Home Safety Council : Press Release 7/9/00

Press Release

July 9, 2000

CONTACT:
David Oliver, Lowe's Home Safety Council
336.658.5495
david.j.oliver@lowes.com

"HOME SWEET HOME" DOESN'T ALWAYS MEAN "HOME SAFE HOME"
Lowe's Home Safety Council Reveals "The State Of Home Safety In America"

WILKESBORO, N.C. - Feeling safe at home is on the decline, according to a recent study conducted by Lowe's Home Safety Council. While more than 60 percent of families believe their home is very safe, that number is down from 72 percent in June 1998. This decline may be reflected in the growing problem of common home accidents and injuries. Nearly 7 million people suffer from injuries in the home every year - one injury every five seconds. "The State Of Home Safety In America" reveals Americans' concern for and knowledge of various household safety topics.

"It's concerning that while many people believe their home is safe, the number of home-related injuries continues to rise," said David Oliver, executive director, Lowe's Home Safety Council. "The fact of the matter is that most home accidents and injuries are preventable. Families simply need to be aware of the dangers and how to avoid them."

Among the 1,000 parents who were asked what home safety issues were important to them, the overwhelming majority (90 percent) mentioned fire safety - specifically, preventing and escaping fires.

"The irony here is that the vast majority of households placed the greatest concern on fire safety topics, however falls are the leading cause of injuries in the home," said Oliver.

The study indicated some good news:

36 percent of households stated they have a carbon monoxide alarm, a slight improvement from 30 percent in 1998.
66 percent of households have a home fire evacuation plan, up from 58 percent in 1998.
96 percent of families have a smoke alarm in the home.

Room for improvement:

Only 29 percent of families test their smoke alarm once a month, as recommended by the Lowe's Home Safety Council and other national safety organizations. That means the remaining 71 percent (70 million households) are at higher risk of being caught in a home fire, if their smoke alarms are not operable.
34 percent of families don't have a home fire evacuation plan.
Even more families, 64 percent (nearly 65 million households), don't have a carbon monoxide alarm in the home.
More than one million accidental poisonings occur every year among small children, yet 41 percent of families with children ages six and younger don't have cabinet latches.
More than 50 percent of families with young children don't have safety gates installed in their home, which can help block children's access to danger.
Furthermore, 64 percent of families don't have safety handrails or grab bars installed in their homes, which can prevent falls - the leading cause of home accidents.

"This study confirms what we already suspected," Oliver said. "Although more than half of respondents think their home is safe, it's clear that Americans also understand that home injuries are a serious problem, and they often need outside assistance to get the proper information. This study helps us understand consumers' needs and how to effectively make American homes safer."

According to the Lowe's Home Safety Council, Americans can start with easy tasks to begin improving the safety in their home. Lowe's Home Safety Council suggests beginning with the following steps:

Insert slip guards, safety handrails and grab bars, and keep living areas free of toys and other clutter. These are simple tasks that can help reduce the most common household injury - falls.
Make sure there is a working smoke and carbon monoxide alarm on every floor in the home.
Establish and practice a fire escape plan.
Place a working fire extinguisher in an accessible area and make sure all adults living in the household KNOW how to use it.
Lock up all poisons in cabinets, away from children, pets and other loved ones.
Call 1-800-SAFE-HOME or visit www.loweshomesafety.org for comprehensive home safety information.

"Home safety is an issue that most people don't always think about, but unfortunately, the element of chance could one day catch up with them," added Oliver. "A homeowner can climb up a ladder a dozen times and not fall. It's the one time they do fall that results in a serious injury requiring an unexpected emergency room visit. Our goal is to eliminate that visit."

Lowe's Home Safety Council and the National Safety Council (www.nsc.org) are founding members of National Safety Month (June) and National Home Safety Week (June 11-17, 2000). In 1993, Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse, the world's second largest home improvement retailer, founded Lowe's Home Safety Council with the vision of creating safer American homes. Lowe's Great Safety Adventure and the Lowe's Heroes programs are two initiatives helping to realize this vision. For additional home safety information and free brochures, consumers can call 1-800-SAFE-HOME or visit www.loweshomesafety.org.

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State of Home Safety