in place before you need it. Here s how: Make sure all family members, even young children know how to dial 911 in an emergency. Have at least two exits from every room in your home. Invest in escape ladders for upstairs bedrooms. Have a practice drill every six months. Make sure the whole family participates. Arrange a central meeting place at a tree or other landmark in front of your house. Train family members to go straight to the meeting place after they leave the house. Teach children never to go back in the house, and never hide under beds or in closets. Smoke detectors The importance of smoke detectors cannot be overestimated, because most fires occur at night, while people are sleeping. A fire s toxic gases can numb the senses, disorient, and kill. Burns Use this chart to determine the degree of burn as well as how and how not to treat it. Burn Do Don t First Degree (Redness, mild Apply cool water Apply butter, swelling and pain) and/or sterile margarine, etc. dressing. Second Degree (Deeper, blisters Immerse in cool Break blisters. develop) water, blot dry. Third Degree Apply sterile dressing. Treat for shock. Obtain medical attention if severe. (Deeper destruction, Cover with sterile Remove charred skin layers cloth to protect. clothing that is destroyed) stuck to burn. Treat for shock. Watch for breathing difficulty. Obtain medical attention immediately. Remove shreds of tissue. Use antiseptic, ointment spray or home remedy on severe burn. Apply ice. Use homemade medication. 2 15

4 The treatment instructions on product labels may cause more harm to the victim. Keep a bottle of syrup of ipecac in your house in case you need to induce vomiting as a poison remedy. Before you use it, check with your doctor or poison control center. Choking If you think someone is choking, first ask them if they can cough, speak or breathe. (The universal distress signal for choking is a hand around the neck.) If someone is choking and cannot breathe, try the Heimlich maneuver to get rid of the obstruction and clear the airway. If the victim is standing or sitting, stand behind them, wrap your arm around his or her waist, and make a fist. Place the thumb side of your fist against the abdomen, slightly above the navel. Grab your fist with your other hand and press it into the victim s abdomen with a quick upward thrust. Each new thrust should be a separate movement. Get medical help immediately. With smoke detectors, you can cut your risk of dying in a home fire by half! Here s how to protect your family: Install smoke detectors in every bedroom and keep one centrally located on each floor of your home. Hallways and kitchens are especially good places. Place smoke detectors either on the ceiling or high on a wall 6 to 12 inches from the ceiling (smoke rises). Keep smoke detectors away from doors, windows or vents, where drafts could affect their performance. Test and clean your smoke detector s batteries once a month. Replace batteries once a year. Don t paint your smoke detector; you could clog its detecting sensors. Gently vacuum it and keep it free of dust and other foreign particles that could hinder its operation. Preventing a fire Here s how to prevent a fire: Don t let oily rags and trash accumulate. Store gasoline and other flammable liquids in approved metal safety cans. (No more than the legal limit of five gallons.) 14 3

5 Keep cleaning materials in a ventilated area and away from any heat source, such as a water heater. Their vapors can be ignited by a heat source, such as a pilot light. Check wiring on lamps, appliance cords and light switches. Don t overload electrical circuits. Allow adequate ventilation around televisions, stereos and other entertainment equipment. Teach your children not to play with matches. Keep matches in a closed metal container away from heat sources and out of their reach. Never smoke in bed! Careless smoking is a leading cause of fire deaths in the United States. Remove weeds, tree branches and litter from your yard. If you have a fireplace, make sure it is properly screened and install a spark arrester with at least a half-inch mesh on the chimney. Keep household trash in a covered can, away from heat sources. Recycle newspapers frequently. Poisoning If the poison is a solid, such as pills, plants or mothballs, remove it from the person s mouth using a clean, wet washcloth wrapped around your finger. Don t try this with an infant, as you may accidentally force the object down the child s throat. If the poison is a gas, take the victim out of the affected area or to fresh air. If the poison, such as an insecticide, is corrosive to the skin, remove the victim s clothing without getting any of the corrosive material on yourself. Flush the affected area with water for at least 15 minutes, then wash with soap and water. Call 911 or your local poison control center immediately. Be prepared to tell them what the poison was and how much was ingested. Don t treat the victim without professional advice. 13

6 For swimmers five and under, the YMCA encourages the use of U.S. Coast Guard approved flotation devices. Unapproved devices such as water wings, floats and rings should only be used with adults supervision and never where a child cannot comfortably stand with his or her head above water. First aid tips The basic actions you take in an emergency could mean the difference between life and death. This information is not intended to replace qualified help in an emergency; use these life saving procedures only until qualified help arrives. We also recommend that you learn CPR and take a first aid course. External bleeding Treat external bleeding by placing clean material on the wound and applying firm hand pressure until the bleeding stops. Elevate the wound above the victim s heart to minimize the flow of blood to the affected area. A tourniquet should be used only in a severe emergency when nothing else will stop bleeding in an extremity. Tourniquets can damage nerves and blood vessels and result in the loss of an arm or leg. Use them only as a last resort. Be a careful cook. Don t wear long sleeves when you cook; Keep the handles of your pots turned inward; never put foil or other metals in a microwave oven. If a fire does occur If a fire does start, do you know what to do? These tips could save your property and your life: DO NOT throw water on a grease fire. Use a dry chemical fire extinguisher or cover the fire with the pan lid. Before opening a door, make sure there s no fire on the other side. If everything feels cool, brace your shoulder against the door and open it carefully. Be ready to slam it shut if heat or smoke rushes in. Close all doors behind you. This can slow the spread of fire and smoke. Crawl low under smoke. If you encounter smoke, use an alternate escape route. If you must exit through smoke, the cleanest air will be several inches off the floor. Crawl on your hands and knees to the nearest safe exit. Once you are outside, do not go back in the house. Go to your family s central meeting place, then use a neighbor s phone to call the fire department. If you re trapped, close doors between you and the fire. Stuff the cracks around doors and cover vents to keep smoke out. 12 5

7 Wait at a window and signal for help with a flashlight or by waving a piece of light-colored cloth. If there s a phone in the room, call the fire department and tell them exactly where you are. Everyone in your family should know the Stop, Drop and Roll rule. If your clothes catch fire, DON T RUN! Stop where you are, drop to the ground, cover your face with your hands to protect your face and lungs, and roll over and over to smother the flames. If you see someone on fire, quickly cover them with a blanket to smother the flames. After a fire Use caution when re-entering or cleaning your home. Consult your fire department as well as repairpeople and other specialists in home restoration. You may accidentally cause even more damage to your possessions and your home if you re-enter and try cleaning without knowing the special needs and dangers involved. Fire, smoke and water damage from a home fire pose certain problems you usually don t come across. The following is a brief list of things to be aware of; you should also consult specialists who can personally inspect your home: Immediately contact your insurance agent. Keep children and pets a safe distance away when you operate mowers or other power equipment. Make sure clotheslines are above head level. Shut off your power mower when you re emptying the grass catcher. Disconnect the power, empty the gas tank and remove the spark plug before you clean or repair. Enclose swimming pools with a high fence that can t be climbed. The fence should be secured by a self-closing, self-latching gate. Never let children swim unattended, no matter what the depth or how experienced they are. For a small child, even a few inches of water can be dangerous. 6

8 Install nylon netting across deck, porch and balcony railings to prevent kids from squeezing through or getting trapped. Install steel window guards inside frames to prevent falls. Keep archery sets, dart sets and hunting knives in locked cabinets. Store guns unloaded and locked out of reach, and store ammunition in a separate location. Install bump guards on furniture and appliances with sharp edges. Ask your physician or Poison Control if your household and garden plants are poisonous. Backyard safety Your backyard should be a place for family fun and relaxation. To keep backyard hazards to a minimum: Put garden tools and game equipment away after using them. Keep walkways and driveways in good condition. Make repairs before accidents happen. Securely anchor outdoor play equipment, such as slides and swings. Make sure they are in good repair and check regularly for worn or broken parts. Be especially careful of electricity, particularly when there is water damage. Water is an outstanding conductor of electricity, and the risk of shock is great. Be careful using electrical appliances and outlets. You ve already survived a major fire don t risk electrocution by using damaged equipment. (This also goes for electric lights.) Remove valuable rugs, leathers and furs with water damage. Let them air dry. Don t wash walls and carpets without first consulting a professional. Improper cleaning methods could cause even more damage. Limit movement within your home so weakened household goods and furniture are not further damaged. Also, you might accidentally stamp dirt and soot permanently into your furniture and carpet. 10 7

9 Preventing accidents in your home A few simple precautions can help prevent many common household accidents. Start today to make your home safe: Make sure stairs are clearly lit. Install light switches at the top and bottom of stairways. Keep exits and passageways free of boxes, furniture and other hazards. Clear the floor of toys, games, magazines and other obstructions. Make sure rugs have slip-resistant backing. Place cut-to-fit rubber matting or two-sided tape on rugs that don t have their own backing. Mark sliding glass doors with decals or decorations. Wipe spilled water, grease or food peelings immediately to prevent slipping. Place a rubber mat or adhesive strip on the bathtub floor. Install bedroom night-lights for children and elderly people. Falls can happen easily in a dark bedroom. Wear shatterproof safety glasses when operating any power tool. If you wear eyeglasses, use safety glasses that fit over them. To prevent poisoning, don t save inedible products in the same place as food. Don t save medicine. Discard all leftover medications by flushing them down the toilet. Child-proofing your home Your home can be a safe place for your child if you take a few simple precautions. If your child is under age three, turn a yardstick on end to create an imaginary line around your house, yard and garage; everything below the yard mark should be child-safe. You should also: Install plastic safety plugs on electrical outlets to reduce shock hazard. Store household chemicals out of the reach of children. This includes detergents, cleaning products and cosmetics, as well as medicines, pesticides and liquid fuel. Keep household cleaning products in their original packages. Don t store them in cups, soda bottles, cans or bowls which children associate with eating and drinking. Protect your child from scalds by turning down your water heater. Hot water should be between 120 and 130 degrees fahrenheit. Always turn pot handles away from the edge of the range. 8 9