Making The New Year a Safe Year –
Creating Your Emergency Contact List

When an emergency occurs, every second counts so make it one of your New Year’s resolutions to be ready for anything. Be sure to update your emergency phone number list, post it next to every phone in your home and program those numbers into your cell phone. Also, consider book-marking some important websites for quick reference.

Important phone numbers to include:

• Your pediatrician
• Local hospital
• Local fire department
• Local police department
• Utility companies - oil company, gas company, electric company
• National Poison Control - 1-800-222-1222
• Family members’ home phone and cell phone numbers (In an emergency, you may not remember them easily)
• It’s also a good idea to include an “ICE” (“In Case of Emergency) number on your cell phone – especially if you are involved in a car accident.

The following websites contain useful safety information:

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (www.cpsc.gov) provides information on recalled products. Consumers can report an unsafe product and also sign up to receive e-mails on recently recalled items.

Safe Kids Worldwide (www.safekids.org) is a global network of organizations dedicated to the safety of children.  Parents can read safety tips on various topics and find a local chapter in their area.   

Stay Safe (www.staysafe.org) is an educational site designed to help parents understand the safety issues associated with the Internet and protect their children from cyber bullies and predators.  

The National Capital Poison Center (www.poison.org) offers extensive information including poison prevention tips, a list of poisonous plants and a preschool education program.