By Contributing Jane
Nancy Meyer
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When you hear the phrase, "Home, Sweet, Home" doesn't that conger up images of a place to go where you feel warm, secure and most of all, safe? Just the word "safe" itself should give you a reminder of home, right?

But how truly safe is your home?

Did you know that last year alone 20.6 million people sought out medical attention for injuries that occurred in the home? Well, as staggering as that number is, there are a number of steps you can take to avoid joining this statistic.

Preventing Injuries

Lighting: Having proper lighting on your walkways, driveways and backyard areas serves a dual purpose. Not only does it provide extra security, but it will also help prevent injuries. Use motion sensors that will activate the lights upon your approach. This also serves as an added security measure and saves energy. Use halogen lights for brightness and their ability to tolerate a wide range of temperatures and weather conditions.

JANE TIP: Be sure your address is clearly legible from the street. Add lighting if necessary to the numbers on your home. This will aid the fire department or other emergency services in finding your home in a crisis. Make their job easier.

Garden Care: Make certain that you keep your walkways free of debris. Leaves, branches and dirt can make your walkway feel like black ice even after the slightest of rain showers.

JANE TIP: Be sure to remove dead tree limbs. They can become a dangerous hazard during a severe windstorm.

Outside Home Care: When going on your roof, be sure to keep ladders at least ten (10) feet away from power lines. Remember, electricity can "arc" out if you're too close.

JANE TIP: When using extension cords, be sure to use only those that are specifically designed for outdoor use.

Pool: Even if your children can swim, it's always best to install a five foot high fence that surrounds the pool with a locking front gate. This will keep curious neighborhood children from accessing your pool when you're not at home. Also, try not to let water accumulate on top of the pool cover. Especially after a severe rain storm, as you'll be defeating its purpose. Any standing water can be a potential drowning hazard.

Preventing Fire

Storage: Be sure to properly store away any flammable liquids. Gasoline should never be kept inside the home.

Grilling: No matter how fun it might seem, never use anything on your grill other than charcoal starter fluids designed specifically for BBQ grills. And, never add fluid once the coals have been lit. Your chance of injury almost quadruples.

JANE TIP: We know how curious they can get, but it's best to keep children away from the grill at all times. Designate it a "kid-free" area.

Preventing Injuries:

Install carbon monoxide detectors outside bedrooms and at the top of the basement stairs.
Be sure to have your heating unit checked by a professional each year for potential carbon monoxide leaks.
Replace any loose or frayed cords on electrical devices.
If you don't own one already, consider buying a cordless phone to keep up with your children when you're at home.
Scout your home for potential dangers - especially at your children's eye level.
Place outlet covers or protective outlets over all unused ports.
Put a list of emergency numbers by every phone and teach your children their meaning and how to use them.
If you own blinds of any type, be sure they have safety cords to prevent your children from entangling themselves.

Preventing Fires:

Replace all smoke-alarm batteries at least once a year. Schedule a date for this so that you'll remember to do this each year. Remember to test each one after replacing the battery.
Install multiple smoke detectors throughout the house. Especially near the kitchen, bedrooms and at the top of the basement stairs. Be sure they're loud enough so that the entire family can hear them and recognize the sound.
Do not install smoke detectors near windows or outside doors. Wind and drafts from the outside can limit their effectiveness.
Replace smoke alarms at least once every 3-5 years.
Install only the recommended bulb wattage on your light fixtures. Exceeding these recommendations can cause a dangerous fire hazard.
Never leave candles burning unattended.
We mention it again later, but it's important to say twice - be sure you and your family review a plan of escape in the event of a fire. Don't just have one method of escape, have a back-up plan for each and every room.
Have your children memorize not only how to reach the fire department, but also what to tell them once they're on the phone. Teach them your address and phone number.

Preventing Injuries:

Clean Up After Yourself: Teach your children to put away their toys once they've finished playing with them. Shoes left on the floor can also be a potential hazard.

Furniture: Be sure your furniture is well maintained. If a chair doesn't feel like it will support the weight of your Aunt Ginny much longer, then remove it.

Preventing Fire:

Chimney: Be sure to schedule annual chimney and fireplace inspections. They will determine whether or not you're due for a cleaning. Be sure that your chimney is fitted with a spark arrestor or "chimney cap." Lastly, make certain your chimney has a screen.

JANE TIP: You can find a certified chimney sweep in your area by going to www.csia.org.

Wiring: Any wiring tucked under carpeting can be a tripping hazard as well as a fire hazard. It's best to run any extra wiring along the wall.

Preventing Injuries:

Keep knives in their proper place before and after using them. When placing knives in the dishwasher, be sure to turn the blade side down to prevent injury upon unloading.
Be sure your oven mitts are in good condition. Keep them dry as wet oven mitts are a scalding hazard.
Clean up spills as they happen. If you drop grease or butter and don't have time to clean it, add salt to it to help prevent potential injury.
Use a step stool or ladder to access out of reach items.
Wear shoes or slippers while in the kitchen. Hot food falling to the floor or shards of glass from an old broken dish are potential hazards.

Childproofing:

Purchase appliance knob covers to keep children from turning on ovens or stove burners while you're not around.
Install safety latches to drawers and cabinets that might be a potential hazard. Any drawers containing knives or scissors and any cabinet that might contain any sort of cleaning solutions should be out of a child's field of access.
Place cleaning solutions and other harmful chemicals in a high cabinet to keep curious children from accessing them.

Preventing Fire:

No matter how good your cooking may be, it is also a potential fire hazard. The kitchen is the number one room for the onset of home fires. So, to keep yourself safe:

Never leave pots unattended on the stovetop. It only takes a second for a child, a pet, or a curious family member to become seriously injured.
While using the stovetop, keep the handles of all your pots and pans turned inward.
Keep a fire extinguisher nearby in case of fire. Don't use water on a kitchen fire as you're more likely to spread burning grease throughout the kitchen.
Keep anything flammable such as pot holders, towels and rags away from your burners.
If you're confronted with an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the oven door closed. It's a contained system and should snuff out the fire. For microwaves, do the same thing, but unplug the microwave the moment a flame erupts.

Preventing Injuries:

If you live in an earthquake prone city, never place anything above or beside your bed that could potentially fall on top of you in the middle of the night.

Also, watch out how high you stack items in the bedroom closet. Keep a step ladder at the ready to access any out of reach items rather than risk anything toppling on to you.
Keep the wheels and track of your closet doors oiled and free of debris.
Install window guards - both to keep curious children from opening your windows without your knowledge and to keep out intruders.

Preventing Fire:

Keep space heaters at least 1-3 yards away from anything flammable. Not feet, yards. Also, be sure to turn them off when you leave the room.
Prepare an escape route for you and your family in case of fire. Assume something will not go as planned, so have a back-up plan in place as well.
If necessary, install rescue ladders on the exterior of your home or keep them nearby and accessible.
Keep a rechargeable flashlight near your bedside as well as a fire extinguisher in case you are unable to access the preplanned escape route.
If you have security bars on your windows, be sure they have a quick-release mechanism installed.

Preventing Injuries:

Apply nonskid decals to the bottom of your tub. There are quite a few fun and classy versions that have come out since the pea green flowers we had as kids.
Use a non slip bath mat. Check the underside of the rug to make sure it doesn't slide along the floor.
Attach a grab bar to your shower wall if you need a little extra support in getting in and out of a wet shower.
If standing in the shower is painful or difficult for you, consider purchasing a shower seat and a handheld shower unit.
Set your water heater no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent scalding.

Childproofing:

Attach safety latches to drawers and cabinets that are accessible by a child - you can buy these at any local hardware store.
Place a toilet lock on the seats of your toilets to prevent possible drowning.
Always, always, always, be sure to supervise young children while in the bath. A second can quickly become an eternity to a curious child.

Preventing Fire:

Store away any unused appliances such as dryers, crimpers and curling irons. Never leave them plugged in and unattended.
Remember, water and electricity don't mix, so keep any appliances away from the tub or sink.
Install protective outlets (also known as GFCI outlets) which will automatically cut off any power to the outlet if an appliance surges.
Be sure to turn off any wall or ceiling installed heating unit once you've left the room.

Preventing Injuries:

Keep soaps, detergents and any other chemicals above the washer and out of the reach of children
Lift heavy loads of laundry with your knees and not your back. Split the load into two or three if need be.

Be sure to clean your dryer hose at least once a year. This will help prevent a potentially dangerous build up that could lead to a fire hazard.
Clean out your dryer's lint filter before each load. Never operate your dryer without a lint filter in place.
Make certain that your appliances are plugged into outlets that are suitable for their electrical needs.
Try to run the dryer only when you're planning on being home.
If you have a gas fed dryer, make certain your connections are clean and free of debris and corrosion.

Preventing Injuries

Keep your stairwells well lit, changing out bulbs the moment they die out. Light switches should be at both the top and bottom of the stairs.
All stairwells should have handrails - check them regularly for loose fittings.
If you must place a throw rug at the bottom or top of the stairs, be sure the rug is weighty and makes use of a rug gripper to prevent slipping.

Preventing Injuries:

Keep all flammable or potentially hazardous chemicals stored in lockable cabinets.
Remove any standing water and repair any leaks in pipes that travel along the ceiling to avoid slippage and possible mold.
Install appropriate lighting, especially at the stairwell.
Paint the bottom stair white or place reflective tape on the last stair as a visual aid.

Preventing Fires:

Install a smoke alarm that is loud enough to be heard throughout the home.