NEWPORT — Every two weeks a child is killed in a TV, furniture or appliance tip-over incident. Every 30 minutes, or less than the length of a Sesame Street episode, a child visits the Emergency Room due to a TV or piece of furniture falling onto them.
North Country Hospital understands the severity of this hidden and often unnoticed household threat to children. NCH is pleased to announce that they have become the first Vermont hospital to partner with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s Anchor It! campaign with the goal of raising awareness for preventing tip-over incidents.
The Anchor It! campaign, launched in June 2015, is a national public education campaign designed to help prevent TV and furniture tip-overs from killing and seriously injuring children.
According to recent CPSC research, 67 percent of children injured by TV tip-overs are five years old or younger and 46 percent of tip-over fatalities occur in a bedroom.
North Country Hospital will work with the campaign as an Anchor It! partner in the Northeast Kingdom to draw attention to these important stats, among others.
“Parents wouldn’t imagine putting a child in a car without a car seat, or letting them ride a bike without a helmet, so let’s also take the necessary and simple precautions of securely anchoring furniture and TVs to the wall,” Beth Barnes, Community Outreach Specialist and member of the Safe Kids Vermont coalition, said.
