WCSC Partners with the National Association of EMS Physicians to Raise Awareness of the Potential Strangulation Hazard of Corded Window Coverings

New York, NY (October 4, 2025) – Corded window coverings are a top hidden hazard in the home, posing a strangulation risk to young children, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). To raise awareness, October is designated as Window Covering Safety Month. The Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) and the National Association of EMS Physicians (NAEMSP) ‎are calling on parents and caregivers to check their homes for corded products to prevent tragedies.

Two historic safety standards which took effect in 2018 and 2024 ensure that the vast majority of custom window coverings and stock products sold in the U.S. are cordless. These safety standards significantly reduce the strangulation risk posed by corded window coverings to young children, but action must be taken to replace older corded products still lurking in homes.

While the industry has taken great steps to eliminate these risks and raise awareness, a 2025 national survey found that while 87% of adults with children 13 and under ‎were aware of the dangers of corded window coverings, only 30% had replaced ‎them with cordless alternatives—highlighting a clear need for parents and caregivers to check for older window coverings with cords and to update their window coverings with only cordless products.

“EMS physicians know firsthand the devastating consequences of preventable emergencies like these,” said Brandon Morshedi, MD, DPT, FACEP, FAEMS, of NAEMSP. “Strangulation incidents from corded window coverings can occur quickly and silently, often happening in seconds, even when a caregiver is nearby.  This can leave families and first responders with no opportunity to intervene. As leaders in prehospital emergency medicine, NAEMSP emphasizes that awareness and prevention are critical to saving lives. By addressing hazards before emergencies occur, communities can ensure safer environments for their most vulnerable members.”

“The safest window covering is a cordless one in homes with young children,” said Ralph Vasami, Associate Director of the Window Covering Safety Council. “While today’s safety standards are strong, many homes still have older corded products, and it’s critical to take action and replace older corded products with today’s safer cordless products.”

The Window Covering Safety Council recommends the following guidelines for window covering safety:

• Replace all corded products with cordless window coverings in homes with young children.
• Look for the Best for Kids™ certification label on packaging at all major U.S. retailers. This mark signifies that products have gone through third-party testing and are designed for homes with young children.
• If the corded window coverings can’t be replaced with today’s safer cordless products at this time, parents and caregivers should check for the following:
• Keep all window covering cords well out of the reach of children. Eliminate any dangling cords.
• Move all cribs, beds, furniture, and toys away from windows and window covering cords, preferably to another wall.
• Make certain that tasseled pull cords are out of reach of children and are as short as possible.
• Continuous-loop cords on draperies and vertical blinds should be permanently anchored to the floor or wall and be kept under tension at all times.
• Check that cord stops are properly installed and adjusted to limit the movement of inner lift cords.
• Check the WCSC website for helpful tips on window covering cord safety

For more information on window covering cord safety, ‎visit www.windowcoverings.org.

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The Window Covering Safety Council (WCSC) is a coalition of major U.S. manufacturers, importers and retailers of window coverings. The Council assists and supports its members in the industry’s ongoing efforts to encourage the use of cordless products in homes with young children, its redesign of corded products, and to support the national ANSI/WCMA standard for the safety of corded window coverings. WCSC’s activities in no way constitute an assumption of any legal duty owed by its members or any other entity. Consumers seeking more information can visit WCSC’s website at www.windowcoverings.org.