HARPER WOODS, Mich. – We think of our homes as the safest place our children can be. But the number one cause of childhood deaths is preventable accidents and half of those accidents happen at home.
Is your house as safe as you think?
Local 4 Dr. Frank McGeorge teamed up with Joann Moss, an Injury Prevention Education Coordinator at the Children's Hospital of Michigan. Together, they hit the streets, looking for families to put to the test.
They found Tanisha Williams in Harper Woods. She's a mother of five. Her two youngest are Amani, age 3, and Ashanti, age 5.
With Williams' permission, Moss went room by room, looking for potential hazards.
Some were obvious, like an overlooked outlet.
"We want to consider covering the outlets. That's something that we have a lot of problems with with little kids," advised Moss.
But many hazards were hidden. Moss zeroed in on the kitchen sink.
"Do you know what temperature you have your hot water set on?" Moss asked.
"Is it too hot?" asked Williams.
Moss explained a water tank set over 120 degrees can scald a child.
"There's a setting and if it's low, medium, and high you want it to be medium. If it's A, B, C, you want it to be B," said Moss.
We headed down to the basement to lower the temperature, an easy fix.
Moss noticed the only smoke detectors were on the main level. She advised Williams to get a smoke alarm for every floor, including the basement. The family also needed carbon monoxide detectors.
"We can set you up to get that installed for you," said Moss. "We have an installation program that would take care of your smoke alarms and your carbon detectors."
Back on the main level, the Williams scored well for the lack of clutter. That can be a tripping hazard and could make it hard to escape during a fire.
Moss was also happy to see a smaller TV on the floor. But in another room, she found a TV unsecured on top of a dresser.
"This is the television we would have some concerns about," said Moss.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, a child is killed every two weeks because a TV, piece of furniture or appliance fell on them.
"Sometimes they will pull out drawers and they'll step on them," explained Moss.
"And the TV will fall?" asked Williams.
"The TV will fall," said Moss.
The larger flatscreen also needs to be secured.
"Ideally you would have it mounted on the wall, but since its not mounted, you could get a strap and it's really relatively inexpensive," said Moss.
In little Amani's room, the corded blinds are a concern. Our expert recommends securing the loop to the wall out of reach.
"They have the tendency to play with things you wouldn't think they would play with, but they play with them anyway," said Moss.
Like many parents, Williams relies on supervision and rules to keep her children away from potential hazards.
"They know what to touch and what not to touch," said Williams.
But safety experts say safeguards like cabinet locks are still essential for those moments when children are out of your sight or just curious.
Moss finds the family's medications are well secured, but a few cleaning supplies are still within reach.
"You want to consider getting some type of latch for this," she recommended.
Outside, Moss has two major concerns. Amani needs a better car seat and neither of children have bike helmets.
"We can tell she's a very conscientious parent, but she just needs a little help," said Moss. "Ninety percent of the things children get injured by are things that are easily correctible."
The next day, Moss and coworker returned as promised with safety equipment from the Kohl's Injury Prevention Program.
They quickly get to work, installing brand new smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.
Moss fits Ashanti and Amani for their bike helmets.
"Every time you ride, you need to put this helmet on," said Moss. "What do you have to protect?"
"My head and my brain," said Ashanti.
As Ashanti takes his new helmet for a test ride, Moss show his mother how to properly use the kids' new car seat and booster seat.
Williams said she is happy her children will be that much safer.
"It's very important to keep your kids safe," said Williams.
Her advice to other parents?
"Pay attention and watch your kids closely like you're supposed to as a parent."
So how can you check for hidden hazards in your home? There is a free app called "Make Safe Happen" that you can download on your phone that will go room by room and point out safety hazards.
You can also use these checklists to do the same:
-- Kitchen Safety
-- Stairs and hallways safety
-- Bathroom safety
-- Bedroom safety
-- Living room safety
-- Garage safety
-- Yard safety
-- Car safety
Children's Hospital of Michigan offers numerous free programs and safety workshops. There are events where you can get free bike helmets, free car seats/booster seats, and sign-up for a free smoke alarm installation at your home. For details about upcoming workshops and events, click here.