Safety tips: Prevent window falls

• Screens keep bugs out, NOT kids in. Do not rely on window screens to prevent falls.
• Install window stops, so that windows open no more than four inches.
• Keep furniture away from windows so kids cannot climb to the ledge.
• Actively supervise children at all times, especially around open windows.
• If you have windows that can open down from the top as well as up from the bottom – it is generally safer to open the top pane, but growing kids may have enough strength, dexterity and curiosity to open the bottom pane.
• Keep windows locked and closed when they are not being used.
• Enact a two-foot “No Play Zone” around windows, so children are less inclined to play around windows even when not at home.
• Plant grass and shrubbery outside under windows, so that if a child does fall, they do not fall onto a harder surface such as cement.
• Never try to move a child who appears to be seriously injured after a fall – call 911 and let trained medical personnel move the child with proper precautions.