The looped nylon cord with the plastic or wood tassel at the end that allows you to raise and lower your window blinds is a strangulation hazard for a babies or toddlers. According to a recent study, between 1981 and 1995 there were 183 young children strangled to death on blind cords. I noticed such a cord at VB in 2000, again in 2001 and once more just last week. I wrote the VB Manager in 2000 and last spring I wrote again to Risk Management and Safety Dept., Walt Disney World Co, after seeing the same problem in OKW. The text of the second letter follows:
"Dear Sirs,
I would like to call your attention to a potentially lethal safety hazard I have noted at both the Disney Vero Beach Resort and at the Old Key West Resort. In September of 2001 my wife and I stayed in one of the studio villas at Vero Beach. I noted that the blind cords on the door were in a loop. For years I have read materials that come with new blinds that say not to have a loop in the cord because young children can be strangled by the cord under certain circumstances.
See http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/11/01/window.blinds.02/
I wrote a letter to the manager of the resort when I returned home, but on a later visit I noted the dangerous loop in the cord was still there (it is easy to fix the problem by cutting the cord at the loop). In October we stayed at the Old Key West Resort at WDW in a 2-bedroom villa and found the same problem there.
I am writing to you because I am worried that a blind cord will strangle some child at one of the resorts. I hope that you have the authority to solve the problem. If not please pass this letter on to someone who does."
I am posting this message on the Disboards because my letters have not worked. If you have small children, check for the looped cords in your room and find some way to keep them away from your children.
"Dear Sirs,
I would like to call your attention to a potentially lethal safety hazard I have noted at both the Disney Vero Beach Resort and at the Old Key West Resort. In September of 2001 my wife and I stayed in one of the studio villas at Vero Beach. I noted that the blind cords on the door were in a loop. For years I have read materials that come with new blinds that say not to have a loop in the cord because young children can be strangled by the cord under certain circumstances.
See http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/11/01/window.blinds.02/
I wrote a letter to the manager of the resort when I returned home, but on a later visit I noted the dangerous loop in the cord was still there (it is easy to fix the problem by cutting the cord at the loop). In October we stayed at the Old Key West Resort at WDW in a 2-bedroom villa and found the same problem there.
I am writing to you because I am worried that a blind cord will strangle some child at one of the resorts. I hope that you have the authority to solve the problem. If not please pass this letter on to someone who does."
I am posting this message on the Disboards because my letters have not worked. If you have small children, check for the looped cords in your room and find some way to keep them away from your children.
