Furniture in the home can be hazardous to
young children. Sharp edges and corners, unstable
furniture, and heavy items on top of furniture can all create
unsafe environments for curious infants, toddlers, and young
children. It is estimated that 8,000-10,000 children are
injured every year in furniture tip-over accidents.
There are many steps that you can take to help
prevent injuries to children due to furniture:
Remove any glass-top coffee tables, end
tables, etc. Children have fallen into these types
of tables and been severely injured.
Install drawer
latches on all dresser and bureau drawers to prevent
climbing.
Install anti-tip
furniture straps or brackets into studs in the wall to
all dressers, armoires, bookcases/bureaus, entertainment
centers, etc. to help prevent tipping.
Remove heavy equipment from table tops to
prevent equipment from toppling onto children. Heavy
equipment can also be strapped to table tops and
entertainment centers with Safety
Locking Straps.
Remove toys, trinkets, etc. from table
tops to prevent children from trying to climb to reach
these items.
Katie Elise Lambert was born one beautiful hot
summer day, July 30th, 2001. She was an incredible gift from
God with bright brown eyes and soft silky brown hair. From day
one, her contagious smile and loving personality infected all
those around her. Sadly and suddenly, on January 21, 2005, our
precious angel Katie was taken from us when a large wardrobe
cabinet fell on top of her. Her untimely and cruel death have
left us incomplete. Katie has left behind two older brothers,
two grieving parents and countless others whose lives have
been changed forever.
The creation of the Katie Elise
Lambert website has been established for two reasons:
to educate the public on the potential hazard of falling
furniture;
to help ensure and protect the safety of all children both
inside and outside the home.
Mission
The
Katie Elise Lambert Foundation was established to protect
children by increasing the awareness to parents of the hidden
dangers that present themselves in everyone's home. Too
many injuries and deaths are caused each year from fallen
furniture and inproperly secured major appliances.
In
memory of Katie, the Foundation looks in the immediate future
to accomplish parental awareness through information available
on this web site and its attachments.
We
are asking pediatricians as part of their well baby and well
child annual visits to discuss with parents the dangers of
unsecured furniture and appliances and review proper steps to
be taken to remove this danger in their homes.
Have
laws created which would make it mandatory that warning labels
be applied to all assembled and ready to assemble(RTA)
furnitures including major appliances.
Currently all such labels are voluntary.
"Ensuring the safety of all
children through Katie's Love"
This
is our mission statement. Safety of all children also
includes playgrounds, daycares, schools, and
proper childproofing of all homes.
We
will continue asking your help not only today but in the
future whether with donations, suggestions or your thoughts
and prayers. If we can save one child today just
imagine what we can accomplish in the future.
to educate the public on the potential hazard of falling
furniture;
