Home protection doesn’t end with your security system. Instead, it requires numerous steps that ensure your home is safe for your entire family.
If you have kids, whether they’re young toddlers, angsty teenagers, or anywhere in between, you are fully in charge of their safety. That means making sure threats are unable to reach them from within or outside your home.
Use this checklist to make sure your home is a safe place to raise your kids.
1. Install emergency alarms
More than 2,100 people in the U.S. were killed by house fires in 2022. When your home catches fire, every second counts. The same goes for carbon monoxide leaks.
Emergency alarms, including both smoke and CO detectors, alert you to the threat as soon as possible. This early warning allows you to get your family out of the house before it’s too late.
If you have smart alarms, they can also send a notification to your phone and dispatch emergency services immediately. These devices integrate with your existing detectors as well. No matter which device senses danger, your smart detectors ensure that you have the best chance of getting your family to safety.
2. Develop safety plans
Along with an early warning system, you should develop safety plans for the emergency situations your family may face.
A fire escape plan, for example, includes how to get out of the house quickly, where to go once you get outside, and how to avoid fire and smoke along the way. Practicing this plan ensures that your kids can quickly follow life-saving procedures amidst the chaos.
Another important plan covers what to do if someone is hurt or poisoned. Teach your children who to call and what to do in a variety of situations.
Additional scenarios to cover include home invasions, injuries, being approached by a stranger outside, and serious accidents.
3. Add a home security system
When someone wants to break into your home, a security system is the most reliable way to keep them out.
These systems use a variety of door/window sensors, motion detectors, and security cameras to detect break-ins. More importantly, they can identify potential threats before they even try breaking in.
Adding a professional monitoring plan to your system further protects your family. With this service, a monitoring agent will always be ready to respond to your system’s alerts. They can dispatch emergency services faster than you could alone, maintaining your family’s protection when you can’t.
4. Lock dangerous items away
Kids are curious. When they find matches, knives, cleaning products, or guns, their first instinct is to find out how it works. All too often, innocent exploration ends in injuries, environmental dangers, and even death.
Protect your family by keeping dangerous items locked away. Place cleaning products on high shelves or inside a locked cabinet. Keep kitchen knives out of reach. Take every precaution, even if it feels unnecessary, to avoid preventable disasters. As the saying goes, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
5. Use a video doorbell camera
Most burglars ring the doorbell before attempting to break in. Intruders often test the front door to see if it’s unlocked.
When these criminals approach your home, a video doorbell ensures that you are alerted to their presence. The camera will send you a notification when it detects motion. You can pull up your live feed to see who it is and what they are doing.
These devices also boast two-way communication capabilities. Rather than opening the door and putting your family at risk, you can use your phone to see what the visitor wants and easily clear up innocent visits. If the visitor has bad intentions, you can show that they are being recorded and that you’re aware of their presence. It may be enough to scare them away for good.
6. Practice electricity safety
In the 21st century, electricity is so common that it’s not even a thought. Despite its familiarity, electrical currents pose significant dangers.
Keep your kids safe from electrocution and fires by teaching them about electrical safety. Cover information such as:
- The dangers of sticking something into an outlet
- Why you don’t use electrical devices around water
- To stay away from exposed wires
- Not to mess with power cords and plugs
There are several ways to protect your kids from electricity as well. Use tamper-proof outlet covers. Keep electrical devices and power cords hidden away.
Most importantly, practice electrical safety as well. Your kids will mimic your behavior, so show them safe ways to handle electricity.
7. Pay attention to hidden dangers
Your home is filled with items that can hurt your children, even if you don’t realize it.
If children play with the cord that hangs from your blinds, for example, they may accidentally wrap it around their neck. Toddlers who fall head-first into the toilet can’t lift themselves out and may drown. An unsecured piece of furniture can tip over onto children if they climb on it.
While those are extreme situations, there are other ways that your children can be hurt by everyday objects. Leaving a hot pan on the edge of the stove can lead to burns. They may get cut after breaking a mirror or glass cup. Young children can choke on small objects and seemingly safe foods.
You can’t avoid every danger, but you can be aware of the threats that exist within your home. Research these possibilities so you are equipped to act quickly when you need to rescue your kids.
8. Secure your doors
If a burglar tests your door and finds it’s unlocked, they can easily enter your home to steal your belongings. Keep your doors locked at all times, even when you’re home, to keep criminals out.
Doing so will also keep your children in. A curious child can use an unlocked door to wander outside. Protect them from vehicles and kidnappers by making sure your doors stay locked.
