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Summer is just around the corner and it is important to keep yourself and family safe!
-Make sure if you have a pool that someone is watching the children at all times.
- Don’t forget to wear sunscreen!
- Make sure you are always aware of your surroundings!
- Stay Hydrated!
Every year, about 5,200 children fall from windows and other places around the home. Window falls are the most lethal, said Sandy Nipper, child safety program coordinator for Legacy Health. Four inches, that’s the maximum amount a window, can be open without posing a risk for a child. Even an inch more could give a child enough clearance to squeeze through the opening.
There are two different safety devices on the market can help to prevent window falls. There are window guards; they are white bars that go over the windows, allowing the windows to be completely open. The device has two release buttons so adults can quickly remove the bars in case of emergency. Otherwise, it would take 150 pounds of pressure to remove the device.
The other is a window stop. The stop is installed in the window frame to stop the window from opening more than 4 inches.
As people begin to plan and start vacations as the summer months approach there are some things that you should think about with regards to preparing your home for when you leave. Make sure that your neighbors know that you are going on vacation and how long you will be gone. Ask a neighbor keep an eye on your home and grab your mail and newspaper for you so that they don’t pile up. You can also put your lights on timers so that it looks like you are home. Another thing that does help and probably over looked is trimming back your landscaping so that there are less places for people to hide. Something else you could do is spending the money on a live in house sitter. At least this way someone will be there if anything goes wrong.
Typical bicycle safety guides will usually tell you little more than to wear your helmet and to follow the law. But consider this for a moment: Wearing a helmet will do absolutely nothing to prevent you from getting hit by a car. Sure, helmets might help you if you get hit, but your number one goal should be to avoid getting hit in the first place. Plenty of cyclists are killed by cars even though they were wearing helmets. Don’t fall for the myth that wearing a helmet is the first and last word in biking safety. In short, it’s better NOT to get hit.
The next most common bike safety advice after “wear a helmet” is “follow the law,” but most people are already aware that it’s stupid to race through a red light when there’s cross traffic, or to break other obvious traffic-safety rules. The other problem with the “follow the law” message is that people may think that’s all they need to do. But following the law is not enough to keep you safe.
THE MOST COMMON CAR/BIKE COLLISION AND HOW TO AVOID IT: THE RIGHT CROSS
A car is pulling out of a side street, parking lot or driveway on the right. Notice that there are actually two possible kinds of collisions here: either you’re in front of the car and the car hits you, or the car pulls out in front of you and you slam into it. There are ways to minimize this threat.
- Get a headlight. If you’re riding at night, you absolutely should be using a front headlight. It is required by law. Even for daytime riding, a bright white light that has a flashing mode can make you more visible to motorists who might otherwise Right Cross you. Look for the new LED headlights which last ten times as long on a set of batteries as old-style lights. And headlamps (mounted on your head or helmet) are the best, because then you can look directly at the driver to make sure they see your light.
- Wave. If you can’t make eye contact with the driver, wave your arm. It’s easier for them to see your arm going left and right than it is for them to see a bicycle coming straight towards them. You could also use a loud horn to get driver’s attention. If it looks like the driver is about to pull out without seeing you, YELL! You may feel awkward waving or yelling, but it’s better to be embarrassed than to get hit. Incidentally, many countries require bells on bicycles, but the U.S. does not.
- Slow down. If you cannot make eye contact with the driver (especially at night), slow down so much that you will be able to stop completely if you have to. The inconvenience of stopping is nothing compared to the danger of an accident.
- Ride further left. You’re probably used to riding very close to the curb, because you’re worried about being hit from behind. But when the oncoming driver is looking down the road for traffic, he’s not looking in the bike lane or the area closest to the curb; he’s looking in the middle of the lane, for other cars. The farther left you are the more likely the driver will see you. The added advantage is that if the motorist doesn’t see you and starts pulling out, you may be able to go even farther left, or may be able to speed up and get out of the way before impact, or easily roll onto their hood as they slam on their brakes. In short, it gives you some options. Because if you stay all the way to the right and they pull out, your only “option” may be to run right into the driver’s side door.
You might worry that moving left makes you more vulnerable to cars coming from behind. But accident statistics say you’re far more likely to get hit by a car at an intersection ahead of you that can’t see you, than from a car behind you which can see you clearly. So while both positions have risk, you generally reduce your risk by riding a little farther left. Your actual lane position depends on road conditions. On fast roadways with few cross streets (and thus fewer chances to get hit at intersections), you’ll ride farther to the right. On slow roads with many cross streets, you’ll ride farther left.
THE SECOND MOST-COMMON COLLISION: THE OPEN CAR DOOR
A driver opens his door right in front of you. You run right into it if you can’t stop in time. This kind of crash is the second-most common car-bike crash reported in many cities, and the death rates of cyclists killed in this kind of accident are significantly high. This collision can be avoided.
Ride to the left. Ride far enough to the left that you will not run into any door that’s opened unexpectedly. You may be wary about riding so far into the lane that cars can’t pass you easily, but you’re more likely to get doored by a parked car if you ride too close to it than you are to get hit from behind by a car which can see you clearly.
THE THIRD MOST-COMMON COLLISION: CROSSWALK ACCIDENT
You’re riding on the sidewalk, you cross the street at a crosswalk, and a car makes a right turn directly into you. Drivers aren’t expecting bikes in the crosswalk, and it’s hard for them to see you because of the nature of turning from one street to another, so it’s very easy for you to get hit this way. One study showed that sidewalk-riding was twice as dangerous as road riding, and statistics suggest it may be even more dangerous than that. This collision, too, can be avoided.
- Get a headlight.
- Slow down.
- Don’t ride on the sidewalk in the first place. Crossing between sidewalks is a fairly dangerous maneuver. You are at risk of getting hit if you cross on the left-hand side of the street, and if you cross on the right-hand side of the street, you risk getting slammed by a car behind you that’s turning right. Sidewalk riding also makes you vulnerable to cars pulling out of parking lots or driveways. And your presence is also threatening to pedestrians on the sidewalk, who could get hurt if you hit them. These kinds of accidents are hard to avoid, which is a compelling reason not to ride on the sidewalk in the first place. In addition, riding on the sidewalk is illegal in some places.
Only some sidewalks are safe to ride on. If the sidewalk is really long (no need to frequently cross streets), and free of driveways and people walking, then there’s little risk to you and others. Just make sure when you do cross a street or driveway that you slow down considerably and that you check the traffic in all directions, especially behind you if you’re riding with the flow of traffic.
So many parents today are in a hurry these days most households have two working parents and kids and usually some sort of after school activities. Most seem to not think about running into a store really quickly just to grab something. According to the GM Foundation President Vivian Pickard, 500 children have died since 1998 due to being left in hot cars in summer months as well as in the winter months.
Even in seemingly mild days, the temperature inside a car can rise 20 degrees in 10 minutes and leaving a window cracked really makes no difference in the temperature inside the car. As tough as it is at times to take children inside a store the grief and guilt of losing a child would far supersede how tough taking them in would be!
There have been a lot of reported cases of hidden dangers to our children that we may not have thought about. The one that stood out the most to me was our washing machines. A child left his mother’s sight for mere minutes. Yet that was enough time for her 21-month-old to fall into the top-loading washing machine and become submerged in a full tub. Washing machine-related injuries are more common than deaths, says Scott Wolfson, director of public affairs for the CPSC. Aside from drowning, children may suffer burns from hot water in the machine, or injuries to their limbs if they come into contact with a rapid spin cycle. Adding a safety child lock to your laundry room door or to the washer or dryer can dramatically cut down the risk to your child.
Spring break is just around the corner for a lot of kids and families. I thought it would be important to share a few safety tips for everyone.
- If you are going out of town to a hot climate, wear sunscreen so you don’t get burnt.
- Drink a lot of water to stay hydrated
- Always be aware of your surroundings
- Tell your friends and relatives where you will be vacationing, when you will depart and when you expect to return.
One of the unfortunate side-effects of technological improvement in communication is that unscrupulous criminals can now victimize innocent people in both physical and electronic ways. You need to be alert for both kinds of harm in order to protect yourself from damages.
Physical Mail Fraud
Mail fraud involves the use of the federal postal or communication systems in order to carry out an attempt to defraud innocent persons. In mail order fraud the victim (as buyer) has provided money to an alleged seller, say, through themail or that the underlying order will be fulfilled for delivery via the US Postal Service. In the event that no delivery ensues, then a case for mail order fraud forms.
It’s critical that the victim provides mail fraud reporting to local post office officials so that they can turn the matter over to their mail fraud investigative unit, which aggressively pursues convictions where evidence supports such an action. In a typical mail fraud report, the US Post Office investigative team catalogues the documents supporting the underlying fraud scheme. The documents will be used in order to prove the intent to defraud.
Suspicious Packages
If you receive a suspicious letter or package that you do not recognize or it doesn’t have a return address, follow these safety precautions:
- Handle the package or envelope with extreme care; don’t shake or bump it.
- Isolate it immediately. Move it to a secure place, away from people and pets.
- Do not open, smell or touch it. If you notice a powder or residue, don’t taste it; immediately wash your hands and other body parts that may have been exposed with soap and water.
- Contact your local sheriff or police department.
If you suspect a package or other container may be a bomb, evacuate the premises immediately. If you suspect radiological, biological or chemical exposure, do not handle the object. Shield yourself, other people and pets from further exposure by evacuating the area immediately. Do not try to resolve the problem yourself by disposing of, disarming or otherwise trying to reduce the threat of the unknown object. Special police and fire teams are highly trained for this kind of activity and should be called right away.
Electronic Mail Fraud
Email fraud reflects unauthorized entry into personal or corporate networks, taking over an email address and then sending out messages purporting to be from the true owner operator of that email account or address. Email fraud typically originates as a request for service or a query regarding outgoing email messages. In certain instances an email is associated with identity theft. The key to unraveling an email fraud is to establish a “back tracking” electronically, where the procedure includes either reading the hard drive of the corrupted PC or via internet “cookies” which record the steps taken and origins of the email fraud perpetrator.
To avoid becoming an email fraud victim and to ensure potential convictions to those persons who would defraud you, you need to install security system software or utilize encryption software to deflect email fraud attacks. The success of email fraud depends entirely on commandeering your passwords, logons, PIN numbers, or other access codes which you may have casually left open.
Other email frauds are direct and personal, more like physical mail fraud. In these cases someone claiming to be from an entity you usually trust (your bank, doctor, school, etc.) sends you a request or reminder that asks you for personal information. NEVER send your social security number, bank account information or any other private, personal information to anyone by email without making sure the request is legitimate and the line secure. Less insidious, but more seductive, are emails from someone promising you a prize, money, a free trip that “you may have already won”—if only you’ll send back private information, money or other people’s email addresses. DON’T BE FOOLED!
Children, teens and the elderly are favorite targets for this kind of fraud, so make sure that everyone in your household who uses email is aware of how to be careful and alert in any of their online activities.
Enjoy safe communication by staying alert and being cautious in both the physical and the electronic worlds.
Do you remember Mr. Yuck? Does your child know Mr. Yuck? As parents we are the first line of defense when it comes to protecting our children. A child being poisoned happens every day. We need to find way to educate and protect our children. I remember the little green sticker that had the Mr. Yuck face on it and asked my own children if they knew what that sticker meant. They kind of had an idea but I realized that we needed to sit down and have a talk about what that sticker really means. I also think that we need to be more proactive with child proofing cabinets and whatever areas that we keep items that could hurt children if they came in contact with them. The universal poison control number is 1-800-222-1222. This number is answered 24/7 and the people on the other line can answer your questions or concerns along with connecting you to a local office. Children shouldn’t have to be harmed by drugs or cleaning products when we as parents have the ability to protect them!
When it comes to fire safety we all need to be diligent with our efforts. We all know that we need smoke detectors and to set up a meeting place for all family member to gather outside of the house in case of a fire. But we need to talk more to our children about what to do in case of a fire. Do drills to show young ones how to navigate in a smoke filled house. Teach them to touch a door to feel if it’s hot before they touch the door knobs and open it. Practice getting out of the house; show them how to climb out of their windows. Run practice drills. The more practice and education that they have the more prepared they will be if the unthinkable does happen.