• Make sure your child knows his/her name, address and telephone number.
• Show your child how to dial 9-1-1. Advise them how important it is not to play with this system as it could mean life or death to someone else that needs help.
• Establish a code word with your child for situations when your child has to be picked up by someone other than a parent or regular caregiver.
• Teach your child that if something feels weird it probably is. Regularly remind them they can talk to you about anything.
• Keep a close eye on your child when in a public area, especially when it is very crowded.
• Remind your child if they become lost in a store to find a store clerk or a police officer and wait with that person until you or the police show up. Also teach them that they should not go with anyone that offers to take them to their parents unless it’s an uniformed police officer.
• Make sure your child knows never to talk to strangers.
• Your child should never approach a car for any reason, unless you give them permission.
• Sometimes adults ask children for directions. Remind your child that no adult should ever ask a child for directions or anything else.
• Some children come home from school alone for many reasons. Make sure your child has all the rules for being home alone.
• Make sure your child knows to come straight home, and not stop to play unless you know where they are.
• Never leave the key to your home in a place that can be seen by others.
• Make sure your child knows after entering to lock the door behind him/her.
• Do not open the door to anyone. Not even a little bit.

1. Delivery people can leave packages by the front door.
2. Have a checklist for your child of emergency telephone numbers of whom to call and when.

• Make sure your child knows what to say or do if the phone rings. Sometimes it is scary for a child if the phone continues to ring.
• Remind your child to never advise the caller that they are home alone. They can always advise the caller you are in the shower or busy and to call back later.

1. The pool should have perimeter fencing.
2. The fence should be at least 5 feet high.
3. No vertical opening in the fence should be more than 4 inches wide.
4. Young children cannot climb the fence.
5. The fence should allow a clear view of the pool from the house.
6. Don’t place chairs and tables or other objects near the pool fence. Children can use these to climb over the fence. Better yet, place outdoor furniture inside the locked fence where it will be inaccessible to children.

1. The gates should be self-closing.
2. The gates should have self-latching mechanisms in proper working order.
3. The gates’ latching mechanisms should be out of the reach of children.

1. All locks should be installed at least 5 feet above the floor.
2. All exit doors and windows from the house to the pool and pool area should be kept locked at all times and the key should be kept well out of the reach of children.
3. Attach hook and eye locks at the top of exterior doors. These help prevent children from going out "locked" doors.
4. Lock the pet doors as well. Small children can easily fit through the small opening of a pet door.

Encourage your neighbors to help you by keeping their gates and doors locked to their pool and pool area.

Pool covers

1. Always remove pool covers completely when the pool is in use.
2. Always remove standing water from pool covers.
3. Empty water from wading pools when not in use; a child can drown in as little as two inches of water.

Remove steps leading to an aboveground pool when the pool is not in use.

Supervision

1. Never leave a child unattended in the water or pool area for any reason.
2. Don’t allow children to play in the pool area.
3. Always keep your eyes on your children. Designate an adult to always supervise the pool when children are swimming.
4. Talk with baby-sitters about pool safety, supervision and drowning prevention tips.
5. Don’t rely on swimming lessons or floatation devices to protect your children in the water.
6. Keep lifesaving equipment, such as a pole, life preserver and rope in the pool area.
7. Post rules such as "No Running," "No Pushing" and enforce these rules.
8. Don’t assume that drowning accidents couldn’t happen to you or your family.