April 28, 2010 11:05 AM
Window safety
A good reminder for everyone:
LCSO Reminds Residents of Window Safety after Toddler Survives Fall from Second Story WindowLoudoun County, VA: The Loudoun Sheriff's Office reminds homeowners to be careful when they leave windows open to let in fresh air and enjoy the warmer weather.
On Tuesday Loudoun County Sheriff's Deputies responded to a residence on La Belle Place in Ashburn where a 2 ½-year-old child fell from a second story window. The child was apparently leaning against a screen when it gave way. Fortunately he only suffered minor injuries.
Serious incidents such as this case are an often-overlooked safety issue for children. The National Safety Council offers these tips to protect children from window falls:
•Avoid placing furniture near windows to prevent children from climbing.
•Do not rely on insect screens to prevent a window fall.
•Enforce rules to keep children away from playing near windows or patio doors.
•Install building code-compliant devices designed to limit how far a window will open or window guards with release mechanisms to help prevent a fall.
•Teach your child how to safely use a window to escape during an emergency.For more safety tips and an instructional video on how to install a window guard, please visit SafeKids.
Comments
This is something I never would have thought about until it happened to a close friend's son a couple of years ago at about the same age as this child. She was right there, too, but of course had to run all the way down the stairs and outside to get to him. Can you imagine those brief moments feeling like forever? He suffered a badly broken leg, but thankfully nothing worse.
Posted by: Crystal | April 28, 2010 3:49 PM
