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Home, safe home

Fires, burns, falls, poisonings and drownings are all accidents that can happen in your home if you don’t take steps to prevent them.

Mysafehome.org, an interactive safety tool by the Home Safety Council, breaks down the steps needed to make your home safe room-by-room.

From your outdoor spaces to your bedrooms and baths, the site helps users find risk areas and provides tips and advice to correct them.

The site offers up-to-date research on home safety and shares what others are doing to prevent injuries. One of the findings, according to the site, is that though most families recognize dangers in each room of their home, 45 percent say they have not made any safety improvements.

Other site features include a list of rooms where families feel most vulnerable and ways to reduce the risk, safety practices taken in the garage and backyard, American spending habits in areas of home safety compared with home decor, and a room-by-room safety plan.

Users can tour a virtual home and learn about the leading causes of serious home injuries. Digital animations show major risk areas.

GARDEN

Pest control

Reduce the number of mosquitoes in your yard by removing sources of standing water. Uncovered pots, wheelbarrows, clogged gutters, tires, toys or anything with a potential for holding water could provide a breeding ground. Birdbaths should be changed frequently, and ponds treated with Bt dunks.