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The Hannah Geneser Foundation

Window Safety

“Window falls are preventable if parents are armed with the right information.”

Every year, more than 5,000 American children go to emergency rooms after falling from open windows. On average, eight of them die. Here is what parents need to know — and what the Hannah's Hope program was built to teach.

Children in ERs annually
5,000+

Children in ERs annually

Fatalities per year (avg.)
8

Fatalities per year (avg.)

Screens are not designed to hold a child's weight
Not a safety device

Screens are not designed to hold a child's weight

Iowa Window Safety Day

Governor Terry Branstad's 2014 proclamation established March 21 as Window Safety Day in Iowa — the anniversary of the day Hannah died. Each year we mark the date with education events, brochure distribution, and free window-safety devices for families who need them.

Top Ten Window Safety Tips

From our Hannah's Hope for Window Safety program, developed in partnership with Blank Children's Hospital.

  1. Supervise your children as they play.

  2. Teach your children not to play near windows.

  3. Close and lock your windows when children are around.

  4. Only open windows that children cannot reach or are secured with compliant locks.

  5. Keep beds, furniture, and anything a child can climb on away from windows.

  6. Do not depend on screens to prevent falls — they are not designed for this purpose.

  7. Repair broken windows or non-working parts as soon as possible.

  8. Open windows from the top, not from the bottom.

  9. Install child safety devices that comply with ASTM F2090-2008 and 2010 standards.

  10. Never leave young children unattended near open windows.

Hannah's Hope For Window Safety

Hannah’s Hope for Window Safety is our outreach and education program, developed in collaboration with Blank Children’s Hospital. It includes a downloadable brochure with statistics, a checklist of windows at risk, the types of window safety devices available, and where to purchase them. Come by the Learning Center — a safety expert will walk you through the right device for your home.

Hannah's Hope Window Safety Brochure

Print, distribute, or share the full brochure with your family, community, or school.

Download and print Hannah's Hope Window Safety Brochure

Educational Resources

Are you unsure about what type of windows are in your home, or which devices are the right fit? Are you wondering what safety products are available to ensure your home is a safe environment for your children? These are the questions our safety experts answer every day at the Safety Store. Every consultation is free, unhurried, and hands on. Every home is different, and so every solution is custom. For more information, stop by the store, or feel free to send us a note with questions about how the Foundation can help.

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