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safekidsga_spring2016interns

Who: Courtney Brittain and Savannah Young
Position: Interns, Safe Kids Georgia
Major: Both in Health Promotion
College: Both attending University of Georgia

Get to know Courtney Brittain…

I took an injury prevention class as an elective at UGA and was immediately hooked! It amazes me how many child deaths occur each year due to an injury that could have been prevented. I am excited to work with Safe Kid’s Georgia and CHOA to reduce injuries among children.

Today, Savannah and I went to a Safe Kids Forsyth Coalition Meeting that was held at the Public Safety Headquarters to discuss National TV Safety Day. National TV Safety day is February 6, 2016 in order to make sure homes are prepared for the big super bowl game. The goal is to keep kids safe from TV tip-overs.

Get to know Savannah Young…

I decided to major in Health Promotion at UGA in order to help prevent illness/ injury and improve health for entire communities and populations, rather than individuals.  In the Summer of 2014, I traveled to Indonesia to teach healthcare in a rural area, and I became inspired to work in pediatric and childhood health promotion and education. I took a course in injury prevention, and have absolutely loved learning and working in injury prevention ever since. Interning at Safe Kids this semester has been a wonderful opportunity so far, and I am learning so much about preventable childhood injury and death. We have so many exciting events coming up this semester, and I can’t wait to be a part of them.

At today’s Safe Kids Forsyth Coalition Meeting, we learned about the dangers of TV tipping, as 1 childhood death occurs every 3 weeks from improper furniture stacking and television mounting. These injuries and deaths can be prevented by taking the below safety precautions.  Enjoy Super Bowl Sunday Safely this year!

What they learned about TV tip-over safety in Forsyth County:

Properly place your old TV.

If you have a heavier, box-style TV, place it on a low, stable piece of furniture that is appropriate for the TV’s size and weight.

Secure your flat-panel TV.

Be sure our flat-panel TV is properly secured with a wall mount that has a safety certification by an independent laboratory (such as UL, CSA, ETL).     

Recycle your TV.

To find a location near your home that safely and responsibly recycles unwanted TVs, go to www.GreenerGadgets.org

 

Safe Kids Calls on Families to Conduct a TV Safety Check

  • Check TVs
  • Assess the stability of the TVs in your home.
  • Remember, a curious, determined child can topple a TV.
  • Children playing with friends or pets could knock a TV over.
  • Other kids might be tempted to climb up to reach items placed on or near a TV, such as remote controls or candy.
  • Secure TVs
  • Mount flat screen TVs to the wall to reduce the risk of TVs toppling off stands.
  • Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure you protect your wall and have a secure fit.
  • If you have a large, heavy, old-style cathode ray tube (CRT) TV, place it on a low, stable piece of furniture.

Other Important Tips for Furniture

  • Secure Furniture
  • Use brackets, braces or wall straps to secure unstable or top-heavy furniture to the wall.
  • Install stops on dresser drawers to prevent them from being pulled all the way out. Multiple open drawers can cause the weight to shift, making it easier for a dresser to fall.
  • Rearrange Household Items
  • Keep heavier items on lower shelves or in lower drawers.
  • Avoid placing remote controls, food, toys or other items in places where kids might be tempted to climb up or reach for them.

 

 

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