Winter Safety Tips
Simple Rules for Safer Winter Sports
Sledding
Know your child's sledding abilities and help your child remember to:
- Sit face-forward (never head first or standing)
- Go down the hill one at a time, one person per sled
- Roll off a sled that won't stop
- Never ride a sled being pulled by a moving vehicle
- Avoid inflatable inner tubes or sled substitutes such as trays, cardboard boxes, or automobile hoods – they are hard to steer, stop, and secure; steerable, wooden sleds are preferred
Find a safe spot to sled:
- Choose a hill with a manageable slope and a long path
- Avoid slopes that end in a street, parking lot, pond or other hazards
- Sled in the daylight when visibility is good
Dress appropriately:
- Wear a helmet (No specific sledding helmet is
available, so wear a properly fitted helmet designed for higher impact) - Know the outside temperature – it can be too
cold to sled
Supervise your child:
- Children under 12 years of age should be actively watched
- Children under 5 years of age should have an
adult sled with them
Skiing/Snowboarding
Supervise children on the slopes. Know your child's sledding abilities, and limit snowboarding to children at least 7 years old. Help your child remember to:
- Take a lesson for the first time down a hill
- Wear a helmet to help prevent significant head injuries
- Wear wrist guards for snowboarding
- Use a snowboard no higher than the child's nose
Beware of Frostbite
- Wear sensible clothing for winter (hats, mittens, waterproof clothes and footwear)
- Clothes should be dry. If wet, change them
- Use sunscreen and lip balm on sunny days
Winter Home Safety
As the days get colder, be sure your home heating systems keep you both warm and safe with these tips:
- Keep children and pets away from space heaters
- Use only kerosene in a kerosene heater; never use gasoline
- Keep a window open when using a kerosene heater
- Be sure the fireplace flue is open before lighting a fire in the grate
- Install a carbon monoxide detector on each floor of your home
