We use our cell phones every day to keep in touch with our family, friends, and colleagues. But not everyone is aware that your cell phone could also help to save your life: if you find yourself in an emergency situation, your cell phone might be your only means of getting through to someone who can come to your rescue. Even if you are unable to make a call, your phone can still help. Brittany Cozart, 20, was seriously injured in a plane crash, yet was able to communicate her situation through text messaging and guide her rescuers to her location.

Check out these other articles right here on the AMW Safety Center to learn of other ways your cell phone can help keep you safe:

Should I Have 911 On Speed Dial?

“In Case Of Emergency” Contacts

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, over 2.5 million children are injured or killed by accidents in the home every year. While there are many potential hazards in any home that could be dangerous to a child, there are also simple safety devices that you can easily install in your home to help protect kids from injury.

The CSPC lists a number of safety items that you can install yourself to childproof your home:

• Install safety latches & locks on cabinets and drawers in the bathrooms, and kitchens to prevent access to cleaning supplies, medicines, or injuries from sharp objects.
• Use safety gates to prevent kids from falling down stairs and keeping them out of dangerous areas.
• You should have smoke detectors installed on every level of your home and near bedrooms to alert you of a possible fire. Check each of them once a month to make sure they are working.
• Use corner and edge bumpers to make help protect kids in your home from falls against sharp furniture or counter corners.
• Cover unused outlets with outlet covers to prevent electric shocks and accidental electrocutions.

You want to make sure to choose sturdy, well-made products that will help protect your kids from injury, but you also want them to be easy to use. The CSPC also advises that nothing is entirely childproof, and if you have older children, be sure to re-secure safety devices that they may undo. Check out this CSPC guide for even more information on safety devices that can help protect the children in your home.

There are approximately 200 million registered firearms in the United States. 1,500 children are injured each year by the accidental discharge of a firearm in the home. There are several steps you can take to ensure a gun does not end up in your child’s hands. Continue reading Keep Your Kids Safe From Firearms In The Home »

As I know all too well from my own family’s experience, when someone goes missing – whether it’s a child or adult – the not knowing is the hardest part for their loved ones. I’m very passionate about pursuing AMW’s mission of being a voice for victims and helping them find justice. But sometimes, getting some answers for a heartbroken family is the best you can hope for. That’s one reason why a story we broadcast this month really upsets me. It’s about a family that should have had some answers years ago – and would have, if only we were able to get our act together as a nation and build a unified national DNA database system. Continue reading John Walsh: Why Can’t We Get Our Act Together On A National DNA Database? »