2014-09-12
September: Child Safety Awareness Month
September: Child Safety Awareness Month
Hello Folks,
This is September, a wonderful time of year. And as we all know, September is Child Safety Awareness Month. You didn’t know? Or don’t care? Perhaps this message will change that a little.
You might be thinking “Why is a drapery and blind guy talking about child safety?” Great question! The answer: Because it matters. It matters to every mother and father, every Grandpa and Nana.
Most blinds are operated by strings. Tug on the string, the blind goes up. The strings are longer now, and many people just let them drag on the floor. When a child finds a string on the floor, it might be disastrous. They could wrap the cord around their neck, cutting off the airway.
As parents, it is our job to keep our little ones safe from dangers. We don’t let them play with matches or run in the street. We make them hold our hands in the grocery store so they don’t wander off. All of these are standard stuff for Mom and Dad. But, some parents don’t recognize the danger a simple cord can pose to a child.
Athena and I visited a young couple in our neighborhood just last week. Lovely family. Handsome parents, charming children. He had a great job, she stayed home with the kids. One day she walked into the living room to check on her little boy, and found him hanging from a blind cord! He had climbed on the couch, wrapped the cord around his neck, then lost his footing. He had a rope burn all the way around his neck. She was so grateful she found him before any serious damage was done. When she told us the story, she gently touched the burn on his neck and said she was sure guardian angels were watching over him that day.
So now you know. Blinds can be dangerous. That is why HunterDouglas has been working on ways to keep blind cords away from children. They have created blinds in Gilbert, AZ that work without visible cords. They also have battery powered blinds in a variety of styles and colors. If you have the old fashioned blinds with long cords, consider replacing them with newer types of cord free blinds. If you cannot afford that, ask us for some cord cleats that you can attach to the wall, around which you can wrap the cords. We will provide them to you for free. They are easy to install, and will let you worry little less. And maybe we can give the guardian angels a rest.
John Hatch
Certified Installer
Image used under creative commons license – commercial use (09/11/2014) skyseeker (Flickr)
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.