I was recently chatting with a friend and she told me that they had just spent the weekend making their house safer. Of course my interest was roused — what did they do that I should be doing??

Well, first, they installed smoke and carbon dioxide detectors. I must admit that I was kind of shocked when I heard that they had only just installed them — they’ve been living in their flat for over 5 years and have 2 small children! (I mentally prided myself on having bought a smoke detector within a week of moving in our new rental house last year. And we don’t have gas in the house so a CO2 detector is not necessary.)
Secondly, my friend got a fire escape rope ladder as they are living in a fourth flour apartment (we are on the ground floor – check).
Step three: they bought a proper First Aid Kit. They even got one of those shiny silver emergency blankets! She didn’t have a clue what to use it for yet, but — step four — she would soon find out in the First Aid for children course she booked.
OK, impressive. That same evening I sat down and got an Ouch! Pouch, which includes the mysterious thermal blanket we discussed and a variety of other First Aid essentials (like bandages, plasters, alcohol pads etc.). I also got an Ouch! Box, which not only looks cool but is lockable, and will from now on hold all of the medications that thus far lived in an old shoebox. Plan B is to follow an online First Aid course; I followed an infant First Aid course when Sara (now 5) was a baby but I have forgotten lots of it.
So… How safe is your house? Do you have any more essential safety tips I should be thinking about?

xxx Esther