KEEPING KIDS SAFE

Fear and love, two of the strongest motivators, propelled Kelly and Chris Hoesel to not only make their home safer for their daughter, but to begin a new niche business in the Inland Northwest.

Now, those same motivational factors are causing their business, Child Home Safety, to grow rapidly.

The original motivation for the business, which operates out of their Spokane home, came as a result of two events. Three years ago, Kelly Hoesel was in terror when she watched her 8-month-old daughter, Kylie, careen down a 15-step stairway in a walker. Then, several months later, while Kelly was on the phone, her daughter trundled in and began exploring a chest of drawers. The chest of drawers and the television resting on top soon crashed over on Kylie. Both times Kylie made trips to the hospital, but she escaped serious injury. "I was scared to death and my knees just buckled when I saw her," said Kelly, describing the incidents. But she began to discuss the need for educating other parents so they could avoid what she had experienced. After a year of research into child injuries and safety-related products, the Hoesels were ready to start. At first glance, it seems like an unlikely business. How can you generate an adequate income from providing home safety inspections? And yet, with a little imagination and advice from experienced entrepreneurs (including a father-in-law), not only have the Hoesels designed a business and service that is profitable, but also one that has a defined and accessible market. During the past several months, the Hoesels have aggressively targeted and visited businesses and agencies throughout the Inland Northwest that work with newborns and toddlers and their parents - hospitals, clinics, pediatricians, obstetricians, family practices, day-care centers, foster homes, churches and Montessori schools. At each location they stress the importance of child home safety, leave ample supplies of brochures and emphasize that their home inspections are free. "I've gone everywhere giving inspections and leaving brochures - Spokane, Cheney, Sandpoint, St. Maries, Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls," said Kelly. "Everywhere." As a result, she is booked up to three weeks in advance. So what generates the income? At the end of each home inspection (30-45 minutes) clients receive an ideal list of things that could be addressed and a cost estimate of each item, with and without installation. The list can be long, as the Hoesels have access to more than 150 safety items - including faucet covers, corner cushions, refrigerator and oven latches, door alarms, cord control kits, fire extinguishers, deck netting, hearth guards. Last year they gathered information from such industry giants as Gerber, Safety First, Safe Beginnings, Kidco, Kid Kushion and Gerry. Kelly knows, however, that most families can't afford to do everything. So, she helps them prioritize, based on national statistics regarding child injuries and deaths. The six most common causes of death and injury among children, she said, are (in order): burns, drowning, suffocation, choking, poisoning, and falls. "The comments I hear most frequently are, `I never thought of that' or `I knew that, but I haven't had the time,'" said Kelly. "We're hoping that if people don't have the time, they will allow us to help, because we do have the time and we do think about it. "We can't prevent every bump and bruise, but we can help families avoid stitches, serious injuries, trips to the emergency room and possibly deaths." she said. "I want to help people realize that they don't always have a second chance with their kids. They're not like vases that you can fix or replace if they are broken." Molly Campbell, director at Christie's Kids day-care center, is impressed with the Hoesels' expertise. "The state conducted a safety inspection and gave us approval, but Child Home Safety had a lot of additional ideas that we had never considered," Campbell said. "They did a variety of things that make the playground and facility safer, like putting netting around the deck so it was safer for babies to play on. Now, more kids can use the equipment, and we have total peace of mind. "We have 50 children and 12 staff members. We are so busy doing everything else, we just can't foresee it all. They did a thorough inspection, saw what we needed, ordered it and installed it. It took a lot off our hands, and they made it easy," Campbell said. Zena Underwood, a local resident and mother agreed. "They did an awesome job. They found potential hazards that you just don't think of, provided the solutions and did all the work."

Copyright 1999 Cowles Publishing Company
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