HOME SAFETY COUNCIL® LAUNCHES HANDS ON HOME SAFETY CAMPAIGN DURING HOME SAFETY MONTH IN JUNE

Council Urges Public to Take Action to Protect Against the Five Leading Home Hazards

According to research from the national nonprofit Home Safety Council, home injuries result in nearly 21 million medical visits and 20,000 deaths on average each year. To increase home safety awareness among families across the nation, the Home Safety Council will unveil its annual Hands on Home Safety campaign during Home Safety Month in June.

Throughout the month of June, the Council will offer an expanded suite of resources and educational opportunities that encourage the public to take action and follow a few simple steps to create a safer home environment from the five leading causes of injury – falls, poisonings, fires and burns, choking/suffocation and drowning.

"Issues like falls and home fires can affect any family. This year's Hands on Home Safety campaign is focused on the key actions families need to take to protect against the most common home safety hazards," said Meri-K Appy, president of the Home Safety Council. "The Home Safety Council urges families to make a few simple changes now to create a safer home environment and reduce serious injury risks year-round."

The Hands on Home Safety theme underscores the Home Safety Council's efforts to educate families during the month of June and throughout the year, urging them to take action to prevent home injury. The theme is incorporated in all Home Safety Month activities and materials, including educational posters and brochures, interactive games and downloadable home safety checklists in both English and Spanish.

During Home Safety Month, the Home Safety Council will launch the following safety initiatives to help prevent injuries:

• New Home Injury Research - In June, the Home Safety Council will release new survey findings revealing the public's awareness of the five leading causes of injury and actions they have taken to protect against home injuries. Key findings reveal the public's failure to appreciate the risk of home injury occurring in their own home and a lack of motivation and/or knowledge to take actions to reduce that risk.
• Home Safety in the Community - The Home Safety Council's Expert Network, a community of fire and life safety experts from across the country, will distribute home safety materials and information in their respective communities during the month of June. These home safety ambassadors are vital to reaching local communities and engaging support on a grassroots level.
• Off-the-Job Safety in the Workplace - HSC has created a corporate outreach program offering Home Safety Month resources to help corporations implement off-the-job safety education in the workplace. The materials include posters, newsletter articles, kids' activities, lesson plans and a variety of Spanish language materials. New highly-illustrated Hands on Home Safety brochures, providing home safety tips and information, are also available.
• Home Safety on Capitol Hill - The Home Safety Council's public policy program will actively engage Congressional staff and in-district offices. Policy outreach includes targeted visits to provide resources and messaging tools for outreach to constituencies. Activities include the development and delivery of local messages to children and families while leveraging visits from the Home Safety Council's Great Safety Adventure – a traveling safety exhibit on wheels – with elected officials to increase awareness for the importance of home injury prevention.

To learn more about the Hands on Home Safety campaign and ways to stay safe in and around your home, visit www.homesafetycouncil.org/homesafetymonth.