Spring Clean Safely

By Weston District Fire Chief Todd Draizin

Spring is in full swing! Now is a great time for spring cleaning. Following a few simple safety strategies can help you and your family stay safe during their spring-cleaning efforts.

Unlike some popular clothing brands, cleaning chemicals are not “mix and match.” If your spring-cleaning efforts include household cleaning products, be sure to read labels to ensure all products are being used safely. Following a few safety tips can help prevent accidental exposure to potentially poisonous substances. Keeping household cleaning products in their original containers will ensure the chemicals and containers are compatible and easily identifiable. Chemicals can react differently to alternate containers. Storing cleaning products in containers not approved by the manufacturer could cause an unwanted reaction. Store cleaning products away from food items. Manufacturers want their products to be brightly packaged and often look similar to the grocery items. Those of you who saw the movie Nine to Five may recall the scene where the rodent poison was packaged similarly to the Skinny and Sweet sugar substitute. Lastly, install child-resistant latches on cabinets where non-food products are stored to avoid accidental exposure to potentially poisonous substances.

If accidental exposure to a potentially toxic substance does occur, call 9-1-1 first, then contact the Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222). The Poison Control Center provides 24-hour immediate access to doctors, nurses, and pharmacists for all poison exposures. To safely dispose of household hazardous waste items (i.e., household cleaners, lighter fluid, paint, fireworks, gasoline, propane tanks, etc.), consider dropping them off at one of the many drop-off sites throughout Broward County. Please visit Broward County’s Waste Disposal website for a complete list of dropoff locations and items accepted. Please visit Broward County’s Waste Disposal website at https://www.broward.org/ WasteAndRecycling/WasteDisposal/Pages/ HouseholdHazardousWaste.aspx.

Speaking of safety, April is a great month to review your family’s water safety plan as the temperature warms up. Drowning is the leading cause of death for children under age 4. Free swim lessons are available for children ages six (6) months to four (4) years old by visiting https://watersmartbroward.org/ and downloading the free coupon to enroll their child in the SWIM Central program. Following these few simple tips can help ensure that people of all ages stay safe in and around the water. Children should always be “actively” supervised while in the water. Older teens and adults are encouraged to swim with a friend or a swimming partner to ensure someone is there to help if an emergency arises.

If you venture to the beach, stay close to a lifeguard tower and be sure to follow directions given by lifeguards. While boating, make sure all occupants have a personal flotation device or life jacket available for use in the event of an emergency. For more information on how to keep yourself and your family safe in and around the water, join us for one of our virtual education presentations, “Safety in and Around the Water,” on April 8th at 7:00 pm or April 20th at 10:00 am. A special “Teen Water Safety” presentation will also be held on April 15th at 3:00 pm. All classes are free, and registration is available at https:// BSOFireRescuePublicEducation.as.me/.

⊲ For more information, please contact District

Chief Todd Draizin at Weston Fire Station #81 at 954-389-2015 or by email at

Todd_Draizin@Sheriff.org.