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Window Safety Week in April coincides with the arrival of spring when homeowners naturally want to open the windows and let in fresh air. The goal is twofold: for families to understand the role of windows in escaping a fire or other emergency and to learn to safeguard against accidental window falls.

The Hard Facts

Unintentional falls are the leading cause of non-fatal injuries for children in the United States. In 2013, unintentional falls resulted in nearly 2,578,235 injuries requiring treatment in an emergency room. These injuries resulted from activities such as climbing on furniture, playing near an unsecured window, falling down stairs or playing on playgrounds.

Top Window Safety Tips

  1. Install Window Guards and Stop. Screens are meant to keep bugs out, not children in. Properly install window guards to prevent unintentional window falls. For windows above the first floor, include an emergency release device in case of fire. Window stops are also a great idea. They allow fresh air and a cross breeze and still ensure windows can’t open wide enough for kids to fall out.
  2. Open Windows from the Top and Close After Use. If you have windows that can open from both top and bottom, make a habit of opening just the top to prevent accidental falls. Keep in mind that as kids grow, they may have enough strength, dexterity, and curiosity to open the bottom so try to keep windows locked and closed when they are not being used.
  3. Keep Kids From Climbing Near Windows. For your crawlers and climbers, move chairs, cribs and other furniture away from windows to help prevent window falls. Never move a child who appears to be seriously injured after a fall — call 911 and let trained medical personnel move the child with proper precautions.

Printable Resources

Print our window safety brochurechecklist and kids’ activity book, and share them with everyone in your household so they are aware of their role in window safety. Our hope is that these lessons will last a lifetime.

Learn the importance of window safety by watching the link below

THOMAS AND BECCA: WHY WINDOW SAFETY MATTERS

Becca’s son Thomas fell 15 feet out of his bedroom window. Becca shares her story to help raise awareness about the importance of window safety.

This post was put together by Safe Kids Georgia Intern, Rebecah Horowitz

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