Housely
When moving into a new home, residents often worry about the new sofa’s arrival, how to find the perfect accent lamp for Grandmother’s antique table, and where to putt that brand new coffee table. But before you answer the question of “what color should the dining room be” there are far more important issues to concern yourself with.
Rarely do individuals think about adding the right safety equipment to their pantries, medicine cabinets, or storage closets to be sure they are ready in case of emergency. There are some essentials that all households shouldn’t be without. And we’re not talking about the ones required by law like fire extinguishers.
Here are 10 safety items you should always have in your home.
Land Line Phone
When someone falls or is having a heart attack in your home, minutes count. You need to call 911 to get an ambulance; however, the dispatcher needs to get your exact location, which is automatically provided to them if you call from a land line phone. The 2014 article in PC Magazine Calling 911 from a Cell Phone Good Luck, says that data collected during 2015 shows that 9 out 10 calls made from wireless calls did not give an exact location. Sure, it only take seconds to tell an operator where you are, but try doing that and gasping for breath at the same time! It’s also not likely that the rapist in your house will wait while you give an emergency operator your full address. Many a life has been saved by a victim just punching in 911 on a landline phone and letting the phone drop to the floor, as the address is automatically given to the dispatcher.
Aspirin
Yes, the good old aspirin grandma used to give you before Tylenol was invented. Keep a bottle of aspirin with your first aid items, so you know where it is at all times. If you know that someone has just had a heart attack, giving them an aspirin just might save their life. Ask Rosie O’Donnell! In a Huffington Post article, How Aspirin Helped Save Rosie O’Donnell During Her Heart Attack, the superstar credits taking aspirin to help her arteries from completely shutting during a recent heart attack. The article goes on to say that aspirin is not only helpful during a heart attack, but also many doctors prescribe low dose aspirin for heart patients to keep arteries from closing. These low dose aspirins (formerly just known as baby aspirins) come in both large and small bottles, so why not keep a large one in the house and a small one in your purse or briefcase?
Flashlight
This one should be easy, but often folks are caught short during a power failure. Not being able to see your way around your home in case of blackout is dangerous, and lighting candles or a trying to ignite a propane lantern is dangerous when you can’t see what you are doing. Be sure you have a good flashlight with plenty of extra batteries, and rotate your batteries to be sure they are always fresh.
Smoke Alarm
Smoke from fire does not wake people up, the loss of oxygen in the room puts them deeper to sleep. Make sure you have a working smoke alarm that will alert you when the fire starts, not when smoke envelopes the house. It pays to have one in the kitchen, the bedrooms, and the living room, as fires can originate anywhere in the home. Do not ever disable a smoke alarm, or take it out for any reason, except to replace it. Check the batteries twice a year, during your spring and fall cleaning. Along the same lines, have a carbon monoxide alarm as well.
Safety Hammer
A hammer that breaks glass in an emergency is not only important to keep in the car, but in the bedside bureau as well. Fire escapes only work if you can get to them, and often weather or disrepair can keep a window stuck shut after you unlock it. You can find “glass breaking” hammers through many retailers, and they are great to have in every bedroom.
Blood Sugar Monitor/Glucose Tablets
If you or a loved one are diabetic, you know the symptoms of hypoglycemia. According to the American Diabetic Association, Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Glucose), you need to act quickly if blood sugar takes a dangerous dive. You also know in that case, sugar is needed in the system fast. While you are rummaging in cabinets to see if any of the old Halloween candy is left, and all you find is diet soda in your fridge, you or that other person could be slipping into a coma. Glucose tablets are available at every drug and most every retail stores. Keep some in the house and have you or your loved one carry them at all times.
Epi Pen
If someone in your house has allergies to peanuts, bee stings, or any number of substances, you need to see your doctor and ask if you should have an Epinephrine injectable on hand for emergencies. The person with the allergies should have it with them at all times, but there should also be a dose on hand in the home. An allergy that just causes localized itching can turn into a life threatening situation in a heartbeat. Epinephrine pens need a prescription in the US, so be sure to talk to your doctor ahead of time.
Rubber Gloves/Bandages and Disinfectant
Minor cuts, stings, and burns happen as part of every day living; however, failure to disinfect and cover a small wound may turn it into a nasty infection. Have a complete first aid kit with not only band-aid strips, but sterile gauze pads, eye wash solution and adhesive tape. When tending a wound, always use surgical gloves to protect the wound and protect yourself from bodily fluid exposure.
Whistle
If the worst happens, and someone is buried under debris after a natural disaster or air bombing, making noise is the only way to be found in the rubble. When the emergency warning comes on, be sure all of your family members have a whistle on a chain as part of their preparatory equipment. Keep them with your first aid equipment so they are easy to find. Make sure it emits a sound that is loud and piercing, and don’t let your kids use it as a toy. It may just save their lives.
CPR Mask
If you are trained in CPR, be sure along with the surgical gloves you have a CPR mask that fits over your face to your patient’s face. When patients are reviving, they often vomit or spit up water and you really wouldn’t want a face full of it.
Additional Elementary Tip: Water! Always have a stockpile of water in your home. You never know when your water supply may be deemed contaminated or when there is an unexpected shutoff. When a water alert goes it, it will be too late to be elbowing your neighbors out of the way in the supermarket to get a case. Rotate your stockpile so you always have a few fresh cases of water on hand.
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