THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 19, 1995 TAG: 9507180100
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LORI A. DENNEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
When Richard Bridges was trying to child-proof his father's home to protect his then 9-month-old son, Anthony, he found the task a little more than he bargained for.
``It didn't take me long to realize I was really taking on a project,'' said Bridges, 29. ``It was really difficult going from store to store to try and child-proof in one day.''
Bridges bought the typical child-safety products - cabinet and drawer locks, electrical outlet plugs and so forth.
Nearly every package or brand he bought, he said, had directions that said, ``easy installation.''
``What a crock that turned out to be,'' said Bridges. ``It really took a lot of time to do.''
And then his son pulled out one of the outlet plugs.
``I was horrified,'' admitted Bridges. ``I called the manufacturer and was told I was the only one in nine years to call and complain that the covers can easily be pulled out.''
For Bridges, the memory of that incident was enough to prompt him into a business he says he loves ``almost'' as much as his wife, Sherri.
Bridges began The Child Proofer in December. He's the sole employee and has made it his full-time occupation to help parents and grandparents child-proof their homes to protect children up to age 10.
Bridges offers customers what he says are top-of-the-line safety gadgets - cabinet locks, outlet plugs, spout guards, child-proof safes, first aid kits, appliance straps, gates and bathtub mats. The products have been tested by a Texas man and former nurse, who started a business called Dr. Baby Proofer. Bridges orders all of his safety products from the Texas company.
Bridges himself also tests the products. He's tested every one of them, except the mesh that's used for balconies, because he doesn't have a balcony is his Great Neck home. His company operates out of an office in the Hilltop area.
``Every room that a child has access to should be child-proofed,'' said Bridges, a New York City native. ``I not only do the physical child-proofing but the educating of the parents, too.''
Bridges comes to a customer's home armed with pamphlets that are part of the American Association of Pediatrics' Injury Prevention Program.
He also does an in-home survey to assess a customer's needs and then will work up an estimate that will include the cost of each device as well as a $60 labor charge for the first hour and $45 for every hour thereafter. Child-proofing a home can take between three and seven hours, Bridges said.
``The fact is you're getting the correct products that actually work and are user-friendly and you're getting them expertly installed,'' he said. Customers sign a disclaimer saying that he isn't responsible for injuries, only for expert installation and product information.
``The biggest warning I tell all parents is do NOT allow a child to watch you operate a child-safety product,'' Bridges said. ``They can easily learn how to operate them.''
Bridges spent almost a year investigating the business after he ran across the idea in a video before his only child was born.
After his own trouble with child-proofing, he was convinced the business was a brilliant idea.
``It's now an obsession. My wife understands the importance but she's not as obsessed with it as I am,'' said Bridges, whose wife of three years, Sherri, works out of their home in her own cleaning business.
``I'm telling you,'' Bridges said, ``child-proofing your home is not a luxury, it's a necessity.'' MEMO: The Child Proofer can be reached between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday
through Friday, at 428-2562 or 456-7015.
ILLUSTRATION: Every room that a child has access to should be child-proofed,''
says Richard Bridges, who provides child-proofing education along
with his gadgets, including the security gate, above.
Staff photo by CHARLIE MEADS
by CNB