Seasonal Safety Tips

As we enjoy festive holiday music and round the corner to a prosperous new year, it would be wise to make a resolution to be more aware of our personal safety and the safety of our loved ones.  The month of December is tricky when it comes to personal safety because many attend parties in foreign neighborhoods and stressfully holiday shop in a frenzy, leaving them more vulnerable than usual.  Since families are already gathered around the dinner table for the holidays, take a grateful pause and have a short talk about personal safety to keep the family tradition alive. 

Let’s get a jump start on the New Year’s resolution now with a variety of essential seasonal safety tips taken from multiple sources in an effort to bring awareness to personal safety during the holiday season.  I’ve thrown in some bonus self defense advise at the end to make the read even more worth it!

The following are holiday safety tips from the American Red Cross:

• Beware of Holiday Candles ~ Be sure candles are kept away from decorations or other combustible materials. Don't leave children unattended in a room with lit candles, and always keep candles, as well as matches and lighters, out of the reach of children. Never use candles to decorate Christmas trees. Avoid using candles during parties. Never display lighted candles in windows or near exits.

• Test Tree Trimmings ~ When decorating with lights, be sure to purchase only those labeled by a testing laboratory. Never use candles to decorate Christmas trees. For outside decorations, use only those lights labeled for outdoor use. Don't overload electrical outlets, and always unplug all lights before leaving home or going to bed. Never put electrical lights on a metal Christmas tree.

• Keep Christmas Trees Fresh ~ Choose a fresh Christmas tree and secure it in a sturdy stand. Place the tree away from heat sources and exits, and water it daily. If you purchase an artificial tree, be sure it is labeled as fire-retardant.

• Prepare for Holiday Parties ~ Decorate only with flame-retardant or noncombustible materials. Avoid using candles during parties. If guests will be smoking, provide them with large, deep ashtrays and check them frequently. After the party, check inside and under upholstery and in trash cans for cigarette butts that may be smoldering.

• Designate a Driver ~ When attending a party, always designate a non-drinking driver. If you are the host of a holiday gathering, be sure there are non-alcoholic beverages available for guests who are driving.

• Inspect Fireplaces ~ Have your chimney inspected by a professional prior to the start of every heating season and cleaned if necessary. Creosote, a chemical substance that forms when wood burns, builds up in chimneys and can cause a chimney fire if not properly cleaned. Always protect your family and home by using a sturdy screen when burning fires.  Remember to burn only wood - never burn paper or pine boughs, which can float out of the chimney and ignite a neighboring home. Never use flammable liquids in a fireplace. If you are purchasing a factory-built fireplace, select one listed by a testing laboratory, and have it installed according to local codes. If you plan to hang stockings on your fireplace, do not use the fireplace for fires.

• Be Cautious With Portable and Space Heaters ~ Place space heaters at least three feet (one meter) away from anything combustible, including wallpaper, bedding, clothing, pets, and people. Never leave space heaters operating when you are not in the room or when you go to bed. Don't leave children or pets unattended with space heaters and be sure everyone knows that drying wet mittens or other clothing over space heaters is a fire hazard.

• Watch Your Wood Stoves ~ Be sure your wood or coal stove bears the label of a recognized testing laboratory and meets local fire codes. Follow manufacturers' recommendations for proper use and maintenance. Chimney connections and chimney flues should be inspected at the beginning of each heating season and cleaned if necessary.  Follow the same safety rules for wood stoves as you would for space heaters. Burn only wood, and be sure the wood stove is placed on an approved stove board to protect the floor from heat and hot coals. Be sure to check with your local fire department and check local codes before having your wood stove installed.

• Cook with Care ~ When cooking, do not wear loose fitting clothing. It can be ignited by hot burners. Always turn pot handles in. Don't store items on the stove top; they could catch fire. Keep kitchen appliances clean and in good condition, and turn them off after use. Don't overload electrical outlets, and don't use appliances with frayed or cracked wires.

• Buckle Up ~ During the holiday months, people travel more than ever. Wearing a seat belt may prevent injury in a motor vehicle collision. Ensure that all passengers are also wearing safety belts. Please remember to seat children in the back seat of the car and in approved safety seats if younger than six years old, or according to local law.

• Prepare a Winter Storm Plan ~ Have extra blankets on hand and ensure that each member of your household has a warm coat, gloves or mittens, hat, and water-resistant boots. Stay tuned for storm warnings by listening to NOAA Weather Radio and your local radio and television stations for updated storm information. It's also important to have your car winterized before winter storm season.

• Enroll in a First Aid & CPR course ~ Although these tips can help prevent an emergency, it is also important to be prepared should an emergency situation arise. To enroll in a first aid or CPR course, contact your local American Red Cross.

The following is a intermingling of holiday safety tips from the City of Rocky Mount Police Department:

Traveling to see family and friends

• Get an automatic timer for your lights.
• Ask a neighbor to watch your home and park in the driveway from time to time.
• Don't forget to have mail and newspaper delivery stopped. If it piles up, it's a sure sign you're gone.

Away from home for the evening

• Turn on lights and a radio or TV so it looks like someone's home.
• Be extra cautious about locking doors and windows when you leave, even if it's just for a few minutes.
• Don't display gifts where they can be seen from outside.

While shopping

• Stay alert and be aware of what's going on around you.
• Park in a well-lighted space, and be sure to lock the car, close the windows, and hide shopping bags and gifts in the trunk.
• Avoid carrying large amounts of cash; pay with a check or credit card whenever possible.
• Deter pickpockets and purse-snatchers. Don't overburden yourself with packages. Be extra careful with purses and wallets. Carry a purse close to your body, not dangling by the straps. Put a wallet in an inside coat or front pants pocket.
• Shopping with kids? Teach them to go to a store clerk or security guard if you get separated.

HOME SAFETY

• The best tools to stop crime are your eyes! Please call 911 immediately if you see anything suspicious in your neighborhood!
• Many burglars will spend no more than 60 seconds attempting to break into a home. Make sure every external door has sturdy, well-installed deadbolt locks.
• Sliding glass doors offer easy access if not properly secured. You can secure them by installing commercially available locks or by putting a broomstick or wooden dowel in the inside track to prevent the door from sliding.
• Never hide house keys under the door mat or a rock that is near your door. Most burglars know this trick. Instead give an extra key to a trusted neighbor.
• When you move into a new house or apartment, have a competent locksmith re-key or replace the locks.
• All outside doors to your home should be metal or solid wood.
• Install a peephole in all entry doors so you can see who is outside without opening the door.
• Don't use door chains; they break easily and don't keep intruders out.
• Prune back shrubbery and trees as to not obscure windows and doors.
• Install outdoor floodlights or motion-sensor lights to eliminate any areas where someone might hide on or around your property.
• When you go out of town, give your house that "lived-in look" by putting a few of your lights on timers. Also, stop your mail and newspaper delivery or have a trusted neighbor pick it up for you.
• While driving, lock your doors and roll up your windows. Park in a well-lit area and keep all valuables out of sight and in the trunk.
• While walking, avoid isolated areas. Walk confidently and with another person if possible. Don't carry a lot of cash and avoid wearing anything that would attract unwanted attention like expensive furs or jewelry.
• When answering the door, never let a stranger in for any reason.
• Always ask service people for identification before letting them in your house. You may want to contact the company they represent to verify their identity.
• Never, ever pick up hitchhikers.
• Beware of a stranger who approaches you with a "great" business opportunity. If it sounds to good to be true, it usually is.
• Don't leave anything, such as ladders or tools, lying around that can be used to break into your home.
• If you are a female and you live alone, don't advertise it by putting "Miss Jane Doe" on your doorbell or mailbox. Just put the initial of your first name and your last name, "J. Doe".
• Mark all your valuables with your license number.
• Never leave your keys in your car for any reason.
• Never leave your car doors unlocked.
• If possible, choose a parking lot with an attendant.
• Write down and report to the police license numbers on vehicles used by suspicious persons in your neighborhood.
• Remove any identification from your personal key ring.
• Ask a trusted neighbor to watch your home while you are away.
• Be aware of your surroundings - know who's out there and what's going on.
• Trust your instincts. If a situation or place makes your feel uncomfortable or uneasy, leave.

Hopefully, the above has heightened the level of awareness for many so that we can all stay safe this holiday season and beyond.  In addition to the tips above, there are a few other key things that are worth mentioning like basic self defense and pest spray as a self defense tool.

BASIC SELF DEFENSE

Even though many may not know it, we all have the ability to protect and defend ourselves we just don’t know how.  We also do not practice if we do know how, which makes the reinforcement nonexistent.  Every attacker leaves an open door to inflict pain on them because they cannot protect all strike zones at once like eyes and feet or nose and groin.  Use what you have like teeth to bite an attacker and GROWL because it makes you look uncontrollable.  Self defense is not about martial arts or roundhouse kicks; it is about strike zones and how to inflict the most about of pain on someone with the least amount of effort to get away.  The goal is always to get to safety!

PEST SPRAY DEFENSE

Homes are filled with tools that a homeowner could employ to during a burglary or home invasion like wasp and hornet spray or a shovel or a bat or a knife…the list goes on and on.  In the absence of pepper spray or a weapon, wasp and hornet spray is a viable self defense option.  This suggestion is highly controversial as many feel that it is unethical and illegal to use wasp or hornet spray as a self defense tool, but if deadly force is permitted in cases of self defense then anything less lethal must be equally acceptable for argument’s sake.  After all, we all have the right to defend ourselves and I would use wasp and hornet spray if it meant that I would not get raped and remain alive.  I am not advocating that we all should carry of can of wasp and hornet spray in our cars; it is merely an effective tool if caught off guard by someone burglarizing their home and can be threatened without actually using it as a deterrent.

The holiday season is a wonderful time to gather and appreciate one another.  It is also a wonderful time to reflect on past achievements and dream of future successes.  In order to fulfill those boundless dreams, we must stay alive and well.  This goal starts with awareness and ends with basic knowledge, mostly common sense.  Please stay safe this holiday season and educate your families on how to carry out all the important traditions of life, including safety.

Click here to learn more about American Red Cross, click here to learn more about the City of Mount Rocky, NC Police Department, click here to contact Shieldher.  Be safe!