Safety Spot Blog

LOCAL DAD CELEBRATES FATHER’S DAY BY HELPING OTHER FAMILIES LEARN TO STAY SAFE

admin — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:55:21 +0000

For Immediate Release Contact: Annette Teson, Executive Director

(913) 375-7123 - annette.teson@charliessafehaven.org

LOCAL DAD CELEBRATES FATHER’S DAY

BY HELPING OTHER FAMILIES LEARN TO STAY SAFE

June 17, 2009 – Kansas City, Missouri – Brett Horn, (father of Charlie, a 2-year old whose life tragically ended in 2007, when a 30” dresser fell on him) and his family will help spread the word and teach practical “how-to’s” for home safety at Charlie’s Safe Haven Injury Prevention Day at the “K.”

Thanks to the generosity from the Royals Charities, these activities will be located in the Outfield Experience at Kauffman Stadium this Sunday, June 21^st (Father’s Day) beginning at 10:30 a.m. continuing throughout the Royals vs. St. Louis Cardinals game. All fans in attendance are invited to stop by.

In addition to distributing free furniture straps and safety checklists, experts will be on hand to address issues surrounding Home Safety topics such as Poison Control, Fire Safety, Furniture Safety and Bike Safety.

“I can’t think of a better way to spend my Father’s Day than by honoring Charlie’s memory as we work to educate others in our community whether it’s parents; grandparents; day care providers or anyone who looks after children,” says Horn.

About Charlie’s Safe Haven

Charlie’s Safe Haven is a non-profit organization formed in November 2007 to help decrease the accidental deaths and injuries of children around the home in Kansas and Missouri. The organization is currently raising funds to build Charlie’s Safe Haven – a house that will provide adults with real-life demonstrations, examples and resources on children’s safety in and around the home. For more information, please visit www.charliessafehaven.org.

New federal law mandated by the CPSC around pool drains

admin — Wed, 20 May 2009 03:37:40 +0000

The following is a story from NBC Action News today about pool drains and the danger they pose to children. The CPSC recently made it a federal requirement for new drain covers to be installed that make it less likely for a child to be sucked down by the pool drain. This requirement is for public pools and not home pools, but parents should still know the suction of their pool drain and consider changing the drain cover.

Safe Kids has also launched a Pool Safety Pledge - to take the pledge and learn more about how to keep your children safe, click on http://sk.convio.net/site/Survey?ACTION_REQUIRED=URI_ACTION_USER_REQUESTS&SURVEY_ID=5502

Here is a link to the NBC news story and the text below. http://www.nbcactionnews.com/news/local/story/Will-the-Public-Pools-Be-Ready-Under-New-Law/VCq6nU3KikyUB_MFl_-7Nw.cspx

Will the Public Pools Be Ready Under New Law?

LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. - A new federal law requires all public pools and spas to replace old drain covers to reduce suction power. The goal is to keep swimmers from being trapped underwater.

A flat cover is the wrong type of cover to have.

NBC Action News was there Tuesday as a diver from Olympic Pool Management made a neighborhood pool safer for swimmers this summer.

He replaced the drain cover, so the pool will comply with a new federal law that could save lives by keeping children from being trapped.

One worker explained that sometimes kids would go down to the bottom of pool, sit on the flat drain cover and be trapped by the suction. The new grate is an improvement.

With the dome shape, you can’t block all of the vents, and the suction can’t build up.

At another pool nearby, Bryan Bumgarner shows us a drain cover he invented.

It converts a single drain to a double. The new drains are 36 inches apart. The separation decreases the suction power. And it’s far enough that a child can’t block both.

“So if a child would fall on this one, it’s sucking off this one. So that’s the safety part about it, it’s a dual safety system,” said Bumgarner, of Crystal Mountain Specialties.

Bumgarner’s crews are working around the clock to get ready. But he says many pools won’t be in compliance when they open this weekend.

“Hundreds of them. There’s no way. There’s not enough parts. We can’t get parts in fast enough,” Bumgarner said.

The retrofit cost the Canterbury Homes Association in Lee’s Summit $500. Bigger pools can cost thousands of dollars.

The Homes Association president, Linda Marshall, said they’ve never had a problem at this neighborhood pool.

“I think it’s probably overkill, but if it saves the life of one kid, I suppose it’s probably worth it.”

Marshall said parents usually keep a very close eye on their children.

Parents should ask their pools manager whether the pool is in compliance. And you can look at the drain cover yourself. If it’s flat, it’s old and illegal. Safer ones have a curve or dome shape.

But to make things more complicated, the danger level really depends on the suction force, and every pool is different.

New Study Highlights Dangers of Tip-Prone Furniture

admin — Tue, 05 May 2009 01:57:09 +0000

A new report out by Clinical Pediatrics highlights the dangers of tip-prone furniture. According to a press release by the Nationwide Children’s Hospital, “nearly 15,000 children younger than 18 years of age visited emergency departments annually for injuries received from furniture tip-overs”.

The Today Show on NBC highlighted the report, showed how to safely secure tip-prone furniture including, bookcases, dressers, TVs and pictures, and interviewed families who have had children injured or killed by tip-prone furniture. The Horn Family, which sit on our board, and whose son the house is named after, were included in the feature.

Here is a link to the Today Show news item: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/#30558115

And below is the press release, as well as a link: http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/gd/applications/controller.cfm?page=204&id=630&type=new

New National Study Finds More Than 40 Percent Increase in Number of Injuries from Furniture Tip-overs

Nearly 15,000 children visit emergency departments each year for furniture tip-over-related injuries

COLUMBUS, OH, May 04, 2009 —Although most parents do not consider furniture and televisions to be dangerous, children are often injured when these items tip over. A recent study conducted by the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital found that from 1990-2007 an average of nearly 15,000 children younger than 18 years of age visited emergency departments annually for injuries received from furniture tip-overs.

According to the study, published in the online issue of Clinical Pediatrics in May, most furniture tip-over-related injuries occurred among children younger than 7 years of age and resulted from televisions tipping over. More than one quarter of the injuries occurred when children pulled over or climbed on furniture. Children ages 10-17 years were more likely to suffer injuries from desks, cabinets or bookshelves tipping over. Head and neck injuries were most common among younger children, while children older than 9 years were more likely to suffer injuries to the lower body.

Despite warnings from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, the number of injuries involving televisions and other furniture tipping over onto children has increased in this country since the early 1990s.

“There was a more than 40 percent increase in the number of injuries during the study period, and the injury rate also significantly increased during these years,” said study senior author Gary Smith, MD, DrPH, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “This trend demonstrates the inadequacy of current prevention strategies and underscores the need for increased prevention efforts.”

Parents can minimize risks to children by placing televisions low to the ground and near the back of their stands and strapping televisions and furniture to the wall with safety straps or L-brackets. Purchasing furniture with wide legs or with solid bases, installing drawer stops on chests of drawers and placing heavy items close to the floor on shelves will also help prevent tip-overs. Additionally, parents can reduce a child’s desire to climb furniture by not placing attractive items, such as toys or the remote control, high on top of furniture or the television.

“Pediatricians and child caregivers should be aware that furniture tip-overs are an important source of childhood injury,” said Dr. Smith, also a faculty member of The Ohio State University College of Medicine. “Following a few simple prevention steps will decrease the number of injuries to children associated with furniture tip-overs.”

Data for this study were collected from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), which is operated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The NEISS dataset provides information on consumer product-related and sports and recreation-related injuries treated in hospital emergency departments across the country.

The Center for Injury Research and Policy (CIRP) works globally to reduce injury-related pediatric death and disabilities. With innovative research at its core, CIRP works to continually improve the scientific understanding of the epidemiology, biomechanics, prevention, acute treatment and rehabilitation of injuries. CIRP serves as a pioneer by translating cutting edge injury research into education, advocacy and advances in clinical care. In recognition of CIRP’s valuable research, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently named the Center for Injury Research and Policy as one of only 13 centers in the United States to be designated as an Injury Control Research Center. Learn more about the Center for Injury Research and Policy at http://www.injurycenter.org.

Where to Buy Furniture Straps

admin — Mon, 04 May 2009 13:18:30 +0000

In Kansas City, we have spotted furniture straps at Babies R Us and USA Baby. We have also noted that they are sold online at Amazon.com. Don’t see them? Talk to the store manager about the importance of securing tip-prone furniture and Charlie’s story, or tell us and we will contact the store. Charlie’s Safe Haven does not endorse or promote any one brand of furniture strap.

New Non-Profit Announces First Fundraiser Since Boy’s Death

admin — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 02:11:36 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

For More Information:

Jenny Horn

Charlie’s mother/Board Member/Event Co-Chair

816-885-5815/ Jenny.Horn@CERNER.COM

Christa Dubill

Board Member/Event Co-Chair

913-948-4000 / cdubill@aol.com

New Non-Profit Announces First Fundraiser

Since Boy’s Death

All proceeds go towards making Charlie’s Safe Haven a reality!

APRIL 6, 2009, Kansas City, MO - Charlie’s Safe Haven, the 501(c)(3) established to help parents learn more about safety issues in the home and in memory of 2-year-old Charlie Horn, is holding its very first fundraiser - a Boutique Crawl scheduled for Saturday, April 25, 2009.

This unique shopping experience, will bus groups of 25 to 50 participants from boutique to boutique taking in discounts on everything from clothes to kitchen supplies, to baby goods and home décor. Participants can sign up for one of four tours- North, East, Central, or South - either shopping an area they already know or an area they’ve always wanted to explore. Personal shoppers will be with each tour group to tote bags and help guide. The five hour shopping event, including exclusive discounts and lunch, costs just $75.

Participants will meet at their designated pick-up places at 10:00 a.m. the morning of the event. They’ll be taken from boutique to boutique, eating snacks, drinking drinks, shopping and chatting – all the while experiencing exclusive discounts at most participating shops. The event will conclude at 3 p.m. when everyone will be taken back to their original pick-up places.

But, most importantly, this shop for a cause event will help make Charlie’s Safe Haven a reality. Proceeds will go directly to the charity, which hopes to build or buy a house to become a demonstration home, which will be a place to educate all parents, guardians, grandparents and caregivers on how to best protect children in the home with products and education. In Kansas City, approximately 10,000 children are injured every year because of an accident in the home. Charlie’s Safe Haven will help prevent injuries to children - children like Charlie.

Tour Locations & Shops:

North – Includes Briarcliff Village in North Kansas City and historic downtown Liberty. Participants will park at Cerner’s North campus where motor coaches will pick up shoppers. A sampling of shops: Lauren Alexandra, With a French Accent, Kitchen Thyme, The Paperie Place, Design in the City, Finishings for Her, Just Desserts Bakery & Pastry Shop, Serenity on the Square, Cry Baby Farm Gifts & Design, Coming Home, The Polished Edge Fine Jewelry, Quotations - A Fashion Statement, and more.

This group will eat lunch at either Trezo Mare or Sorella’s

East – Blue Springs and quaint downtown Lee’s Summit. Shoppers will be whisked to shops coveted by the locals, but not well known by outsiders. Lunch is included in the price of a ticket and will be at Garozzos in Lee’s Summit. A sampling of shops: Cameron’s Home Furnishings, Champagne Baby, Rusty Spur Couture, Finishings for Her, A Thyme for Everything, Dress Code, The Living Stone, Braata, Henry’s Antiques & Tearoom, Traditions, Petals & Potpourri, Cockrell’s Merchantile, and many more. Lunch to be served at Garozzos

Central – Includes Quaint Downtown Brookside and Prairie Village Shops. This tour’s pickup will be the KSHB studios. Some participating shops are: 5B&Co Candlemakers, Brookside Toy and Science, Haught Style, Addie Rose, Leopold Gallery, Stuff, Tulip, Spanglers and more. This group will eat lunch at either Avenue Bistro or O’Neill’s.

South – Includes Johnson County’s tour pick up will be at the Lighton Office Tower at College and Metcalf. The tour will visit shops at Hawthorne Plaza, Park Place, and Mission Farms boutiques. Some sample shops include: Imagery, Noels Gifts, Vico’s, Girl Boutique, and many more. Lunch served at Trezo Vino or YiaYias

To learn more about the Boutique Crawl to benefit Charlie’s Safe Haven, or to register and buy your ticket now, go to www.charliessafehaven.org or call 913-375-7123.

About The Safety Spot / Charlie’s Safe Haven

The Safety Spot, Inc. is a nonprofit organization formed in November 2007 with the objective of decreasing the accidental deaths and injuries of children around the home. The group wants to buy or build a home to become a demonstration home, which will be a place to educate all parents, guardians, grandparents and caregivers on how to best protect children in the home with products and education. The house will be named after Charlie Horn, who died in 2007, when a 30 inch dresser fell on top of him. For more information, log onto www.charliessafehaven.org.

- END -

Charlie’s Safe Haven Appears on NBC Action News!

admin — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 02:43:06 +0000

Today, announcing our newsletter and Boutique Crawl, Charlie’s Safe Haven was featured on NBC Action News. To find out more about the story click on http://www.nbcactionnews.com/content/morningnewsteam/parents/default.aspx

NBC Action News also has a new section on its web site called Today’s Parent, which focuses on information parents should know, such as recalls, new products, tips and more. Christa Dubill oversees this section on the website and is passionate about making sure parents have access to all the parenting information coming into the newsroom. She is also an active member of the Charlie’s Safe Haven board.

Our first newsletter is available!

admin — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 20:16:55 +0000

This week we distributed our first Charlie’s Safe Haven newsletter, which tells more about or organization, what we’ve been up to over the past year and our upcoming first fundraiser - a Boutique Crawl on Sat, April 25 from 10am to 3pm. If you didn’t receive the newsletter, click on charlies-safe-haven-newsletter. You can also email us at info@safetyspot.org and ask to be put our future mailings. Last, if you’re interested in supporting us and coming to the Boutique Crawl, you can purchase tickets at http://www.shopinstyletours.com/boutique_crawl

More deaths and accidents by tip-prone furniture

admin — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 03:36:09 +0000

Just thought I’d share some more stories that have appeared in the news over the past year about children being hurt or by falling furniture from around the US. This by no means includes all the news stories or children that have been injured. Please take the time to purchase and install furniture safety straps!

1) Police rule 3-year-old’s death an accident

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/6152482.html

Homicide detectives on Sunday investigated the death of a 3-year-old who was killed after a TV fell on the child.

Investigators went to a home in the 6000 block of Reims in West Houston, but officials said the death was reported as accidental.

In 2006, Memorial Hermann doctors and other health officials said that infant deaths because of tipped TVs had become “a public health issue.”

That year, Memorial Hermann Hospital alone treated at least 11 children injured by falling TVs, six of whom died, including a 3-year-old who was crushed after she tried to adjust the TV set.

2) Boy, 23 months, killed when dresser falls

Corey Halpin’s parents said he was a ‘loving’ child.

By TED CZECH

Daily Record/Sunday News

Article Launched: 04/03/2008

Corey Halpin, who died Monday in an accident at his Dover Township home, loved wearing hats so he would always be ready if someone was going outside, his mother said.

The thing Gail Halpin will miss most about her young son Corey is the way he would lie next to her in bed early in the morning, kissing her and saying, “Mommy, Mommy.”

Corey Halpin, just two weeks shy of his second birthday, died Monday at his home in Dover Township in what his mother called a “tragic accident.” Gail Halpin said her son was playing inside a dresser drawer in his room when the dresser fell over

While reminiscing Tuesday about what she loved about her son, Gail Halpin also said she saw his death as a way to warn others about the dangers of unsecured furniture. “If my dresser had been secured to the wall, he wouldn’t have died,” she said. “If his death can help save other little children, then that’s something good.”

Gail, 31, and husband Jim, 35, described Corey as “loving,” always wanting to be kissed and hugged. Corey spread that love to all of his family members, they said. Sister Annagale, 8, would swing Corey around on her back. Corey and brother Kaden, 3, would move his bed next to Corey’s crib so they could be as close together as possible while they slept.

With his father, Corey would imagine he was on a roller coaster, hopping, twisting and turning on his dad.

He loved to play peek-a-boo. He also wanted his sandals and “Gilligan’s Island”-style hat on at all times because if he thought anyone was going outside, he wanted to go, too, Gail Halpin said.

Gail Halpin said that, about 6:30 p.m. Monday, she was at her Equestrian Drive home in Dover Township and had just put Corey and Kaden to bed. But the boys stayed up playing, she said. Gail Halpin was in another part of the house when Kaden came to her and said, “Mommy, Corey’s stuck.”

She went right away and found Corey in the bottom drawer of a dresser. He was not moving.

She pulled him out, carried him into her kitchen and called 911. Gail Halpin believes Corey’s weight in the bottom drawer caused the dresser to tip over and that, when it did, it closed on his neck.

She said that, as a tribute to Corey, she plans to dedicate herself to keeping other children safe. A group of her online friends plans to start a Web site where they will offer straps to anchor furniture to walls to prevent them from falling, she said.

3) Chest falls, kills Massillon 18-month-old girl

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

MASSILLON An 18-month-old girl died Saturday after a chest of drawers fell on her at her home on Second Street NE, according to a report with the Stark County Coroner’s office.

The victim, Madelyne Loch, was pronounced dead Saturday morning at Affinity Medical Center in Massillon.

The death was still being investigated by the coroner’s staff Monday, but officials said they believe the child suffocated under the weight of the furniture.

“It looks like she pulled a small chest of drawers,” said Harry Campbell, chief investigator on the coroner’s staff. “Something compressed her chest so she could not inhale. We don’t have anything definite yet. I don’t believe there was any type of head injury.”

The toddler was discovered by one of her parents, who are identified in the coroner’s report as Lindsay Loch and William Dunger.

County and city investigators are reviewing the matter.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

4) Macy Rae Reed (5 years old) - Killed by a falling TV in Idaho Falls, Idaho

Cedar Hill toddler hurt when TV topples

11:56 AM CDT on Monday, March 17, 2008

By ERIN EIDENSHINK / The Dallas Morning News

A two-and-a-half- year-old girl was severely injured Sunday afternoon when a television fell off its stand and struck her upper body and head, the Cedar Hill Fire Department said.

The child was alone in a bedroom when the incident occurred about 12:45 p.m. in the 300 block of Taurus Drive, police said. Officers were told she was unconscious and bleeding from the mouth and the nose.

Paramedics transported her by Careflite to Children’s Medical Center Dallas where treatment was begun for a fractured skull and swelling to the brain.

The child’s father and four brothers were home at the time of the accident. It is unknown why the TV fell on the girl.

In September, a seven-year-old Plano girl died after a large television set fell on her.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission last year listed tipping furniture as one of the top five hidden home hazards. The commission said there were 31 deaths in 2006 related to tipping furniture, including televisions and ranges. The commission estimated that 2,600 children younger than 5 were treated in emergency rooms for tipping-television injuries in 2005.

In the UT Southwestern study, researchers looked at 26 cases handled by the emergency department of Children’s Medical Center Dallas between November 2003 and October 2004. The children injured by the falling TVs ranged in age from 1 to 7 years old. None of the injuries were fatal.

The findings included:

• Nine children were hospitalized, including two in the intensive care unit. Fourteen suffered head injuries, and nine injured an arm or leg. More than one-third of the cases were admitted to the hospital for stays ranging from one to four days.

• Televisions with 20- to 30-inch screens made up two-thirds of the cases; TVs 19 inches and smaller made up less than a fifth of the cases; screens between 30 and 40 inches made up the balance.

• Most of the TVs - 85 percent - were placed between 2 feet and 5 feet off the floor.

• Three out of four parents questioned by researchers said the accident occurred because a child was climbing on the set. The rest said the TV was knocked over by another person.

“Parents should place TVs on furniture that is appropriate for the size of the TV,” the CPSC has said.

Parents should also avoid placing items on TVs, such as toys, that would encourage a child to climb on the TV, she said. TV stands with drawers should also be avoided because the drawers could act as steps for a child to climb.

Tips for purchasing Safe Toys

admin — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 03:39:15 +0000

Some general guidelines to keep in mind when toy-shopping:

•Toys made of fabric should be labeled as fl ame resistant or fl ame retardant.

•Stuffed toys should be washable.

•Painted toys should be covered with lead-free paint.

•Art materials should say nontoxic.

•Crayons and paints should say ASTM D-4236 on the package, which

means that they’ve been evaluated by the American Society for Testing and

Materials.

•The right toys at the right age. Always read labels to make sure a toy is

appropriate for a child’s age.

Source: safekids.org

K.C. organization putting emphasis on child safety around the home

admin — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:25:27 +0000

News Coverage from BasehorInfo.com

By Nicole Kelley

July 10, 2008

When it comes to keeping children safe within the home, there’s always more parents can do.

A new organization in the Kansas City area wants to help by offering children’s caretakers a hands-on look at common hazards that can be found in almost every household.

Charlie’s Safe Haven is a nonprofit organization with a mission of teaching the importance of child safety by opening a demonstration house that provides caretakers with tips and products to make their own homes a safer environment.

“Kansas City needed this service,” said Julie Fenwick, executive director of the organization. “It’s an opportunity to provide parents with information that will hopefully decrease the number of accidental deaths of children.”

When Fenwick gave birth to her first child, she was living in Australia. A friend suggested she visit a program similar to Charlie’s that allows parents to walk through a home and have pointed out to them common hazards that may sometimes go overlooked. When she moved back to Kansas City, she realized a comparable program didn’t exist and decided to take on the task to bring that resource to area caretakers.

Charlie’s Safe Haven was named after Charlie Horn, a Kansas City 2-year-old who died in 2007 after a 30-inch dresser fell on top of him when he tried to climb to the top. Fenwick said that Charlie’s parents have become extremely involved with the project and now sit on the board of directors.

“They’re an amazing, amazing family,” she said. “They were very excited to know there was hope out there for something to help other children.”

Since officially becoming an organization in November 2007, Fenwick and other members of the board of directors have been busy raising funds to purchase a home that can be set up for family demonstrations.

Recently, Children’s Mercy Family Health Partners presented Fenwick with a grant to further the development of what would be Kansas City’s first child-safety house. No timeline has been set as to when a house will be purchased or when the actual demonstrations will begin. Fenwick said the focus is on research and fundraising to ensure the area receives the best quality of information.

Once the house is purchased, however, it will contain room-by-room displays highlighting dangers and various home-safety equipment to prevent accidents.

For example, Fenwick said in the nursery parents shouldn’t put the crib too close to a window, lest a child try to crawl out of the crib and fall out the window. In the kitchen or dining room, burns are another serious concern. Fenwick suggested that caretakers avoid using tablecloths to prevent children from pulling hot plates off of the table. In other rooms, cords from window blinds should be kept out of reach to reduce the risk of choking.

In the Kansas City area, Fenwick said the major sources of accidental child injuries and deaths are from falls, burns, poison, hits from other children or running into furniture and walls, and being struck by a motor vehicle. Charlie’s Safe Haven will focus on those five biggest concerns, she said, because those are the main reasons a place like the demonstration house is so important.

Overall, child safety comes down to simply knowing your child, Fenwick said. Knowing where they are at all times will keep them safe from motor vehicle and lawn mower accidents. And similarly, knowing the personality traits of your child - such as being prone to climbing on furniture - will prevent accidents.

“Parental supervision is the best prevention,” Fenwick said. “You can’t watch a child 24/7, but the more parental supervision, the less likely there is for an accident.”

Originally published at: http://www2.basehorinfo.com/news/2008/jul/10/kc_organization_putting_emphasis_child_safety_arou/