In a joint statement with the Department of Defense issued during the Month of the Military Child, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has called for increased awareness of the safety risks faced by children who live in military housing.
For military families in Hawaii, a state with around 47,000 active duty personnel, the potential dangers listed by the CPSC strike close to home. Military children, often on the move, encounter new, unfamiliar living situations more frequently than many civilian kids. While military kids are famously adaptable, they are no less vulnerable than their peers to the hazards found in every home.
With each change of address, it is up to military parents to safeguard their children against avoidable dangers such as accidental poisoning, falls and drowning. The joint DoD and CPSC release offers links to resources that address each of these dangers in detail. For example, a link dealing with window covering safety helps parents protect their children from strangulation by window blinds, a tragedy that reportedly occurs once a month on average.
The materials provided by the CPSC do not merely warn, but also allow Hawaii military families to remain in control of the safety of their children. In some instances, however, harm occurs regardless of parental preparation. Dangerous products, such as defective cribs, toys or appliances, seriously injure far too many children each year.
If you encounter defective products that pose an unreasonable risk of death or injury, notifying the CPSC is a contribution to public safety. Hawaii attorneys also offer help in pursuing claims against those companies that expose military and civilian families to harm within their own homes.
Source: Hawaii News Now, “Military families: Know your hidden hazards,” April 28, 2014