Watch out for flaming flower pots

 

Talk about scorched earth!

This summer, Wisconsin resident Ron Severson returned home from a weekend trip to discover his newly purchased begonia looking rather strange.  The plant was still alive, but the plastic flower pot that held the plant had melted, along with the plastic table underneath the pot. In fact, plastic had melted all the way down to the porch floor.

Thankful there wasn’t more damage but concerned that the cause may have been spontaneous combustion, Severson sent the melted glob to the state’s Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

"It was a mystery," said Jim Rabbitt, the department’s director of consumer protection. But not for long.  First, department investigators sifting through the ashes found what looked like a cigarette butt. The investigators decided to purchase bags of peat and potting soil and test the flammability of both by putting the products in separate pots and dropping a lighted cigarette on each pot. The result: "They caught on fire and smoldered for about an hour," said department spokesman Glen Loyd.  "There were never any flames but it was really smoking."

As a result, the department issued a consumer alert about the fire hazards of potted plants. One reason for the risk, the alert explained, is that there is little, if any soil, in commercial potted plants these days. "What you find is a mixture of peat and vermiculite. When peat is dry it burns easily," the alert said.

In a report from the city of Red Deer in Alberta, Canada, a potted plant fire lead to over $130,000 in damages. The fire apparently started when a cigarette was tossed in a peat-moss planter on the front porch. Red Deer has also issued a warning on its Web site, noting that many potting soil mixes on the market today contain flammable material such as shredded wood, bark and/or peat moss -- and little real dirt.  What can even make matters worse, the city notes, is that some potting soil mixtures may contain fertilizers which can accelerate fires.     

Fire prevention advocates and gardening experts, however, say the chances of such fires are extremely low. The National Fire Protection Association, a nonprofit group that keeps detailed data on fires, said it has no reports of fires caused by flaming flower pots.

Robert LaGasse, executive director of the Mulch and Soil Council, said he has only heard of a couple such incidents in the two decades he’s been in the business. If you let a flower pot "dry out enough and put something hot enough in it, it could ignite," LaGasse said. But, he added, generally, "a bunch of dead plants in the pot is not the objective of most gardeners."

Still, he said, the risk of fire is probably one more good reason not to smoke.  Besides, he added, "it’s rude and ugly" to throw a cigarette butt in mulch or a flower pot. At his house, he noted, such behavior could even be quite downright dangerous, considering the special care his wife has tendered on her plants. "If you put a cigarette butt in my wife’s plants, fire will be the least of your problems."

Time to fall back

Halloween's upon us, and that means more than last-minute dashes to the local party store and supermarket to pick up a costume and treats for neighborhood kids. The holiday also signals the end of daylight saving time (DST), when you set back your clocks. This year, DST will end as usual at 2 a.m. on the last Sunday of the month (Oct. 29), when you should turn back the clocks 1 hour.

When you're resetting your watches and clocks (don't forget the one in your car), use this annual event as a reminder to perform the tasks outlined below. They'll enhance safety for you and your family year-round.

Replace batteries in all smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms. Always use fresh batteries, not those you "borrow" from other equipment. And follow manufacturer's instructions to ensure that these essential devices are working properly. Also, replace any smoke alarm that's 10 or more years old and any CO alarm 5 or more years old with a new model. You'll find the manufacture date on the alarm. See our report on carbon-monoxide alarms and our exclusive interactive on smoke alarms for more information. (The CO report and Ratings are available to subscribers).

• Reset clocks on appliances and electronics. Some newer appliances and electronics are equipped with a microchip that automatically resets clock displays at the beginning and end of DST; check the owner's manual to determine which of yours do. You'll need to reset those that don't have a chip. To facilitate the process, make a list of all devices that you need to reset manually: clocks, TVs, DVDs players/VCRs, fax machines, cameras, and thermostats. (It's especially important to reprogram your thermostat so that the heat in your home doesn't switch on earlier than you intend.) Reset everything on the list in one session so that no appliance or electronic is forgotten.
• Drive safely. As it gets darker earlier, be extra alert for children and animals.
• Inspect vehicle lights. Inspect the entire lighting system in your car to ensure that all lights are working properly. Clean headlights and make sure they are correctly aligned according to the owner's manual.
• Update your family disaster plan. To respond properly to a natural disaster or other cataclysmic event, you need to have a plan in place and the necessary supplies on hand, and be prepared to act. See our free emergency guide to preparing for any storm or disaster.
• Check storage areas for hazardous materials. Properly dispose of any materials that are outdated, no longer used, or in poor condition. Make sure those you keep are out of the reach of kids or pets.

You can find some more tips on preparing for daylight saving time -- along with some information about what will happen next year when DST is extended by four extra weeks -- here.

Keep trick-or-treating fun and safe

This Halloween we hope any goblins that come to visit are benign. To keep the holiday fun but safe for all, here are some tips for both trick-or-treaters and their hosts:
For trick-or-treaters:

• Make sure a parent or responsible adult accompanies children under 12. Direct older children to always stay in a group.
• Check out costumes to make sure they are not so long that children will trip over them. Make sure any accessory -- a sword, cane, or stick, for example -- is not sharp or too long. Better still, leave these objects at home; they can easily cause injuries, especially eye injuries which are common on Halloween. More costume-safety tips are available here.
• Pin a piece of paper with the child’s name, address, and phone number inside a pocket in case the trick-or-treater gets lost or separated from the group.
• Give children a cell phone -- and show them how to use it -- in case of emergency.  (Some newer cell phones are designed specifically for kids; we reviewed one model earlier this year).
• Visit houses or apartments that are well-lit; and, of course, never enter a stranger’s home.

For homeowners:

• Clear porches and front yards of garden hoses, lawn decorations or anything a child could trip over.
• Sweep wet leaves from sidewalks and steps.
• Check outdoor lights and replace any burned-out bulbs.
• Monitor your outlets; don't overload them with holiday lights or special effects and make sure exit doors are not be blocked with decorations.
• Place jack-o-lanterns away from doorways and landings.

Bob and Judy Lambert: Making furniture safer for all

 

Some people are paralyzed by tragedy; others are mobilized by it. Bob and Judy Lambert fit the latter category -- and for that, consumers should be grateful.
In January 2005, the Lamberts were moving into a new house in a Philadelphia suburb.  Their 3-year-old daughter Katie wandered into a bedroom and discovered a large 6-foot-high, mirrored wardrobe that had been left behind by the previous owner. Suddenly, there was a large crash. Judy rushed in to find Katie crushed beneath the fallen wardrobe.  Being a nurse, she attempted CPR. Katie was rushed to the emergency room, but didn’t survive. 
Within weeks of Katie’s death, the Lamberts went into action. The Katie Elise Lambert Foundation Web site was created to help educate consumers about the dangers of furniture tipover.  As the Web site notes, an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 children are injured each year as the result of tipping furniture. One of the biggest problems is large TVs placed atop unsteady dressers, drawer chests and the like. Historically, about five children die annually from TV tipovers, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. But for the first seven months of 2006, there have already been 10 reported fatalities.
But their Web site is only one part of the Lamberts’ multi-faceted safety campaign. The couple has also urged their local legislators to seek laws requiring tougher safety standards for furniture. Their goal is to get mandatory anchoring devices and warning labels posted on all assembled and ready-to-assemble furniture and major appliances. Currently, all such restraints and warning labels are voluntary.
This summer, Pennsylvania approved a law creating a statewide task force to review state laws and regulations and suggest ways to reduce child deaths. The law was introduced by Democrat Rep. Josh Shapiro after he met with Lamberts. Meanwhile, in the U.S. Congress, U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-Pa.), is working on a bill that would require furniture to meet certain tipover standards and come with anchoring devices that can be used to safely secure furniture to walls.  The House bill  will also make ASTM International's furniture safety standard mandatory, once it has been strengthened to prevent tipovers.
Now, the Lamberts are part of the ASTM International subcommittee on Furniture Safety that is working to beef up the industry’s voluntary standards.  The Lamberts have been working with the subcommitteee to develop a revised standard, which specifies better test methods and stricter requirements for warning labels and anchoring devices. Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, is also on the subcommittee and has demonstrated the inadequacies of the current standard.  The revised standard will go to ballot soon. If consensus is reached among committee members, the standard will be published.  But consumer advocates like the Lamberts are outnumbered by furniture manufactures on this committee.  We expect that some manufacturers will try to stand in the way of affirming a revised standard.   
"Preventing any injuries and deaths to our children is our greatest hope," Bob Lambert said in an email. "No parent should ever have to watch their child die. No innocent life should be taken as the result of something so preventable."
What’s next for the Lamberts? A training video on how to properly tether furniture -- because many manufacturers are skeptical that consumers would install the tethering devices correctly even if they are provided with furniture.
Clearly, the Lamberts deserve to be singled out for this blog’s second "safety crusader" for their work in trying to make this world a lot safer for children.
Have a suggestion for other safety pioneers you’d like to see featured here? Let us know!

Sony recall: 3.4 million batteries

Includes 340,000 U.S. units from Sony, Gateway and others
As expected, Sony -- which made the batteries at the heart of recent recalls by Apple, Dell and other computer manufacturers -- has announced its own battery recall. The recall affects more than 3.4 million batteries, of which 340,000 were sold in the U.S. In addition to notebooks manufactured by Sony, the recall includes models from Gateway, Fujitsu and Toshiba, and includes computer models and batteries that were on the market as recently as this month.
What to do: If you own a laptop made by any of these manufacturers, the CPSC recommends that you check with the manufacturer to determine whether your battery is covered by the recall and to request a replacement battery. A full list of affected models, along with contact information for manufacturers, is available on the CPSC's Web site. Until a replacement battery arrives, consumers can continue to use their computer by turning off the system, removing the battery, and plugging in the AC adapter and power cord.
Regardless of manufacturer, here are some steps you can take to safely use any notebook computer powered by lithium-ion batteries:

• Avoid placing computer on a soft surface such as a bed, which prevents air from circulating beneath it and heat from dissipating.
• If your battery is exhausted, recharge it fully via the AC adapter before powering up the computer.
• Don't leave your laptop in direct sunlight or in the car.
• Purchase a battery that bears the name of a responsible manufacturer. That way, you're much more likely to learn about a potential safety hazard and recalls, and get satisfactory answers to your questions.
• Contrary to conventional wisdom, there's nothing wrong with leaving your laptop computer plugged in all the time. Nor is it inherently safer to run a computer on battery power than AC current.

Keep kids safe around water year-round

 

Summer's over. But that doesn't mean you can be complacent about water hazards. In fact, one third of all childhood drownings don't involve swimming pools but rather everyday products that are in or around homes such as bathtubs, buckets and other containers, toilets, hot tubs or spas, landscape or fish ponds and decorative fountains.

As a result, the Consumer Product Safety Commission recently issued a reminder to parents and caregivers: When it comes to children and water -- even if it's just a few inches -- always be on your guard. 

According to the CPSC, an average of about 280 children younger than five drown in swimming pools each year. Another 150 children drown at home, with bathtubs posing the biggest risk. For 2002, the latest year for complete data, the CPSC said 69 children younger than five drowned in bathtubs. Another nine deaths involved spas or hot tubs; six involved buckets, while toilets accounted for two drownings.

Four out of every five bathtub drownings happened when the child was left unattended in the tub, the CPSC said. There were six drownings even when the drains were left open in the tub. "The parent or caregiver assumed the open drain would prevent the bathtub from filling up and left the bathroom. When they returned, the drain was closed or clogged, the water had filled the bathtub and the child was submerged."

What the CPSC didn't mention in its data was how many bathtub drownings involved baby bath seats. For years, consumer groups, including Consumers Union (the publisher of Consumer Reports) have been calling for a ban on those devices, which are promoted as a tool that makes it easier to bathe babies. Consumer groups have argued that these seats give parents a false sense of safety and are thus an unreasonable risk. Parents, thinking babies are secure, are more prone to leave the baby alone even briefly or fill the tub with more water. The result is not a pleasant one: babies slip out or are entrapped and drowned. 

The CPSC's own data shows 96 deaths involving bath seats between 1983 and 2002; five of those occurred in 2002. The agency is now working with the industry to develop a voluntary safety standard to reduce tipovers and entrapment. But Consumers Union still thinks this product is a risk and should be banned. Our advice: parents should avoid baby bath seats altogether. Use a sink or a small bathing tub that holds only a small amount of water, cradling your infant throughout the bath. And bath seat or not, never turn your back on an infant in a bathtub. Our most recent report on bath seats is available here:

      Here's other advice from the  CPSC:

• First and foremost, never leave young children alone near any water. Young children can drown even in small amounts of liquid.
• Never leave a child alone for even a second in the bathtub; always keep the child within arm's reach, even when you have to answer the phone or grab a towel. And don't leave a baby or toddler in the tub under care of another young child.
• Keep toilet lids closed to prevent access to water. To keep younger children from opening the lids, consider using toilet clips. You may even want to use bathroom door latches, out of reach of young children of course, to keep youngsters out of bathrooms altogether.
• Never leave a bucket containing even a small amount of liquid unattended. After using a bucket, always empty and store it where children can't reach it. Buckets left outside can collect rainwater and are a hazard. Toddlers can fall headfirst into a 4- and 5-gallon bucket and drown.
• Secure safety covers and barriers to spas and hot tubs when not in use . Non-rigid covers (such as solar covers) do not provide protection from drowning; they can appear to be in place, even after children slip underneath them in to the water.
• And lastly, learn CPR. When seconds count, it could make the difference.

Mercury in tuna: two new reports miss the boat

Ask most people about the benefits of eating fish and they’re likely to opine on the virtues of the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oils that can help curb heart disease and cancer. Ask them about how to avoid risks from mercury in fish and you’re likely to get a range of answers, due in part to conflicting advice about how much tuna and other mercury-bearing species is safe to eat. Two new reports from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) acknowledge that consumers need better and more comprehensive fish consumption advice, but do little to clear up the confusion.

Both these reports fail to specifically address the unique risks of mercury posed to pregnant women and young children, especially in reference to tuna, relying on the same limited advice that FDA provides. The IOM report gives the same guidance for pregnant women, women of childbearing age and children up to 12 years of age: that it’s okay to have 6 ounces per week of albacore and up to 12 ounces of chunk light. The JAMA study refers only to the FDA and EPA advice, which Consumers Union believes does not go far enough.

"While we agree with the Journal of the American Medical Association and the Institute of Medicine that fish is an important source of protein and contains heart-protecting omega-3 fatty acids, we’re disappointed that neither of these reports takes into account the variations in mercury levels found in the cans of light and white tuna (albacore) sampled by the FDA nor the potential impact on the most vulnerable populations," says Jean Halloran, Director of Food Safety Initiatives for Consumers Union, nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports. Levels in some of the canned tuna samples tested by FDA (posted on their website http://www.cfsan.fda.gov) contained mercury levels that were very high --in a few cases as high as levels found in some of the fish that these organizations say women of childbearing age should totally avoid, such as king mackerel.

CU is also concerned that both reports downplay risks associated with PCB levels, which can be higher in some species than others. For example, a study published in the Jan. 9, 2004, issue of Science found that farmed salmon had more dioxins and PCBs than wild. The most-contaminated fish came from Europe; farmed salmon from North and South America were somewhat cleaner but still not as clean as wild salmon.

In light of these new studies, Consumers Union is reinforcing its advice that pregnant women take the precautionary measure to avoid canned tuna and that young children minimize exposure. This precaution is further bolstered by another recent study, published online in September in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, which found that pregnant women who had pre-term births (prior to 35 weeks) were more likely than women delivering at term to have mercury levels (measured in hair) at or above the 90th percentile of the women included in the study.

Consumers Union also offers the following fish consumption advice:

• Pregnant women should avoid all tuna.
• Pregnant women and women of childbearing age should choose fish that are lower in PCBs (i.e. choose wild caught or canned salmon over farm-raised salmon).
• Young children up to 45 pounds should, depending on their weight, only eat about one-half to one 6-ounce can (roughly 4.5 ounces drained) of chunk-light tuna per week, or up to one-third of a can of solid-light or white-tuna.

For more information, read our the full articles on mercury in tuna and  farmed and wild-caught salmon.

The offset factor: Auto safety features encourage dangerous driving -- fact or fiction?

Does the installation of safety devices -- such as airbags or anti-lock braking systems (ABS) -- encourage consumers to take greater risks?

Fred Mannering, a civil engineering professor at Purdue University, thinks so. In a research paper analyzing five years of Washington state motor vehicle data, Mannering and two coauthors say that airbags and anti-lock braking systems do not reduce the likelihood of accidents or injuries because they may lead to more aggressive driving. (The lead author was Clifford Winston, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution; the third coauthor was Vikram Maheshri, a doctoral student at the University of California, Berkeley.)

The concept is called the "offset hypothesis," and it's been studied by researchers since at least the early 1970s. According to this theory, consumers adapt to safety innovations by becoming less vigilant about safety -- essentially developing "offsetting" behaviors that undermine, at least in part, the efficacy of the safety features. As Purdue ‘s press release says: "Claims of safety benefits for airbags and antilock brakes assume that motorists drive the same way regardless of whether their cars are equipped with the safety features."   

But, Mannering said, "if you drive a car without these safety features and then you get behind the wheel of a newer car, you see the difference immediately." Mannering should know; he owns a vintage MG sports car and a newer vehicle equipped with many of the latest safety technologies. "The contrast is dramatic. When I'm driving the MG, I definitely make a special effort not to tailgate or accelerate quickly when roads are slick because I don't have the antilock brakes, traction control and the other advanced safety features of the newer car."

David Champion, director of Consumers Union's Auto Test Center, is skeptical about the report. "We have seen studies like this where ABS has not been shown to reduce crashes and deaths. We believe this is due to drivers not being used to ABS and not pushing hard enough on the brake pedal to get the best effect from the ABS system. Auto manufacturers have started using a system that senses when the brakes are being applied in an emergency situation and applies more pressure to the system than the drivers foot is applying. Mercedes and Lexus call this ‘Brake Assist.' It may be that most of the driving public learned to drive in non-ABS equipped vehicles and find it very difficult to unlearn panic-braking techniques in emergency situations. I do not believe that drivers drive faster with airbags and ABS-equipped vehicles, but they may drive faster in modern cars that are quieter, more powerful and comfortable, and easier to drive at faster speeds. The perceived speed in an old MG at 50 miles per hour would probably feel like over 100 mph in a modern Honda Accord."

If there's a lesson to be learned, both from Mannering's research and from Champion's observations, it's that safety features work best when they're used properly by drivers to protect themselves against unforeseen circumstances -- and not as crutches to help enable unsafe behaviors.

 What are your thoughts? Please share them with us.

Are microwave ovens dangerous?

Test your knowledge and learn the truth.

A Web search of urban-legend purveyors reveals a treasure trove of rumors and myths related to microwave ovens. Have you heard the one about the elderly woman nuking her just-bathed pet in order to dry it? But other stories go beyond the bizarre and probably have you questioning how healthy it is to cook with one of these omnipresent appliances. One oft-told tale, for instance, details the perils of microwaving food in plastic containers. Given the likelihood that you have a microwave in your home -- 14 million microwave ovens were shipped in 2005 alone, 15.5 million in 2004 -- and with the freak-out potential of all this Internet innuendo, it's understandable that you might have questions about the alleged impact that microwaves have on your health. We've cut through the clutter for you in our microwave safety quiz. After you get the lowdown, be sure to read our microwaves report. You'll get expert buying advice as well as Ratings (available to subscribers) of the latest models. And look for our upcoming report on microwaves in the February 2007 issue of Consumer Reports. Click here to take the quiz.

How to safely carve a pumpkin

Pumpkin carving, that beloved family ritual, can turn as nasty as the goblins lurking outside if you're not careful, particularly if you let children carve or use the wrong tools. We informally tested several pumpkin-carving kits and found that they can reduce the risk of getting cut. The pumpkin-carving kits we evaluated -- which ran from about $6 to $15 -- eased some of our concerns. They contained tools that can saw through rind, poke holes, or scoop out the innards. One advantage of the sawlike tools is that they're not razor-sharp, unlike many knives. Although various tools broke in our tests, the sawlike ones were judged less likely than regular knives to cause serious cuts to your hand. You can find more information and some general tips on pumpkin carving here. Our top tip: keep all pumpkin-carving tools away from kids. If you want them to participate, let them draw a face on the pumpkin and help scoop out the innards. Then leave the carving to adults.
Update: One pumpkin-carving kit you'll want to avoid is the Mr. Potato Head version sold by Target (which includes Mr. Potato Head “Make a Monster Pumpkin," Mr. Potato Head “Make a Fireman Pumpkin” and Mrs. Potato Head “Make a Diva Pumpkin”). The kits were recently recalled after it was determined that they contain small parts that pose a choking hazard to young children. More info from the CPSC is available here.

Halloween costume tips: Keep them scary -- and safe

With less than a month to go until Halloween, chances are you've already begun planning your child's costume. However, before buying that long wizard's cape or putting together that clever homemade mummy outfit, take some time to think about safety. After all, the leading danger on Halloween isn't tainted candy; it's the risk of tiny pedestrians falling over their costumes -- or getting hit by cars that fail to see them in their dark cloaks and gowns. Costume flammability is also an issue: Jack-o-lanterns, candles and other flickering flames may add to the eerie spirit of the night, but they also pose a major risk to young revelers. Follow these tips as you make your plans -- and watch this space in the coming weeks for more tips for safe trick-or-treating.

1. Carefully consider the costume's flammability and opt for material that won't easily go up in flames. In other words, if you want to be a mummy, don't use toilet paper, paper towels or gauze. Other fire hazards include big, baggy sleeves, trailing cloaks and billowing skirts. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends purchasing costumes, beards, masks, and wigs that have the "Flame Resistant" label.
2. Make sure the costume is short enough so children won’t trip and fall.
3. Don't overlook the shoes; they should be sturdy and fit well. Mom's high heels may look great but if they're wobbly and unsteady -- in other words, easy to trip over -- consider something more well-grounded.
4. Wear light-colored or bright garments to be visible to motorists.
5. If a sword, cane, or stick is part of a costume, make sure it is not sharp or too long. Better yet: skip the sticks entirely. These accessories can easily cause injuries -- including serious eye injuries.
6. Use facial make-up, instead of masks, to keep vision unobstructed.
7. Decorate or trim the costume -- and accessories, including trick-or-treat bags or sacks as well -- with reflective tape that will glow in the beam of a car’s headlights.
8. Make a flashlight part of the costume -- to help trick-or-treaters see easily as well as aid them in being seen.

Pool safety bill treading water

n this era of extreme partisan politics, we are happy to cite an issue -- a product-safety issue, no less -- that has brought  Republicans and Democrats together.

Last week, the Senate Commerce Committee unanimously approved a bill to reduce the risks of drowning and entrapment in swimming pools and spas. The measure was prompted in large part by the tragic death of Virginia Graeme Baker, the granddaughter of former Secretary of State James Baker. The young Baker died four years ago at the age of seven after becoming entrapped in a spa drain; it took several adults to help pry her free from the force of the drain; unfortunately, they were not in time to save her.

The bill approved last week requires anti-entrapment drain covers on all pools and spas. It also creates incentive grants to states that pass laws requiring safeguards to prevent drowning, drain entrapment and entanglement in swimming pools and spas.

Drowning remains the leading cause of accidental death among children ages one to four, according to Safe Kids Worldwide, a nonprofit group that has been pushing for the legislation. In congressional testimony last spring, the CPSC said it was aware of 74 cases of body entrapment, including 13 deaths between 1990 and 2004. These deaths were the result of drowning after the body, or a limb, was held against a drain by the suction of the circulation pump. CPSC said it also knew of 43 incidents of hair entanglement in pools, spas and hot tubs between 1990 and 2004.  Twelve of these incidents resulted in drowning deaths as a result of hair becoming entangled in drain grates.

Although the measure has bipartisan support, it has to overcome some strong currents if it is to be passed this year. The Senate left for its election recess last week without taking up the measure. And it's unclear if it will be considered if Congress returns for a lame-duck session. If so, "it's possible that the bill could be taken up at that time -- or reintroduced next year," said David Snepp, spokesman for Sen. George Allen (R-Va.), the bill's sponsor.   

Although horrific, drain entrapment occurs rarely compared to drowning of unsupervised children falling into a pool. Though CU supports the legislation that requires safer pool and spa drains, even more deaths could be prevented if all pools and spas were required to have recommended layers of protection, including a 48" nonclimbable fence with a self-closing, self-latching lockable gate, a pool safety cover, and an effective pool alarm.   

Meanwhile, parents and caretakers also need to be vigilant about other water hazards around the home. More on that next week.