Open the Window to Safety This Spring

Unfortunately young children falling out of open windows occurs every year, locally and nationally, and usually starts right around this time as the weather begins to turn nice.

Photo via Nat'l Safety Council web site

According to our partners in safety, Safe Kids, approximately eight children under age five die each year from falling out of a window. In addition, more than 3,300 are injured seriously enough to go to the hospital.

Windows play a vital role in home safety, serving as a secondary escape route in the event of a fire or other emergency, but they also pose a risk for a fall if safety measures are not followed. Montgomery County Fire and Rescue are providing the following safety tips to help prevent window-related injuries in the home:

• Never rely on window screens to keep children from falling out of windows. A screen is not a safety device - - it is designed to keep insects out, not to keep children in.


• Keep furniture such as sofas, beds and dressers away from windows. This will discourage children from climbing near any windows.


• Keep windows closed and locked when they are not being used.


• When windows are open for ventilation, take advantage of all safety features. If possible, open windows from the top and not the bottom if you have double-hung windows – the kind that can open down from the top as well as up from the bottom.


• Install safety devices such as window guards or window stops which prevent children from falling open windows that children cannot reach.

Window falls can happen quickly and, in some cases, can be deadly. When keeping your kids safe, MCFRS reminds parents that no device can replace active supervision. For more safety tips, visit our website at www.mcfrs.org/mcsafe.