New home safety website created to keep loved ones safe

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Just in time for Home Safety Month in June, the national, nonprofit Home Safety Council (HSC) has launched a new, interactive and consumer-friendly Web site -- HomeSafetyCouncil.org -- and is debuting results of a national survey that reveal the root of the home accident problem.

Parents and caregivers need to take greater action in order to reduce the nearly 20,000 deaths and 21 million medical visits that result from home injuries on average each year. The Home Safety Council's annual Hands on Home Safety campaign calls on families to take steps to prevent the leading causes of accidental home injury: falls, poisoning, fires/burns, drowning, and choking/suffocation. The new Web site offers simple and easy tips caregivers can follow to keep loved ones of all ages safe at home.

"Our research shows that most parents and other caregivers lack the basic information they need to make their homes safer for themselves and their loved ones," said Meri-K Appy, Home Safety Council president. "So, we designed our new Web site to bridge that gap, using targeted information for all stages of life. This helps caregivers hone in on the dangers most relevant to their own families. And, we break home safety into simple, illustrated and easy-to-understand steps so everyone can understand what to do to reduce injury risks."

A Safer Home for the Entire Family

The Home Safety Council's new Web site offers free tools and other resources to help keep people safe at all ages. HomeSafetyCouncil.org also includes interactive quizzes, forums and opportunities for caregivers to share their experiences and personal stories with one another.