Window Safety Grant

According to the Center for Disease Control, unintentional falls were the leading cause of nonfatal injuries seen in emergency departments in 2017 for children 9 and under. Children falling from windows is a significant portion of these injuries. According to Safe Kids USA, approximately a dozen children under the age of 10 will die and another 4,000 will suffer injuries from falling out of windows this year in the United States. Children living in apartment buildings have the highest number of window fall incidents – five times more than children in residences.   In recent years, the City of Allentown has experienced these events first hand. In June of 2019 the City passed an ordinance requiring landlords to install window guards in all windows if a child 10 years or younger lives in or spends considerable time in the rental unit.

 

To support the implementation of this ordinance, the City of Allentown Health Bureau obtained a grant from the Highmark Foundation with funding to reimburse  property owners in the City of Allentown for the purchase and a fixed rate for the installation of pre-approved Window Opening Control Devices (WOCDs). A property owner or manager is eligible to receive funds for a maximum of 15 windows on the second floor or above across multiple properties. Applications are available in English and Spanish for download below. All applicants must also download the Approved Devices document as well as the accompany Window falls Safety sheets. 

 

All applications must be submitted in person to the Allentown Health Bureau at 245 N. 6th St, Allentown. If you have questions about the program, please call the Health Bureau at 610-437-7760 or email at injuryprevention@allentownpa.gov.

Window Grant Application (English)Approved Devices (English)

Window Grant Application (Spanish)Approved Devices (Spanish)

W-9 Form