Preventable injuries are the number one killer of kids in the United States, and in Washington, eight children die or are hospitalized every day due to a preventable injury. That’s why state health officials are working to share information on how to keep kids safe – and especially to keep them safe at home.

April 26 is Safe Kids Day, aimed at encouraging kids to “Be Safe at HOME, at PLAY, and on the GO!” For the second year in a row, Safe Kids Washington and Seattle Children’s Hospital are teaming with the Mariners in a Safeco Field event. The Department of Health Injury and Violence Prevention Program is the lead agency for Safe Kids Washington.

With more than half of preventable injuries occurring in the home, this year’s focus is on poisoning prevention. In 2014, the Washington Poison Center received 63,000 calls with 75 percent coming from homes, more than half (56 percent) about kids under six years old.

Exposures to laundry pods, over-the counter and prescription medicines, button batteries, and exposure to electronic-cigarettes are all sending kids into emergency rooms. And that’s in part because many parents aren’t aware of the hazards that lurk right at home.

The Poison Center offers immediate, free, expert treatment advice and assistance over the phone and in many cases may be able to save parents a costly trip to the emergency room.

“Parents have a sense of safety in their homes; in fact 77 percent of parents think their home is safer than most other homes,” explained Safe Kids Washington Director Julie Alonso. “Yet each year, 2,200 children in this country die and 3.5 million go to the emergency room due to injuries that happen at home. By sharing information about poison prevention, we hope this day with the Mariners will help keep kids safe at home — where they live.”

Discounted tickets are available for Safe Kids Day with the Seattle Mariners. A portion of ticket sales proceeds go toward Safe Kids Washington’s injury prevention work. Friday April 24 at noon is the deadline to buy advance tickets. Group benefits are available. Children 14 and under will take home a Mariners t-shirt. Injury prevention information will be available to fans at the game and Mr. Yuk will be there for a fun photo opportunity with kids and families.

The Department of Health website (www.doh.wa.gov) is your source for a healthy dose of information. Also, find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.