While shopping for furniture and accessories to fill your new home, Jason Shroot wants to make sure that you add basic safety supplies to your list. As important as stocking the cupboards with pots and pans, equipping your home with safety products like the ones below can help keep you, your property and your possessions safe.
Smoke detectors
Purchase dual sensor alarms and install one on every level of your home, inside every bedroom and outside sleeping areas. Test alarms every month to be sure they're operating properly.
Fire extinguishers
Purchase an "ABC" dry chemical extinguisher for your kitchen and every level of your home and learn how to use it "This will cover the most common types of fires in a home," says Tess Benham, program manager at the National Safety Council. These include wood and paper fires, grease and oil fires and electrical fires.
Carbon monoxide detectors
Install these battery-operated devices outside sleeping areas—especially if your home uses fuel-burning appliances—to help protect you from deadly carbon monoxide gas.
First aid kitBe prepared in the event of an injury with a well-stocked first aid kit. Purchase a kit or put one together on your own. The American Red Cross offers a full list of first aid supplies that are important to have in your home.
Emergency kit
Have the proper items ready in case of severe weather or a natural disaster. "This kit should include food and supplies to keep your family comfortable for 72 hours," Benham says. The Federal Emergency Management Agency suggests this list of emergency supplies to keep on hand.
A Basic Emergency Supply Kit could include the following recommended items:
- Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days
- Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
- Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
- Flashlight and extra batteries
- First aid kit
- Whistle to signal for help
- Dust mask to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
- Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
- Manual can opener for food
- Local maps
If you're planning to make home improvements, Benham also recommends purchasing proper personal protective equipment, including gloves, safety goggles, hearing protection and dust masks.
When you're shopping for safety products, always look for an independent testing laboratory's mark of approval to be sure the product meets established safety standards.
