Follow these tips to keep your children safe as they love to hunt for eggs and other treats left for them by the Easter Bunny:

• Make sure that lawns are cut
• Remove any piles of vegetation and wood where reptiles could hide
• Discard stagnant water, especially after rain, to decrease drowning risks
• Wear long shirts and pants to help avoid being bitten by insects and, if appropriate use insect repellent on any exposed skin.

Enjoy the time outdoors with family as you forage and gather in the backyard together!

A recent report from CHOICE reveals that many common household items that use button batteries did not pass a safety test.    Button batteries are found in more and more items and safety regulations have not been established to keep up with the amount on the market.  While children’s toys that contain button batteries must follow strict regulations, other items do not.

CHOICE conducted a test using the voluntary standard for button battery safety and found that over half of tested produced failed the test. 

CHOICE and other organisations are calling for regulations that decrease the potential for children accessing these batteries such as improved labelling, better packaging and redesigning products so that battery compartments are more protected. 

Image source:  Kidsafe SA

Showbags can provide entertainment for children of all ages, but be sure to check the contents of all showbags for button batteries. Fair Trading NSW recently announced that their investigators found no dangerous items for sale in any of the show bags at this year’s Royal Easter Show.  

Some of the items that can be found at local agricultural shows can contain button batteries. They are about the size of a 10 cent piece and can be found in many children’s toys, games, torches, musical greeting cards and calculators.  These batteries are flat and can be harmful if swallowed by a child as they can cause a burn in the oesophagus or stomach.

Safety tips:

• Keep button batteries and devices out of sight and out of reach of small children
• Examine devices and make sure the battery compartment is secure
• Dispose of or recycle used button batteries immediately, click here to find a battery disposal centre near you
• Tell others about the risk associated with button batteries and how to keep their children safe
• If you suspect a child has swallowed a button battery, immediately call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 or go to a hospital emergency room - do not let the child eat or drink and do not induce vomiting.

Source:  Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) with Kidafe

Smoke alarms save lives and under NSW law a smoke alarm is required in every house, dwelling or caravan. Remember to remind your friends and family and help out those such as elderly friends and relatives, who might need assistance with changing the batteries.

Follow these tips to keep your family safe:

• Test smoke alarms every month to ensure that the battery and the alarm are working
• Replace removable alkaline battery-type smoke alarms once a year. Smoke alarms that use a lithium battery do not need replacing annually. 
• Replace all smoke alarms with a new unit every 10 years. Smoke alarms do not last forever – the sensitivity in all smoke alarms will reduce over time.
• A short beep approximately every 60 seconds, is to alert you that the battery power is low and the battery needs replacing. See the manufacturer’s specifications for instructions.  If you have misplaced the instructions, these can often be found online.

For more information on smoke alarms visit Fire and Rescue NSW

Look for the NSW Driver Reviver sites to pull over, get a free cuppa and biscuit. This allows the driver time to stop and take a break from the road and the kids can run off some energy!  The Driver Reviver sites only operate during school holidays.  Find the Driver Reviver sites here. 

Also, with a change in routine during school holidays, a possible concern is that children might accidentally be left unsupervised, particularly in hot cars.  Always take children with you any time you leave the car.

Other tips to keep your children safe while travelling include:

• Providing plenty of cool fluids, preferably water, for all occupants in the car when travelling in hot weather
• Having children in lighter weight clothing, so they don’t overheat
• Talking about driveway safety to your children, especially if staying in new places such as a caravan park or relative’s house

For more information about keeping children safe while on and near roads, check out A Parent’s Guide to Kidsafe Roads.

Using child-sized crash test dummies, new research from NeuRA has shown a potential safety benefit in using plastic chest clips on child car restraints, reducing the risk of serious injury in a crash.

Watch this video for more information!  

Content source:  Transurban Road Safety Centre at NeuRA

The Child Restraint Evaluation Program (CREP) recently released results for child car seats.  While all car seats in Australia must meet strict standards, some are found to be easier to install and use, which could reduce the chance of installing or using the seat incorrectly.

Top tips to keep children safe in child car seats:

• Use a rear-facing car seat from birth to about 6-12 months
• Use a forward-facing seat with an inbuilt harness from 6-12 months to at least 4 years
• Use a booster seat with an adult seat belt from 4 years to at least 7 years

Remember to look for the shoulder height markers to know when to move your child to the next type of car seat!

For more information about choosing the correct child car seat for your child’s age and size, check out Seat Me Safely!

A fun part of camping can be huddled around the campfire for cooking, conversation and warmth!  Campfires can also be a potential hazard for children. 

It is important to always completely put out a campfire with water, not sand or dirt.  If covered with dirt or sand, heat can be retained for hours, resulting in severe burns on feet if walked upon.

Should a burn occur, the best first aid is cool running water for a full 20 minutes.  If the burn is bigger than 3cm, see your doctor, or go to the nearest hospital. 

Check out The Cool Runnings video now!

To find out more about The Cool Runnings burn prevention and first aid campaign and to download the app click here.  

Image Source:  The Cool Runnings

The pleasant autumn weather means that many people are still taking the opportunity to spend their leisure time on the water — rivers, lakes and the ocean.

NSW laws require all boats to carry  lifejackets which are the appropriate size and type for each person on board. All lifejackets must meet the Australian Standard and need to be placed in a location which allows for easy access.

Any child under the age of 12 must wear a lifejacket in a boat less than 4.8m long.  If they are in a boat that is 4.8m to 8m long, they must wear one if the boat is in motion. 

Supervision on and around water is critical to ensuring the safety of people using our waterways.

Click here for more information from  Transport for NSW. and Royal Life Saving Society Australia