Follow public health tips to ensure safe, healthy home

  • Published
  • 18th Medical Group
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  Public health is in every corner of people's homes.

It's in the safe food in the fridge, the carbon monoxide and smoke detectors affixed to the ceiling, and in the child-proof latches that keep dangerous chemicals out of little hands.

Home is also where people learn healthy behaviors, such as eating right and exercising. Good prevention starts at home.

Did you know?
- The majority of fire-related deaths happen at home. About two-thirds of home fire deaths happened in homes without working smoke alarms.
- Nine out of every 10 childhood poison exposures happen at home, with medications being among the top culprits.
- More than half of all swimming pool drownings among children could have been prevented with appropriate fencing that completely separated the pool from the house and yard.
- Fewer than 15 percent of adults and 10 percent of adolescents eat the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables.

What public health teaches people:

Start small
- Smoke alarms can double a person's chance of surviving a fire. Install alarms on every floor of the home and test they're working monthly. Install a carbon monoxide alarm on every floor of the home as well.
- Help prevent fires, as well as serious health problems, by making the home tobacco free.
- Keep potentially dangerous household products, such as cleaning products, cosmetics and prescription medications, locked up and out of children's reach. Also, never store household chemicals in old food containers or in the same place food items are kept. Learn more at www.upandaway.org.
- Put up four-sided fencing that's at least five feet high with self-latching gates around swimming pools to protect children from injury.
- Stock your kitchen with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and cut down on high-sugar and high-fat items like cookies. This can not only help shrink waist lines, but also keeps bodies healthy and strong.

Think big
- Organize a community fire safety event with the local fire department.
- Get involved in community efforts addressing the abuse of prescription drugs, such as promoting drug take-back events.
- Promote awareness of how local public health systems keep communities healthy at home, such as keeping food and water safe. Encourage residents and leaders to take a moment to imagine how dramatically lives would change if that system disappeared.

There is much more people can do to ensure a safe and healthy home for themselves and their families. To learn more about putting prevention to work at home, visit www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety.