Safest Families in America

Safety is an important issue for most American families with moms and dads serving as the biggest champions for their families. To celebrate and honor those who put safety first at home, four safety-focused brands have teamed up to find the Safest Families in America. Through an online contest sponsored by Zarbee’s Children’s Cough Syrup, First Alert, Inc., Puj and Shield-Safety, families can share videos showcasing their commitment to safety for the chance to win more than $3,500 worth of safety products and be named one of the Safest Families in America.

“Safety is an incredibly important factor when it comes to good parenting,” said Kathy Scoleri, founder of SafeMama.com and a judge for the nationwide contest. “I’m excited to see how families are living safe lives and to provide educational resources to other parents who may need some extra help protecting their families.”

Other contest judges include William M. Smith, aka “Firefighter Bill,” a fire engineer and paramedic for the Roseville Fire Department in California and a key representative of www.FireFacts.org, along with safety experts from each of the sponsoring organizations. 

Video entries may be submitted from April 11 to May 15, 2011 at www.safestfamilies.com.

Entries will be judged based on appropriateness to the purpose of the contest, originality/creativity of video and video quality. All video submissions must be the original creation of the entrant and will not be returned. The three families that best exemplify safety, as determined by the contest judges, will be selected as winners and announced on or around May 24, 2011.

The grand prize packages include:

• A lifetime supply of Zarbee’s Children’s Cough Syrup plus a $1,500 college fund grant
• A whole-home safety prize package from First Alert that includes $1,100 in products
• A Shield-Safety Revolutionary Care Center
• One Puj Tub, signed by designer and Puj super star Katie, and two pairs of Puj Bootis, handmade by Katie. Winning families also will be part of Puj’s Exclusive Product Testers, getting Puj products and updates before they are officially announced.

Puj Tub Features

• Stores flat for easy and convenient storage
• Made from a soft, non-slip, PVC- and BPA-free material
• Fits in any standard bathroom sink
• Conserves water, energy, and space!
• Newborn to 6 months, up to 17 lbs.
• Cradles and protects baby allowing mom to wash with both hands

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

   

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Summer Travel Games Encourage Parents to find the “Right Game / Right Child”

With summer on the horizon, many families are going to take video games with them, and there are also a ton of video games in hotels these days…

But how do you know what is the “right game for the right child”?

Everyone knows the difference between a “PG” and an “R” movie rating for children, but parents may not understand the different ways that the ESRB breaks down video games… the ESRB (Entertainment Software Ratings Board) is a non-profit group, designed to be a resource for parents, especially when they shop this holiday season… video games again expected to be at the top of many lists… 

Well, there is a cool NEW technology that debuted recently that provides info in seconds, and has especially interesting visuals to go with it.

Here’s a link to the new free app - http://www.esrb.org/mobile/

This application provides facts not reviews, and provides the information that went into why the game received the rating it did.

Would you believe that 90 percent – nine out of 10 times – when a game is purchased, a parent or guardian is present? 



ESRB KEY STATS

Video games are fast becoming one of the most popular forms of entertainment media
today, with software sales reaching $10.5 billion in 2009

The average age of a gamer today is 34. Just like movies and TV shows, not all video
games are meant for children

FTC reports that an adult is involved in the purchase of a game 89% of the time, so it’s
clear that parents must be educated about making informed choices

Various national, state and local PSA and public education campaigns get the message
to parents that there are tools they may use to make informed, sensible choices about
video games for their children and families

ESRB ratings are on virtually every game package; age ratings on front and content
descriptors on back provide information with which to make an educated purchase
decision

Parents should learn about and utilize both parts of the ratings, and consider
them a significant part of their decision about whether to purchase or rent a game

The rating summaries on ESRB’s website are a great supplemental source of
information, providing detailed descriptions of the specific content in a game that a
parent may want to know about

Retailers display signage explaining the rating system to consumers, and store
associates are trained to assist parents who need help choosing games

Major retailers have store policies restricting the sale or rental of M-rated games to
those under 17 without parental permission

The FTC’s most recent audit measured compliance with these store policies among
national retailers at 80%, far surpassing the rates of restriction for DVDs, music and
admittance to R-rated movies

Parents should be involved in and informed about their children’s video gaming;
monitor gameplay and play games with their children; check the rating each time they
buy or rent a game

Parents should also take advantage of parental controls that are featured on all new
game consoles

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.


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Ten Tips to Prevent the "Silent Killer" Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Carbon monoxide poisoning is a very real household danger. If you want more tips about safety and poison prevention at home, text TIPS to 69866.

It was anything but a happy new year in Los Angeles in January where one woman mourned the loss of her mother and grandmother -- both who died from carbon monoxide given off by a gas oven door they'd left open to stay warm. A week later, 11 students in Vermont were hospitalized for carbon monoxide poisoning that occurred as a result of a faulty furnace. Both incidents were a painful reminder that when it comes to this "silent killer" the public is far from educated on how to prevent deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless odorless gas undetectable to the human senses, so people may not know that they are being exposed.  Products that are typically involved in CO poisonings include malfunctioning fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces, ranges, water heaters and room heaters; engine-powered equipment such as portable generators; fireplaces; and charcoal that is burned in homes and other enclosed areas.

Symptoms range from headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness to confusion, vomiting, loss of muscular coordination and loss of consciousness.

Carbon monoxide poisoning can be of slow or swift onset depending on circumstances. But it is deadly. California Poison Control, in an effort to raise public awareness, has issued the following 10 Tips to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. With proper prevention, this "silent killer" can be stopped in its tracks.

1. Have all heating equipment installed properly, and have your home's heating system inspected by a professional prior to turning the heat on when cold weather season begins.

2. Carbon monoxide detectors should be installed in all homes and in apartments.  When a CO detector goes off, assume that a real CO danger is present, and get all people and pets out of the structure immediately.  Do not re-enter until a heating professional, gas company or fire department has declared the area safe from CO.

3. During home renovations, ensure that appliance vents and chimneys are not blocked by tarps or debris. Make sure appliances are in proper working order when renovations are complete.

4. Do not cover the bottom of natural gas or propane ovens with aluminum foil. Doing so blocks the combustion air flow through the appliance and can produce CO.

5. Never use portable fuel-burning camping equipment inside a home, garage, vehicle or tent unless it is specifically designed for use in an enclosed space and provides instructions for safe use in such an area.

6. In climates with snow, make sure that chimneys and vents do not become blocked with snowfall.

7. Never operate a portable generator or any other gasoline engine-powered tool either in or near an enclosed space such as a garage, house, or other building, or outside of an open window.

8. Do not use charcoal or hibachi grills to cook with or for heat indoors under any circumstances.

9. Do not attempt to heat your home by turning on the oven or clothes dryer and leaving the door open.

10. Never let a car engine run inside a closed space such as a garage.  Drive out promptly after starting the car, and turn the car engine off as soon as you drive into an enclosed space. Never have a garage door closed with a running vehicle inside, even for a few seconds.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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What Parents Need to Know About "Bath Salts" and Drug Highs

Kids and young adults are buying fake bath salts on the internet and getting high.  But these are very dangerous products and states are moving to ban them immediately. Here is the most recent overview by one of our doctors that you are free to reprint. May I also suggest that you ask your readers to add this to their cell phones for weekly updates and poison tips?  Text TIPS to 69866.  And they can follow poison control on Twitter @poisoninfo as well as on Facebook at California Poison Control System.   Thanks so much, Susan.

“Bath Salts”, Extremely Dangerous New Drugs of Abuse by Richard J. Geller, MD, MPH, California Poison Control System

Beginning in September, 2010, US poison control centers began to receive reports of patients ill from the effects of a series of previously unreported drugs of abuse collectively known as “bath salts”.  These agents have nothing to do with bathing, and, like the synthetic cannabinoids marketed as “spice”, are marketed as something other than what they really are.  Most recent data as of this week is that U.S. poison centers took 236 calls for 2010. We are at 220 to date for 2011.

“Bath salts” are powders, which are often sold in 250 mg amounts, packaged in either small zip-lock bags or in jar-like containers, costing $15-65.  Like methamphetamine, they are ingested, snorted, smoked or injected, and have been placed in the rectum and vagina.  Users are most often males aged 20-25 years.

What is known about “bath salts” is that they combine the more dangerous effects of a number of previously identified drugs of abuse: visual and sometimes auditory hallucinations similar, and possibly worse, than LSD, rapid tolerance and craving similar to crack cocaine, extremely violent behavior similar to PCP and methamphetamine, an unusually long duration of effect and psychotic behavior which may not resolve after the drug is eliminated from the body.

“Bath salts” were first observed in Louisiana, where over two hundred exposures have been reported to the Louisiana Poison Control Center.  Several “bath salt” users have mutilated themselves with knives; one shot himself in the head.  Law enforcement officials believe that eventually they will have to use extreme force with “bath salt” users.  Visual hallucinations caused one user to barricade himself in an attic with a shotgun, threatening to kill the occupants of the home.  Significant “bath salt” use is now being reported in Kentucky, Florida, Mississippi and Missouri.

On both the federal and state levels, “bath salts” have been legal to sell and to use.  Louisiana’s Secretary of Health and Hospitals signed an emergency declaration in January 2011 banning the sale of “bath salts” in that state, resulting in an immediate slowing of reports of illness to the state’s poison control center.  Other states are considering similar measures.

The most common substance identified in “bath salts” is                                 3,4-

Methylenedioxypyrovalerone, also known as MDPV, and marketed as Ivory Wave and Energy-1.  Commonly found is Mephedrone, also known as 4-Methylmethcathinone, a compound very similar in structure to Methamphetamine, and marketed as Bounce, Bubbles, M-CAT, Mad Cow and Meow Meow.  Other substances implicated as “bath salts” are 3,4-Methylenedioxymethcathinone (Methylone), 4-Methoxymethcathinone, 4-Fluoromethcathinone and3-Fluoromethcathinone.  The latter 4 substances are derivatives of Methcathinone, also known as Khat, Jeff and Cat, a drug structurally and pharmaceutically similar to methamphetamine.  Methcathenone has a long history as a drug of abuse in Asia.

The Louisiana experience suggests that law enforcement personnel encountering “bath salt” users should be prepared to deal with extremely confused (visual hallucinations) and possibly very violent individuals who may be armed.  Health care professionals encountering “bath salt” users should be aware that the usual sedative medications, i.e., benzodiazepines, may not be effective, and that major tranquillizers, especially ziprasidone, have been useful.

The California Poison Control System believes that “Bath Salt” products are a grave danger to public health, and urges that immediate steps be taken to ban their sale in California

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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5 Essential Tips For Surviving a Winter Storm

5 Essential Tips For Surviving a Winter Storm

www.eHow.com

1. Prepare your home

Shut all of your windows and exterior doors. Insulate all interior water pipes with a heavy foam wrap or insulation to stop the potential of freezing. Ensure flashlights have batteries, cellular phones are completely charged, and candles are available.

2. Have a blizzard kit handy

Keep an emergency blizzard kit on-hand at all times. Have it loaded with non-perishable food, bottled water, flashlights, batteries, blankets, warm clothing and a first-aid kit. Stock enough supplies to last each family member a few days. Store the kit in a safe, accessible area of the house.

3. Plan for power outages

Plan for an alternate source of heat if you rely on electricity for heating and cooking. Power outages are very common during blizzards and may last for a few days. Backup generators are great for powering a few appliances, but make sure you have enough gas to run it.

4. Prepare your car

Keep a blanket, water, food, a shovel and even a little bit of sand in your car at all times. The shovel and sand will be essential if you get stuck in the snow. The blanket, food and water will sustain you until help arrives.

5. Get ready to dig

Gather tools like shovels, snow blowers and other equipment used for snow removal. Leave them inside your garage or back door so you have access to them after the blizzard.  If they must be stored outside, make sure they are secured to withstand high winds. 

Content from www.eHow.com, the leading online destination for practical, trusted advice and know-how. The site offers informational articles and videos spanning a variety of topics including Home, Food, Health, Money, Style, Family, and more.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions. 

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Life360 Family Safety App Hits One Million Families

Life360 today announced that one million families now utilize its award-winning family safety application for the iPhone and Android.  The app addresses parents’ top safety and security concerns with a focus on real-time information on the location of their children. The company has doubled the number of family accounts since November 2010, signifying the rapid adoption of Life360’s innovative use of location-based services (LBS) as part of an overall family safety solution, and its strong leadership position within the market.

Life360 saw rapid growth in late 2010 after several updates to its mobile application. It became the first family safety company to offer check-in capabilities, which provide a non-intrusive way for maintaining communication between parents and kids. Life360 wanted kids to be comfortable with – and therefore more likely to use – a check-in function versus forcing the parents to track their whereabouts all the time.

In addition, Life360 expanded its family safety app to multiple platforms – with compatibility on the nation’s two largest mobile operating systems, iPhone and Android. In fact, Android downloads increased significantly after the launch of the Life360 iPhone app because more families can now use the app, regardless of the type of phone.

“The fact that increasing numbers of families continue to download our app is validation that Life360 fills an important need in an expanding market,” said Chris Hulls, co-founder and chief executive officer of Life360. “Life360 is excited to bring location based services to people who gain a real benefit from the technology. We thank our users for their trust and support, and will continue to innovate to better keep their families safe.”

The company offers free apps in the iTunes App Store and Android Marketplace, and expects to release several more upgrades on both platforms soon. Versions for other mobile platforms are in development. For more details on Life360, including additional family safety services, visit www.life360.com/mobile.  

About Life360

Life360 is the way parents on the go keep their children safe, providing security to 1 million families. Recognized by Google and Facebook for its location-based safety communications system, Life360’s award-winning mobile and web products give parents a way to see where their child is located, when they need help and what are the threats around them. Everything is done in a convenient and secure way that doesn't interfere with busy schedules or personal freedom. By addressing the immediate concerns of parents in today's world, Life360 is rapidly redefining the safety and security landscape. For more information, visit www.life360.com.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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SafetyWeb.com, helps protect kids from common online dangers

Forget spying - there's a smart new way for parents to keep tabs on their kids online.  I thought you might have interest in this new tech service. The new subscription service, SafetyWeb.com, helps protect kids from common online dangers like cyber-bullying and public profiles -- giving parents ultimate peace of mind. It automatically monitors a child's online activities and immediately red-flags for parents any and all potential threats to their child; without mom or dad having to monitor every post.

Here's how it works: SafetyWeb.com scours the internet (45+ social networks) for questionable activity, making parents aware of videos and photos their kids share publicly, cyber-bullying, potential internet addiction, when privacy settings are changed on social networking sites, and more. The service also goes a step further, helping parents keep tabs on their child's mobile calls and text messages!

www.SafetyWeb.com.

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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