Navy Installations Command has launched a campaign to raise awareness about window safety in military housing after two small children fell to their deaths from windows this summer at Navy Base San Diego. (U.S. Navy)
Navy Installations Command has launched a campaign to raise awareness among parents and caregivers about window safety in military housing after two small children fell to their deaths from windows this summer at Naval Base San Diego.
Three other children have been injured in such falls in the past year.
“These incidents serve as a stark reminder of the potential dangers our children face, even in familiar environments,” Vice Adm. Christopher Gray, who heads the command, wrote Tuesday in a message to Navy families.
“In light of these recent events, we are initiating an intensified awareness and prevention campaign to better protect our children,” he said.
The commander’s message, which included tips for better securing windows and preventing access by children, is the first of several efforts to be rolled out in the safety campaign, Coleen San Nicolas-Perez, a command spokeswoman, said by phone Thursday.
“One of the examples I can give you is at our Child Development Centers they’re going to have a window-safety themed campaign,” she said.
Unit commanders will hold all-hands calls and town halls where the issue will be highlighted, she said.
The campaign stems from children’s deaths at Naval Base San Diego this summer.
In July, a 1-year-old child died after falling from a second-story window in public-private military housing, according to data on the incidents provided by San Nicolas-Perez.
In June, a 5-year-old died after falling from a second-story window in public-private military housing.
Children were injured in three other incidents.
In July, an 8-year-old toppled from a window at Naval Base San Diego, was taken to a hospital, treated for injuries and discharged.
In April, a 2-year-old suffered several injuries after falling from a second-story window at a home on Naval Base Ventura County in Port Hueneme, Calif.
A 22-month-old suffered minor injuries after falling from a second-story window at Naval Base San Diego in August 2024.
The safety issue is not limited to the military.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said in a 2011 report that roughly 3,300 children are injured annually by falling out of windows, with an average of eight deaths each year.
“The natural curiosity of children and their eagerness to explore can sometimes place them in unexpected danger when left unattended, even briefly,” Gray wrote.
“It’s often in unassuming ordinary moments that accidents can occur, highlighting the importance of heightened awareness and proactive safety measures,” he wrote.
The most straightforward prevention method is installing and using window safety locks, some of which are designed to allow just enough opening to catch the breeze but not wide enough for a tiny body.
“If you find that any device is missing or broken in your military housing, contact Navy Housing immediately,” Gray wrote. “If you do not live in Navy Housing, reach out to your landlord directly or purchase and install window safety devices in your own home.”
Do not rely on screens for security because they are far too flimsy.
“Screens are for bugs,” Gray wrote. “Remember that typical window screens are designed to keep insects out, not to prevent falls. Teach children not to push on or lean against screens.”
