Windows for Fire Safety

Fire is one of the most common home disasters and the third leading cause of accidental injury death at home. Fires spread very quickly, but smoke and poisonous gases, not the flames, kill most fire victims. According to the National SAFE KIDS Campaign, 493 children ages 14 and under died in 2001, and nearly 40,000 are injured each year, in fires. Young children and the elderly are most at risk.

Windows provide a secondary means of escape from a burning home. Determine your family’s emergency escape plan and practice it. Remember that children may have to rely on a window to escape in a fire. Help them learn to safely use a window in case of an emergency.

• Your emergency escape plan should have two means for escape in each room, in case the primary exit is blocked or cannot be used.
• When performing spring repairs, take care to make sure that your windows are not painted or nailed shut. You must be able to open them to escape in an emergency.
• Teach your children not to hide from smoke or flames, but instead

Window Security for Children

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, an average of 12 children who are 10 years old or younger die each year and more than 4,000 are treated in hospital emergency rooms for window fall-related injuries. The Consumer Product Safety Commission guidelines for preventing window falls are:

• Install window guards to prevent children from falling out of windows. (For windows on the 6th floor and below, install window guards that adults and older children can open easily in case of fire. For windows on the 7th floor and above, permanent window guards can be installed.)
• Guards should be installed in children’s bedrooms, parents’ bedroom and other rooms where young children spend time.
• Never depend on screens to keep children from falling out of windows. Insect screens are designed to provide ventilation and to keep insects out.
• Whenever possible, open windows from the top.
• Keep furniture away from windows to discourage children from climbing near windows.
• Look for guards that have bars no more than 4 inches apart.

A few more tips on window security for children:

• Keep your windows closed and locked when children are around. When opening windows for ventilation, open windows that children cannot reach.
• Set and enforce rules about keeping children’s play away from windows or patio doors. Falling through the glass can be fatal or cause serious injury.
• The degree of injury sustained from a window fall can be affected by the surface on which the victim falls. Shrubs and soft edging like wood chips or grass beneath windows may lessen the impact if a fall does occur.

Window Security Against Burglaries

According to the FBI, a burglary occurs in the United States once every 15.4 seconds. One-third of burglaries occur when the burglar gained access through an unlocked door or open window. Make sure doors and windows are locked particularly at night, or when leaving the house. Burglars know that windows are left unlocked at a higher rate than doors.

With many homes, the latch on the window may not be enough. Experts warn that windows should have a secondary lock on the window in addition to the latch. Using a keyed window lock greatly reduces your chances of getting burglarized through a window.

The Keyed Window Lock:

• Protects your home or property against break-ins by securely locking windows.
• Provides extra security for wood sashes.
• Is designed so that the keyhole faces away from window for extra pick resistance.
• Comes with extra long tamper-proof screws that cannot be removed by ordinary means.

While most people enjoy opening the windows when the weather is nice, they forget that this is a common time for thieves to take advantage of an opportunity. If you do want to leave your windows open, do it only during the day, when you are home. Close and lock the window at night or when you leave the house. Burglaries can occur easily when the thieve cuts through a screen on a ground floor window.

Being a victim of burglary does not only rob you of your possessions, but of your confidence and security. With only 13% of burglaries being cleared by the police, protecting your home and business from theft is crucial. Security World is working to make your world a safer place. In addition to keyed window locks, we have a variety of other home and business security products as well as first aid kits, lighting, fire arm safety, and more. Free information is available 24 hours a day in our extensive online information center.