Emergency Medical Services for Children – EMSC – Day aims to raise awareness of the need for improved and expanded specialized care for children. In honor of today, we’ve compiled a list of tips for caretakers to ensure children are kept safe in some common scenarios.

Household Safety

• Install safety locks on cabinets with medicine, cleaning supplies, and chemicals
• Install plastic outlet plugs
• Keep plastic bags out of reach of children
• Secure heavy furniture to the wall
• Do not plug in electrical appliances where children can pull on the cord

Fire Safety

• Show your children how to crawl low and “stop, drop, and roll”
• Make sure they know at least two ways out of every room in your house
• Change your smoke alarm batteries twice a year

Kitchen Safety

• Turn pot handles away from the front of the stove and install child-safe burner control knobs
• Keep hot foods, liquids, and kitchen appliances away from the edge of the counter
• Store cleaning supplies where a child cannot reach them or store them in a locked cabinet

Water Safety

• Supervise young children whenever they’re around water, including bath time
• Consider toilet locks for your home
• Don’t leave buckets of water unattended
• Take a CPR class if possible

Vehicle Safety

• Always secure children riding in a vehicle with a properly installed safety seat or seat belt
• Never leave children unattended in or around cars
• Always lock your car at home