Eight Safety Items no Home Should be Without

• Smoke Detectors -- Install smoke detectors on every floor and outside each bedroom. Most cost less than $40.
• Carbon-Monoxide Detectors -- For between $40 and $170, a CO detector will alert you that deadly poison has begun to invade your home. Place a CO detector outside of your bedrooms.
• Radon-Detector Kit -- The Environmental Protection Association says radon might be responsible for up to 30,000 lung cancer deaths each year. Stores carry do-it-yourself radon-detector kits for less than $40.
• Sturdy One-Step Stool -- Invest in a sturdy one-step stool to keep on hand when you need to reach high.
• Rubber Suction Bath Mats -- A suction-type rubber mat or adhesive-backed decals will keep you steady in the stall and tub.
• Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters -- You can replace electrical outlets for $9-$13 each, or you can purchase plug-in or portable GFCIs for about $12-$30 each. Use them throughout your home, especially in the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room.
• Fire Extinguishers -- Fire extinguishers have categories for different types of fires. For the home, experts recommend a "BC" or an "ABC" extinguisher.
• First-Aid Kit -- The kit should include antiseptic ointment, bandages and gauze pads in assorted sizes, adhesive tape, cold packs, disposable gloves, hand cleaner, scissors, tweezers, syrup-of-ipecac, and eyewash.