June 7, 2017
EDMONTON – It’s Child Safety Week and Alberta Health Services (AHS) is reminding Albertans of the potential hazards that open windows and balcony doors can pose to children.
Every year, AHS Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responds to child injury calls related to falls from windows and balconies. Last year, 175 children across Alberta were brought to an emergency department due to window and balcony fall-related injuries, and 20 of them required hospitalization. In the first four months of this year, 23 children in Alberta were brought to an emergency department due to these injuries, one of whom was hospitalized.
To reduce your child’s risk, always try to take these simple precautions, both in your own home and at any home you’re visiting or vacationing at:
Direct supervision of children is the most effective way to prevent falls and other childhood injuries. For more information on household safety for children and other important injury prevention topics, visit ahs.ca/injuryprevention.
Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.
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For media inquiries, contact:
Kirsten Goruk
AHS Communications
780.613.8823