The safety of family, home and belongings is critical to all of us. Being prepared and alert can save time, injury and possibly your life. Here are some things to do to help keep your family safe around your home.

• Store medications and small items such as jewelry and coins where toddlers can't reach. Be alert for items that would stick in a child's throat.
• Lock unloaded guns in a secure place and store guns and bullets in separate places. Do not let children see where the gun or bullets are hidden.
• Put razors, cosmetics and other health and beauty items our of reach.
• Do not leave hair dryers, curling irons or other grooming appliances out after use.
• Install safety latches on cabinets and drawers.
• Do not store prescription drugs in the bathroom. Find a cool, dry spot in the house that is out of the reach of children and check for childproof caps for medication.
• Set your water heater temperature at 120 degrees Fahrenheit or lower to prevent burns and scalds.
• Turn pot handles away from the edge of the stove.
• Store cleaners and chemicals in their original containers in places where children can't get to them. Never store them under the sink, even if protected by safety latches.
• Keep knives and other sharp objects out of children's reach.
• Tuck away cords of electrical appliances so that small children cannot grab them.
• Replace electrical cord that are frayed or cracked or that become hot. Do not overload outlets and extension cords. Never run electrical cords under rugs.
• Put safety caps on all unused electrical outlets.
• Place house plants our of reach of children. Some are poisonous if eaten and others could injure your child if a heavy pot fell on them.
• Secure bookcases to the walls to prevent toddlers from pulling the cases over.
• Keep tools and garden chemicals out of the reach of children.

The national Crime Prevention Council offers this advise to keep your property and family protected.

Check your locks

Door and window locks in most homes today might keep out someone who just rattles the knob, but they won't stop a determined burglar. In more than 40 percent of burglaries, the thieves came in an unlocked door or window.

Every exterior door should have dead-bolt lock with a 1-inch throw. If you have a key-in-the-knob lock install an auxiliary lock - a vertical-bolt model. And if you just moved into a new house or apartment, re-key the locks. You never know who may still have old keys. Also, do not hide your keys outside. Give a duplicate key to a trusted neighbor instead.

Secure sliding glass door with commercially available locks, with a rigid wooden dowel in the track or with a nail inserted through a hole drilled in the sliding door frame and projecting into the fixed frame. Lock double-hung windows with window key locks or by sliding a bolt or nail through a hole drilled at a downward angle in each top corner or the inside sash and part way through the outside sash.

Check your doors

Locks lose their effectiveness if they are installed in flimsy or weak doors. Make sure outside doors are solid, at least 13/4 inch metal or hard wood. Doors should fit tightly in their frames and hinges should be on the inside. Double check the door between your house and the garage since that is a common entry spot for thieves. Install a peephole or a wide-angle viewer in all entry doors so you can see who is outside without opening the door. A short chain between the doors and the jamb is not a good substitute because it can be broken easily.

Have a family plan

Remember that your goal is to avoid any confrontations with a burglar since there is a good chance he or she is armed. If you find a door ajar, a screed slit, or a window broken when you come home - do not go inside. Call the police from a neighbor's house.