Safety

In this section, find out about:
● Poison Control & Environmental Safety
● Car Seat Safety
● Child Care Safety
● Bicycle Safety
● Gun Safety
● Internet Safety
● Consumer Safety

● POISON CONTROL & ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY ●
Central Ohio Poison Center
Provides state-of-the-art poison prevention, treatment and information. They handle more than 40,000 calls annually, are available 24 hours a day and offer free, confidential advice.
Nationwide Children’s Hospital
700 Children’s Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43205
(800) 222-1222
- www.nationwidechildrens.org
Central Ohio Trauma System Smoke Alarms
Helps people find agencies in their community that will help them obtain a free smoke alarm. Click for the smoke alarm guide to find out eligibility and who to contact in your area.
431 East Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215
(614) 240-7410
- www.goodhealthcolumbus.org
Columbus Fire Department Smoke Detector Hotline
Call the hotline for a free smoke detector, battery and installation.
3675 Parsons Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43207
(614) 724-0935
- http://fire.ci.columbus.oh.us
Columbus Public Health Healthy Homes Program
Provides assistance and advice regarding indoor air quality, allergy and asthma control, mold, pests, lead poisoning prevention and creating a safe home environment.
240 Parsons Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43215
(614) 645-8191
- http://publichealth.columbus.gov
Columbus Public Health Lead Poisoning Prevention Program
Free lead testing for children ages 6 months to 6 years in the Columbus and Worthington areas. Also offers lead inspections for homes and HEPA vacuum loan for lead hazard clean-up.
240 Parsons Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43215
(614) 645-5315
- http://publichealth.columbus.gov
Franklin County Board of Health Community Health Services
The community environmental services team can inspect public pools, housing conditions, animal bites, mosquitoes, rats and much more. Report lost animals and find out about low-cost vaccines for pets.
280 East Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215
(614) 462-3160
- www.franklincountyohio.gov/board_of_health
Franklin County Board of Health Mercury Thermometer Exchange Program
Trade in your mercury thermometer, thermostat, blood pressure cuff or other mercury-containing device for a free digital thermometer.
280 East Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215
(614) 462-3948
- www.franklincountyohio.gov/board_of_health
Franklin County Board of Health Radon Testing
Indoor radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer (and the leading cause among non-smokers). The Franklin County Board of Health can provide a limited number of free radon test kits to Franklin County residents.
280 East Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215
(614) 462-3859
- www.franklincountyohio.gov/board_of_health
Ohio Department of Health Lead Poisoning Prevention Program
Provides lead poisoning prevention programs throughout Ohio. Ohio residents can borrow vacuum cleaners to help free their homes of lead dust.
246 North High Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215
(877) 668-5323
- www.odh.ohio.gov
● CAR SEAT SAFETY ●
Car Seat Inspection Sites
The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration has identified places where car seats may be checked to assure correct installation. A list is provided online.
- www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cps/cpsfitting/index.cfm
Columbus Public Health Childhood Injury Prevention Program
Provides reduced-cost car seats to families in need, free car seat checks at fitting stations throughout Columbus, and safety inspections of childcare homes. Programs are offered to Franklin County residents. Parents are required to attend a one-hour class and can receive a seat for around $20-$30. Seats are available for infants older than 3 months or more than 15 pounds. Check their event schedule online.
240 Parsons Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43215
(614) 645-7748
- http://publichealth.columbus.gov
Franklin County Board of Health Child Safety Seat Program
Offers a limited number of free car seats available to low-income parents who attend a one-hour class.
280 East Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215
(614) 462-6668
- www.co.franklin.oh.us/board_of_health/carseat.htm
Ohio Department of Health Ohio Buckles Buckeyes Program
Provides free car seats to low-income families throughout Ohio. Families must attend an educational class. The program is designed for families with babies and small children who have outgrown their infant seat.
246 North High Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215
(800) 755-4769
- www.odh.ohio.gov
Safe Kids Central Ohio & Columbus Health Department
Safe Kids Central Ohio and Columbus Public Health have teamed up to offer child safety and car seat classes. Car seat checks are offered at locations throughout central Ohio. They also offer fire prevention and pedestrian safety programs.
240 Parsons Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43215
(614) 645-6138
- www.safekidscentralohio.org
● CHILD CARE SAFETY ●
Action for Children
Provides education and advice for parents on choosing quality childcare. Also assists people who operate home-based childcare and provides resources for childcare providers throughout 7 counties in central Ohio.
78 Jefferson Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43215
(614) 224-0222
- www.actionforchildren.org
Columbus Public Health Injury Prevention Program
Offers home safety inspections for $36 for houses that provide in-home childcare.
240 Parsons Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43215
(614) 645-7748
- http://publichealth.columbus.gov
Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles ID R Kids
Obtaining Ohio photo ID cards for children assists authorities in the event that the child is reported missing. Parents can apply for an Ohio ID card for their children locally (with the sites listed online), and there is no minimum age.
1970 West Broad Street, Columbus, Ohio 43223
(614) 752-7500
- www.bmv.ohio.gov/idrkids.stm
● BICYCLE SAFETY ●
Columbus Public Health Injury Prevention Program
This program is designed to educate and provide bike helmets to people at low cost ($10).
240 Parsons Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43215
(614) 645-7748
- http://publichealth.columbus.gov
● GUN SAFETY ●
Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence
Offers free and anonymous support and education regarding gun violence. Tell an adult or call 1-866-SPEAK-UP to report a weapon threat at school.
PO Box 1078, Toledo, Ohio 43697
(419) 244-7442
- www.ohioceasefire.org
● INTERNET SAFETY ●
I-Safe
Provides internet safety education for kids and teens. X-Block is an online site for students to learn about cyber safety and share their online experiences with others.
5900 Pasteur Court, Carlsbad, California 92008
(760) 603-7911
- www.isafe.org
NetSmartz
Communication is an effective tool for parents and guardians when helping their children avoid the dangers that exist on the Internet. NetSmartz provides learning activities for parents to facilitate discussions with their children and teens about Internet safety. It is an educational safety resource developed by the Center for Missing & Exploited Children and Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
699 Prince Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314
(800) 843-5678
- www.netsmartz.org
Stay Safe
Contains resources on internet safety and security for people of all ages. Offers advice and support on cyber-bullying, computer security issues and fraud prevention.
- www.staysafe.org
● CONSUMER SAFETY ●
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (USCPSC)
Provides answers to questions about the safety of products that children use such as cribs and strollers. The USCPSC is committed to protecting the public from products that can injure children. The website lists product recalls and allows consumers to report safety issues.
4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland 20814
(800) 638-2772
- www.cpsc.gov
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CAP4Kids does not recommend or endorse the agencies or resources listed on the site. This is an informational site only. We encourage users to carefully review and evaluate all services and decide what is best to meet the needs of their families.