When we are at home, we usually think of it as our safe haven from the world. We believe that once we reach the safety of home, everything will be alright. Why is it that we think that most of things that are dangerous to us lye outside the walls of our home? The fact is that many times the home can be one of the most dangerous places of all. Accidents and mishaps cause injury and death in the home all of the time and the sad part is that so many of them can be avoided and prevented all together.

The two most common elements that can cause danger in the home are from fire and water. People usually do not associate water in the house as being a source of danger, but actually many of the home accidents and even deaths can result from water issues in the bathroom or outside in a swimming pool. They can happen to babies, children, elderly folks, and even the healthiest of adults.

Bathtub drowning is a tragic event that occurs with babies and toddlers far too often and always needlessly. When will parents learn that it is never safe to leave a baby or toddler in a bathtub unattended even for a minute? It can only take a minute for a baby to be underwater for it to cause death or permanent brain injury. Even if they do not go under the water, toddlers are far too active and can slip and fall so easily in the bathtub. Scalding water causes injury to little ones too.

Slipping and falling in the bath tub or shower or on the outside on a wet floor is also a water hazard that occurs frequently. This is preventable by installing grab bars and slip resistant mats in the bathroom. Sometimes the very fragile elderly or disabled do not need to be left unaccompanied in a bathroom.

Swimming pools are normally on the outside of the home, but still a part of the home property. One mistake that parents make with swimming pools is not having them fenced in when they have young children. Another mistake is assuming that children do not need supervision while in a family pool. When an able bodied adult is supervising children it is not likely that a drowning will occur. When they are unsupervised, almost anything could happen and no one is there to help.

We should all be aware of how dangerous water can be and take the precautions that are necessary to protect our selves and our families from accidents that are prevented so easily.