Summer is in full swing and so are kids’ parties, many of which will include bounce houses. What kid doesn’t love a bounce house? At Dagley Insurance and Financial Services many of us are parents of young children and the recent reports on bounce house injuries have definitely drawn our attention. What extra precautions can we take to make sure our kids are safe while having fun?
Show Me the Insurance
If you’re planning a party that include an inflatable, make sure that you ask the rental company for their insurance policy and if applicable, state inspections. Each state has different regulations, but you can find more information specifically for Texas at Texas Inflatable Operators Association. The site also gives you the option of searching for the company to verify that it is in compliance with state law. If the rental company waffles on providing you with insurance information or safety regulations, you might consider looking elsewhere as this gives insight into how seriously it takes safety.
Watch the Weather
It’s recommended that you remove kids from bounce houses when winds reach 20-25 miles per hour. A good rule of thumb to use is if flags or your clothes begin to flap in the wind, it may be time to reconsider bounce house play until the wind dies down.
Stake it To Me
The stakes should be made of metal and 30 to 40 inches long. Confirm the types of stakes used by the rental company or if you are purchasing an inflatable check the type of stakes that are included. In the most recent incident that occurred in New York a rental company was not used, but rather the bounce house was purchased by the parents. If a professional staked the inflatable, don’t pull the stakes out and re-stake.
Read the Rules
This may sound trite, but in this case being a rule follower can prevent injury to a child. Most bounce houses have the rules stitched to side of the inflatable. There should be a maximum occupancy listed. Follow the rules!
Being a Texas insurance agency, safety is a big issue to us especially when it comes to our children. Bottom line, bounce houses are not babysitters and although it might seem like an activity that you can just put up and let the kids go to town, it’s not. Be present and alert! We hope you and your family have a fun and SAFE summer!