Information for Better Home Safety

Keeping Gas Fire Pits Safe
By following the tips listed here, you will be able to keep everyone gathered around your backyard or patio fire pit safe. The importance of starting with proper installation and selecting a good location are covered. Find out why wind conditions can be a safety issue and why it's a good idea to keep a fire extinguisher close while operating the fire gas fire pit. Some advantages of choosing this style are also included.

Injury Prevention & Control from the U.S. CDC
The section on the website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDA) is about injury and violence prevention in the U.S. It provides data and statistics through the CDC's WISQARS (Web-based INjury Statistic Query and Reporting System), an interactive online datebase that provides fata and nonfatal injury, violent death and cost of injury data from many sources. There also section on home and recreational safety, motor vehicle safety, prescription drug overdose, traumatic brain injury (concussion prvention, response and resources) and violence prevention, including child abuse and neglect, sexual violence, suicide and more. In each of these resources, information is provided for specific age groups, i.e., older adults, children and teenagers.

Dog Trainer Ty Brown Discusses Guard Dogs
This post by celebrity dog trainer Ty Brown discusses some useful information about training a dog to be guard dog. This includes the dog breeds that are common as guard dogs and those breeds that are unlikely to be one. Ty cited that dog owners should have the sufficient controlling power over their dogs if they want them to be efficient guard dogs. And although male dogs can be bigger and stronger than female dogs, Mr. Brown emphasized that female dogs can also be trained as guard dogs. He therefore suggests that dog owners should choose wisely when it comes to hiring professional dog trainers.

Thinking About Adding a Security Gate to Subdivision? Check Out This Discussion First
This discussion forum has advice for people who are interested in adding a security gate to a subdivision in Nashville. Check out what people who live in communities with safety gates have to say.

Home Safety Advice from Popular Mechanics
This article from Popular Mechanics provides important home safety information. For example, there are two basic types of smoke alarms: 120-volt hard-wired and 9-volt battery-operated. Each of these alarms has its advantages. Battery-operated models are easy to install and require no wiring, so they're very affordable. The batteries last about a year in standard alarms, but some premium models now come with lithium batteries that are good for 10 years. These are ideal for vaulted ceilings, stairwells and other hard-to-reach spots. In addition to smoke alarms, most homes—those with gas- or oil-fired appliances—should have a carbon monoxide detector. Carbon monoxide (CO) is lethal in high concentrations. Early symptoms include dizziness, fatigue and nausea. CO is odorless, tasteless and colorless and it poses its greatest threat at night, when houses are closed up and people are asleep. Conduct a family fire drill in which everyone practices staying low, and develop more than one escape route. There are also several easy things you can do to prevent fires. Avoid letting the kids use candles. And make it a point to unplug—not just turn off—all resistance-heating small appliances when you're done with them. These include coffeepots, toasters, irons and blow dryers. On/Off switches can fail and these appliances have long histories as fire starters. And finally, clean your clothes dryer vent regularly, especially where it connects to the dryer, and clear the lint trap after each load. There are four basic types of deadbolts. The first is a combination lockset and deadbolt, which is essentially a beefed-up lockset. You get a stronger bolt without having to drill a second set of holes. These fit standard pre-drilled openings. The second type is the once-popular rim lock. It mounts on the surface of the door and edge of the jamb and is therefore easier to install.

Emergency Preparedness and Response
This site section of the OSHA website offers a lot of information on the best way to prepare for and respond to various types of hazards and emergencies that can confront people in the workplace; however, much of the information is useful to know for preparedness at home. For example, there are sections on natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornados, floods and wildfires. There are also pages for specific hazards, such as anthrax, chemical hazards and terrorism, oil spills, pandemic influenza and radiation. There's also a resources and guides section with safety and health topic pages, QuickCards and fact sheets on safety topics, many of which are of importance to you at home, such as on asbestos, amputation, black widow and brown recluse spiders, fire ants, bloodborne pathogens, carbon monoxide, working with chain saws, fall prevention, flue, motor vehicle safety, and much more.