When was the last time you changed the batteries in your smoke detector? According to the International Association of Fire Chiefs, homeowners should change their smoke detector batteries every time they reset their household clocks to standard time (the last Sunday of October).

For more information please visit
Change Your Batteries

Could You Have Diabetes and Not Know It?

Approximately 12,000 seniors, living in Columbus, don't know that they have diabetes or pre-diabetes. Getting checked for diabetes is very important, for both detection and prevention.
 
So, the next time you see your physician, ask about Medicare's free diabetes test. Click here for a brochure.

Firefighters are at risk of asbestos exposure because of its frequent use in older structures and its ability to linger in the air even after a fire has been extinguished. Repeated exposure over time, can lead to serious health problems including mesothelioma and other cancers.

For more information please Visit
http://www.mesotheliomaweb.org/firesection1.htm

Juvenile Firesetter Program

Juvenile firesetting has been identified as the fastest growing fire threat in the United States. Annual statistics show that more than 300 people are killed, and nearly $300 million dollars in property is destroyed by fires set by children. More than 30-percent of the victims are the children themselves.

For more information please visit
Burn Institute Juvenile Program

About High Blood Pressure (HBP)

Arm yourself with the knowledge you need. By keeping your numbers low, you are protecting yourself and those you love from the "silent killer's" serious consequences.

For more information please visit
American Heart Association

Teach Children Fire Escape Plans

Thousands of children, fire-drill trained by their teachers, escape unharmed from burning school buildings every year. Little brothers and sisters need the same kind of training at home. In fact, the whole family should have an escape plan and practice leaving the house quickly and safely - just in case.
 
For more information please visit.
Click here for more information.

Why is Bicycle Safety So Important?

Bike riding is a lot of fun, but accidents happen. Every year, about 300,000 kids go to the Emergency Room because of bike injuries. Some of these injuries are so serious that children die, usually from head injuries.
 
For more information please visit.
www.kidshealth.org/kid/watch/out/bike_safety.html.

Water Can Be Dangerous to Your Kids!

In the pool, at the beach or even in your bathroom, water can be dangerous to your kids if you don’t take the right precautions. Drowning can happen any time of year, but parents need to be particularly vigilant during warmer months, when the number of drownings skyrockets.
 
For more information please visit.
www.safekids.org/.

Child Proofing Your Home

Accidents happen. And with a child in the house, whether a newborn or an adolescent, accidents can happen all too easily and sometimes with terrible consequences. Most parents believe their home to be safe for their children but the statistics suggest that most homes aren't as safe as they could be. Explore our "child-proof" house below to find the many hazards that could exist in your home and how to minimize the risks to your family.
 
For more information visit.
www.health.discovery.com/tools/childproof/childproof.html.

Healthy Lifestyle

Better lifestyle habits can help you reduce your risk for heart attack. Click here to learn what you can do to help prevent heart disease and stroke. This information is provided by the American Heart Association.
 

Stroke

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that brings oxygen and nutrients to the brain either bursts (hemorrhagic stroke) or is clogged by a blood clot or some other mass (ischemic stroke). For more information please visit the American Heart Association: Stroke web page.

How many times have you seen destroyed homes on the news after a tornado or a hurricane has made landfall and said, "That won't happen to my home."? Well, the picture to the left is of a Columbus home after a tornado in 2007. Some things are out of our control, but we can take simple steps to be more prepared for natural disaster emergencies.
                            http://www.Ready.GA.Gov/
For a disaster recovery checklist and plan, please visit
www.Ready.gov

How many times each day do you travel with your child in the car, van, or truck? Even though you may be a good driver, each trip you take carries the possibility of a car crash. Car crashes account for the largest number of accidental injuries and deaths in our children.

For more information please visit
Columbus Health SafeKids Website