Your Checklist for Home Safety

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from the Canadian Red Cross

The Canadian Red Cross hopes you’re making the most of your time at home right now. We also hope you’re doing so safely.

Spending more time in the garden?

Whether you’re growing vegetables or flowers, maintaining a home garden is a great way to get outside and calm the mind. Gardening is hard work. Take breaks from the sun, drink lots of water and wear sunscreen, reapplying every few hours. Sometimes, gardening requires using potentially dangerous chemicals and tools. Be sure to follow the instructions on any equipment or fertilizers, and to store them safely after use.

Becoming a home chef?

Has a trending YouTube recipe inspired you to dust off your old cookbooks? A safe kitchen is as important as a well-stocked one. Test your smoke detectors often. We recommend using the smoke detector’s test function monthly, and changing its batteries twice a year, at daylight savings time (March and November).

Never leave cooking food unattended, not even for a moment, especially when using high temperatures or oily food that could splatter.

Spending more time with the kids?

If you’re thankful for the extra time with the kids, you also know that it’s important to be prepared for cuts, scrapes and bruises. They can happen in the blink of an eye, and knowing what to do can be a difference maker. Have a fully stocked First Aid Kit somewhere in your house, and know how to use it.

Download the Canadian Red Cross First Aid App, a free and vital tool to brush up on or learn first aid skills.

Catching up on spring cleaning?

More time at home means more dust bunnies and crumbs. It makes sense to want our homes to be clean and tidy, but there are precautions to take when it comes to cleaning supplies. Never mix cleaning supplies, especially ones containing bleach or ammonia. When finished, ensure that cleaners (which can be potentially poisonous!) are safely put away out of the reach from children and pets.

Opening the pool or hitting the lake?

If you’re lucky enough to have access to a pool, or can safely social distance while enjoying one of Canada’s countless rivers, lakes, and ponds, we encourage you to embrace your inner-fish and swim to your heart’s content – as long as you’re being safe! Stay alert! Always keep an eye on children in and around the pool, and if you’re in open water, be mindful of the weather and changing currents. Suit up! Always wear a lifejacket or personal floatation device (PFD) when you’re on a boat. Weak swimmers and children are always encouraged to wear a lifejacket or PFD.

Be emergency ready!

A flash flood, forest fire, tornado or other natural disaster can strike anytime and anywhere. We encourage you to always be ready, and proper preparation starts with buying or building an emergency kit and creating an emergency plan. For both the kit and plan, go to www.redcross.ca.

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