Holiday Safety Tips

  The holiday season is upon us once again.  With our hectic schedules of work, family and shopping for the holidays we might tend to forget to follow our everyday safety measures.  During this time of the year, the vulnerability to being a victim of a crime increases.  Criminals use this time to prey on unsuspecting individuals as well as homes.  Following a few simple steps should help you and your family stay a little safer this holiday season.

Here are a few simple safety measures to help protect you and your family this year:

* make sure you lock your doors and windows

* don't display gifts in open view of a window or a doorway for criminals to peek at while you are away.

* if purchasing large expensive items, remember to break down the boxes, turn them inside out if possible and if you can, hold off putting them in the recycling for a few weeks.

* don't over burden yourself with shopping bags and park in well lit areas.  Make sure to place your items in your trunk out of sight of suspecting thieves.

* avoid carrying large amounts of cash with you and if possible Debit or Credit Card your purchases at respectable stores.  If carrying cash, carry it in your front pocket to avoid being pick pocketed or having your purse stolen.  If carrying a purse, I like to recommend a cross body small purse, this way you won't be tempted to leave it unguarded in the shopping cart or leave it out of sight.

* if you are lucky to travel someplace warm this holiday season, remember to place your lights on timers and have your mail and newspapers collected by a trusted friend or neighbour.

* arrange with a neighbour or good friend to shovel your driveway and to drive a vehicle in and out of your driveway so it looks like there has been activity at your home.

* arrange with a neighbour to place a bag of garbage and recycling on your pick up days in front of your house so it looks like your house is occupied.

Above all else, use the same safety routine  you do throughout the rest of the year and you should have a safe and happy holiday season this year!  Be vigiliant and report anything you may find suspicious to your local police service. 

Season's Greetings!

I.C.E. (In Case of Emergency)

I don't know of too many people who don't own a cellphone these days. We are a cellphone addicted society. We use them to connect with the world, to check up on the latest Tweets and happenings on social media sites such as Facebook and upload photos and videos to YouTube.

I am the exception to the rule though. I will be honest. I have a pay as you go cellphone. Trust me, Rogers doesn't get too wealthy off of me. My only use for my cellphone is in case of emergency purposes. There is the odd time a friend will call it to chat, but very rarely will you see it attached to my ear. It seeks comfort and warmth within the confines of my purse. It has no camera or internet capabilities. I can use a text feature but by the time I figure out how to turn numbers into letters I get exasperated and just wait until I get home and chat online.

Recently I had to re-certify my CPR and First Aid training and the paramedic that was training us mentioned I.C.E to us. I hadn't even thought about it and of course as a Crime Prevention Specialist I was intrigued to learn more. The I.C.E. program was originally developed in 2004 in the United Kingdom by first responder Bob Brotchie and quickly spread into other countries.

I.C.E. is an acronym for In Case of Emergency. How many of you have an in case of emergency card or paper in your wallet for emergency personnel? How many have an I.C.E contact listed in your cellphone? It's something so simple yet we never really think about. If you were to be unconscious in an accident how would first responders know who to contact. By creating an I.C.E contact in the phonebook on your cellphone, it takes the guess work out of who to contact and allows for emergency agencies to contact your spouse, parent or friend much faster.

To program ICE into your cell phone:

* Access the address book feature of your cell phone.
* Enter the name ICE.
* Enter the phone number of your husband, wife, parent or whomever needs to know about you in case of an emergency.

It's that simple. A few minutes that could help first responders locate your spouse, parent or friend faster that in turn could potentially save your life. Shouldn't you add an ICE contact in your phone today?

Welcome Message from Heather

Welcome to my Crime Prevention and Safety blog. I hope it will encourage your participation in volunteering with Crime Prevention programs as well as keep you aware of the latest potential hazzards there are out there. I will update with a topic of interest and encourage my readers to share their comments, questions or criticisms. Together we can work on making the world a safer place, one day at a time! :D