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Safety Tips
Where Safety Is Concerned – Be Smart And Be Aware
It goes without saying, that safety
has become an ever-increasing concern for people nowadays.
And, while you don’t want to be scared every time you walk out the door,
there are a few common sense rules that you and your family should use each and
every day.
Remember, that often, the best
defense is a good offense.
Safety In Your Car
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Before getting into your car, you should always look
throughout the interior of your car – particularly in the backseat and
floorboard. Then, look underneath
your vehicle, as well.
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Always keep a good flashlight handy, and keep an extra set of
batteries on hand, as well.
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If your car is being taken from you by a carjacker –
cooperate. Don’t be a hero. As you go about unbuckling your seatbelt, or getting
your child from your car, move quickly and make sure that you explain every move
that you are making to your attacker.
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Keep an emergency tool kit in your trunk.
Your kit should include flares, and a “HELP – CALL POLICE” sign.
You should also keep a blanket in your trunk, as well.
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Keep extra water and small amount of non-perishable food in
your trunk, should you break down in a desolate area. Other safety items include a can of “Fix-A-Flat”, a special
emergency fuel that you can use to get you to the nearest service station, and a
good spare tire.
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If possible, keep a well-charged cellular phone on hand for
emergencies. If you don’t have a
cell phone, make sure to keep spare change in your car to be used for a
telephone in an emergency.
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If your car becomes disabled, raise the hood and place the
“HELP – CALL POLICE” sign in your rear window.
Get inside the car, keep the doors locked and your windows up.
If someone stops to help you, crack your window, and ask him or her to
call the police, or a nearby service station for assistance.
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Keep all of your valuables out of sight, and locked in your
trunk.
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When dropping someone off at their destination at night, make
sure that you have a pre-arranged signal – other than the customary wave - for
them to let you know that they are safe.
If they signal you that they are in danger, you can go to the nearest phone and
call for help.
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Always carry your keys in your hands.
Fumbling for your keys while you’re walking to your car can make you an
easy target.
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Carry yourself in a
confident, secure manner. Always give the impression that you can defend
yourself if called upon to do so.
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If someone signals to you from another car that there is
something wrong with your car, drive to the nearest service station or at least
to a well-populated, well-lit area before you pull over.
Then, wait for the other car to drive by before you get out to
investigate.
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If you feel that you are being followed, drive to the nearest
police station, or the nearest well-lit service station, and honk your horn
repeatedly until you attract attention.
Whatever you do, don’t go home.
Make sure your pursuers are gone, before you drive home.
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To keep yourself from being too predictable to a potential
stalker, vary your schedule, and change the way you take to get home often.
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Keep your car parked in a well-lit area close to your
destination.
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Always lock your car when you park, even if it’s for a short
time. It’s also a good idea to lock your car doors while you’re traveling, as
well. Particularly, when traveling
in a town or city.
Safety At Home
While it’s nice to feel comfortable
and complacent in your own home, you should always be prepared to deal with
prowlers and break-ins.
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Always keep your entrances well lit both inside and out.
Keep your garage door closed and locked.
Oftentimes, the door from your garage to your house can be the weak link
in your home security.
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If you don’t expect to be home until after dark, leave lights
on in various parts of your home, to give the impression that your house is
being occupied. It’s a good idea to
invest in timers that will turn lights, radios, and televisions on for you while
you are away.
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Keep your curtains closed, and your shades drawn at night.
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Most prowlers are prepared to deal with dogs, so don’t depend
on your dog to be more than an alarm if you have a prowler.
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Be sure to keep your personal information, such as your name,
address, and phone number out of public view. Be careful not to give away your daily routine to strangers.
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Ask to see the identification of all service people before
opening the door; and by all means, if you have not requested service, do not
let them in.
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Never let children open the door to strangers.
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If you’re planning to leave on vacation, ask your neighbors
or a friend to watch your home while you’re gone. Have them pick up your mail and newspapers.
If you plan on being gone for an extended period of time, ask the post
office to hold your mail, and stop delivery on your newspapers.
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If you’re expecting a delivery or a visit from someone, and
you have to leave your house, don’t leave a note on the door saying that you
will be gone until a certain time; that you have left the key under the planter;
or come in through the back door, etc. Always consider the circumstances, should a stranger see the
note. In a majority of cases, crime
is more a product of opportunity than intention.
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Always identify your visitor through a peephole in the door,
before you open the door. Don’t
trust that a chain will keep an intruder out.
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Many rapists know their victims, so be aware of casual
acquaintances stopping by unannounced.
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Whether you live in an apartment, in a neighborhood, or out
in the country, always be on the lookout for strangers lurking about.
Be aware of your surroundings, and always have an escape route planned
out in advance.
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If a prowler is in your house, and you can’t safely get to
your landline, keep a cellular phone handy for emergencies.
Street
Safety
Many youngsters are
attacked, assaulted or abducted while walking in the street going
to or returning from a place that they are very familiar with.
Such places as going to a friends house, going to the ball park to
play with their friends or simply going to the store. Many
children are unaware of their surroundings and do not look out for
dangerous situations. Children who lack self-confidence or
self-esteem usually walk with their heads down and pay little
attention to people or objects around them. This is the type
of child that predators are looking for. If the child walks
with his/her head up, looking confident and looking around then
the predator usually will not select this type of child as a
target.
There are several
things that children must do when walking alone:
-Look confidant and
hold your head up high and look around.
-Don't walk near
alleys or the ends of buildings without checking them out.
Cross the street if possible to avoid them.
-Avoid vans or
delivery trucks where someone could be hiding to reach out and
grab the child.
-Children should never
walk through parking lots by themselves.
-Always walk with a
friend or someone you know.
-Never walk alone
after dark.
Home
Safety
Children who are not prepared to handle dangerous situations
become vulnerable targets for child molesters and other criminal
predators. Parents must work with their children to explain
some of the potential danger that exists in everyday life.
Children must be taught to become more aware of their surroundings
and what could possibly go wrong so that they do not become an
unsuspecting victim. There are several safety issues that we
must take the time to educate our children about such as
"street safety", "home safety", " auto
safety" and "fire safety".
Today's busy society often requires that both parents have to work
and the young child has to come home from school to an empty
house.
There are several
safety measures that children should undertake if left alone in
this type of situation:
-First, when coming
home, check out the house as you approach to make sure it
looks safe.
-Look to see if there
are any strange cars or vehicles parked in the driveway or on the
street nearby. If there is, then go to the neighbor and tell
them why you are afraid and have them call the police to check out
the house.
-If you see a door
open or a window open that shouldn't be, go to a neighbor's
house and tell them what you've found and let them call the
police.
-Once you are safely
inside the house, lock all of the doors and make sure the
windows are locked.
-NEVER answer the door
or open it. Look out the window or through a peep-hole to
see whom is at the door. If it is someone you don't know
then call 911 and tell the police that you are home alone and
there is a stranger at your door. Let them check it out.
When you answer the telephone, NEVER tell the person calling that
you are home alone. Tell them that your parents are busy and
that you will take a message for them to call back later.
As
a family, you should have a plan of action if someone tries to
break into the house when the child is home alone. Work out
the plan so that everyone knows where there is a safe place to
hide. Make sure that a telephone is placed in or near the
hiding place. If possible, use a cellular telephone so that
the child can call 911 if the predator cuts the regular phone
lines.
AUTOMOBILE
SAFETY
Children who are
not prepared to handle dangerous situations become vulnerable
targets for child molesters and other criminal predators.
Parents must work with their children to explain some of the
potential danger that exists in everyday life. Children must
be taught to become more aware of their surroundings and what
could possibly go wrong so that they do not become an unsuspecting
victim. There are several safety issues that we must take
the time to educate our children about such as "street
safety", "home safety", " auto safety"
and "fire safety".
Automobile Safety:
Each year thousands of children are killed or seriously injured in
automobile accidents. Many could be saved by practicing
simple safety precautions such as using a seatbelt. New,
young drivers cause a great many of these kinds of accidents
because they have not yet learned to properly handle a motor
vehicle and they drive at speeds too fast for the conditions
around them. Here are some of the simple safety precautions
that children should be aware of:
-Always put on the
seat belt when in a motor vehicle whether the driver or
another passenger does not.
-Insist that everyone
else "buckle up".
-Be a "back-seat
driver" if necessary to tell the driver to slow down or to be
more careful.
-Never stick your head
or arms or legs out of the window of a moving car. They
could be injured by another vehicle passing too close.
-When playing in your
neighborhood, Never chase a ball or other object out into the
street without first stopping and looking for traffic.
-Never run between
parked cars out into the street. Other drivers will not be
able to see you.
-Don't ride with
anyone who has been drinking.
-Don't drive after you have been
drinking, if old enough to drive a car.
FIRE
SAFETY
Children who are not prepared to
handle dangerous situations become vulnerable targets for child
molesters and other criminal predators. Parents must work
with their children to explain some of the potential danger that
exists in everyday life. Children must be taught to become
more aware of their surroundings and what could possibly go wrong
so that they do not become an unsuspecting victim. There are
several safety issues that we must take the time to educate our
children about such as "street safety", "home
safety", " auto safety" and "fire
safety".
Fire Safety:
-Fire and smoke
inhalation kill hundreds of children each year in the United
States.
-Check to make sure
that your house is equipped with several fire and smoke
alarms. Test them every month to make sure the batteries are
working.
-Plan a FIRE ESCAPE
ROUTE for the whole family in case of a fire. Go over the
plan many, many times so that everyone knows what his/her role
will be in case of a fire. Have an alternate route plan in
case the fire is too close to the children's bedrooms.
-Purchase Fire
Extinguishers and place them in specific areas of the house.
Make sure everyone knows where the extinguisher is located.
-If a fire starts in
the house, remember to stay close to the floor and crawl to
the "safety exit" nearest you from your escape plan.
-Never open a closed
door without feeling it first to see if it is hot. Place
your palm against the door...if it feels hot then the fire is
right outside the door and keep it closed. Wet a towel or
sheet and place it against the bottom of the door to keep smoke
out. Stay in the room and if there is a window, use it as an
escape route.
-If the door feels
cool or cold, open it slowly while still staying low on the
floor. Look to see where the fire is located and which way
you should go for an escape.
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