Monthly Archives: November 2012

General Safety Issues

IT’S NATIONAL TEENS DON’T TEXT AND DRIVE WEEK!

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One week each November has been set aside to make teens more aware of the dangers of taking their eyes off the road for even a moment.  This year, it starts on November 18th and goes through November 24th.  The hazards of texting  are a serious threat to today’s youth with this escalating trend beginning to surpass the threats of drunk driving. Research states that “texting and driving slows down a driver’s response time to that of a 70 year old” according to University of Utah survey.  So talk to your teens (or others you know) about the dangers of driving and texting.  This message also applies to all drivers, of any age!

Texting Tips For Teens

1) How about just turning the phone off before starting the car?

2) Think about the risks you are taking!

3) Have a passenger text for you

4) If you must text while driving, stop the vehicle, then text

5) Avoid reading text messages; it’s as dangerous as sending text messages

6) Get your text or voice message when you reach your destination safely!

7) Is there any message worth losing your life, or taking someone’s life? 

Not only is the person who is texting distracted, but may lead them to cause an accident.  They are also not able to be a defensive driver which could help them avoid being hit by another driver.  Remind them to always pay attention to the road – it could save their life!   In addition, here is some good information regarding the subject from the Federal Communications Commission:

Give Clear Instructions – Give teen drivers simple, clear instructions not to use their wireless devices while driving. According to Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association, the easiest way to say it is: “On the road, off the phone.” Before new drivers get their licenses, discuss the fact that taking their eyes off the road – even for a few seconds – could cost someone injury or even death.

Lead by Example – Children learn from their parent’s behavior. No one should text and drive. Be an example for your children and if you need to text or talk on the phone, pull over to a safe place. 

 
 
 
 
General Safety Issues

TRAGEDY MARS CELEBRATION FOR WOUNDED WARRIORS AND THEIR FAMILIES

 Owners of U.S. flags in Midland, Texas, have been asked by the mayor of Midland to fly them at half-staff until Monday, to honor the memory of the four Wounded Warriors that lost their lives in a parade/train wreck Thursday, November 15.  It was all planned to be a celebration, with two floats being pulled by 18-wheelers, all decorated with the names of the veterans.  The day’s event, including the parade, had been organized by Show Of Support, a local veterans group. The parade was scheduled to end at a “Hunt for Heroes” banquet honoring the veterans, who were then to be given a deer-hunting trip over the weekend. The events were canceled. 

Four of those killed were veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, including an Army sergeant who saved his wife’s life, by pushing her from the float.  Another vet, also lost his life, but saved his wife.  Those who were in wheelchairs were unable to escape injury.  Along with the four military veterans who died Thursday, seventeen more were injured.  Some have been released from the hospital, but one remains in critical condition.  There were 26 people on the flatbed when it was struck, police said.

Witnesses report that the train was going around 60 mph, (below the speed limit) when it hit the float.  There was so much noise from sirens, etc., that it is unsure that the participants even heard the trains’ whistle, and that the traffic arms came down on the first riders on the second float, according to reports. 

The National Transportation Safety Board will do a full investigation into the accident.  Questions raised included were the permits and everything in order, was the railroad notified in time, and if the timing of the crossing gates was changed to give vehicles time to cross the tracks.  They also are considering that the town’s traffic lights caused the driver of the first truck to slow down, not allowing the second one to cross soon enough.  The black box on the train will answer many questions.  Late Thursday, Union Pacific spokesman Tom Lange told reporters that a preliminary investigation indicated that the crossing gate and warning lights at the tracks were working. He said he did not know if the train crew saw the float.  Deborah Hersman, NTSB chairwoman, said the train was equipped with a forward-facing camera, which could provide images to help in the investigation.

Midland Mayor Wes Perry and pastors Patrick Payton and Roy Smith are scheduled to host a community prayer vigil for the victims and their families, officials said. Midland is about 300 miles west of Dallas.

According to officials, the parade was traveling westbound on Wall Street when it turned south on Garfield Street, crossing the train tracks. The last two floats in the parade were carrying the veterans and their spouses.

Our military and their families make sacrifices every day for us.  This celebration of their contributions turned into a very sad day for Americans.  Remember these brave persons and all who serve, both at home and abroad.  With Thanksgiving coming up, say an extra “thank you” for our military heroes and their families, who wait for their return home.

First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues, Health Issues

Ten Things You Didn’t Know About Shingles and Chicken Pox (Guest Post)

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Submitted by Sara Dawkins, of http://www.nannypro.com/.

 Shingles is a very painful skin rash that appears in a band or a patch of red bumps on your skin.  You can only get shingles if you have already had chicken pox.  The same virus that causes chicken pox stays in your body and can cause you to get shingles at any time.  To learn more about shingles, check out these 10 things that you may not have known about the rash.

  1. Shingles affects your nerve endings.  If you got chicken pox as a child, the virus will never really leave your body.  The virus attaches itself to your nerve roots and remains dormant until something affects your immune system.  If your immune system is weakened, Shingles can occur.
  2. Often shingles will only appear on one side of your body.  The Herpes Zoster virus (chicken pox) travels down the nerve to the spine and lies dormant.  Because that nerve only serves one side of your body, it is likely that the shingles will only appear on one side.
  3. You can get shingles at almost any age.  If a person has had chicken pox at one point in their life and they have an immune system that is compromised, they can get shingles.  Despite popular belief, children are not immune and it’s not just something that people over 50 get.  Shingles will often occur during chemotherapy treatments because of the compromised immune system, or during any other severe illness.
  4. Stress can bring on shingles.  While many things can compromise your immune system, it doesn’t have to be anything very dramatic.  Have you been under a lot of stress with work and family?  Who hasn’t, right?  Even stress like that can cause shingles, despite there being no other factors.
  5. Shingles isn’t that contagious.  Shingles is not contagious in most people.  It is possible to infect someone with the Herpes Zoster virus and give them chicken pox if they have never had them or have never received a vaccine for them.  However, this can only happen if that person comes in contact with the fluid from the blisters.  For the most part, you get shingles because you had chicken pox as a kid.
  6. The red bumps will turn into blisters if left untreated.  Shingles starts out as a band or patch of blisters that are red and itchy.  As the illness progresses, blisters will develop in the rash.  The blisters will then dry up and scab over before they will go away.  Some people will scar from the blisters and sores that form, which is why it’s important not to pick at the scabs.  You can soak the infected area to speed up the healing.
  7. Shingles is not related to Herpes simplex 1 or 2.  The Herpes Zoster virus causes both chicken pox and shingles.  Herpes simplex 1 causes cold sores, which are blisters around the mouth.  Herpes simplex 2 is the kind that causes genital herpes. 
  8. If you are over 50 you can get a vaccine for shingles.  The shingles vaccine helps prevent shingles in only about 50% of recipients, according to WebMD, and may decrease the pain and duration related to shingles if the virus is contracted after someone has been vaccinated.
  9. Your skin may feel like it’s been burned.  One of the first symptoms of shingles that you should watch for is a burning feeling on your skin.  The skin won’t look like it’s been burned.  The burn feels more like a chemical burn than sunburn because the skin is not hot.
  10. Treat the itching with calamine lotion.  There is considerable itchiness with the shingles rash, and it is typically treated with over the counter medicines like calamine lotion.  Other anti-itch medicines like cortisones can also help the itch.  Other home treatments can include cold compresses and ibuprofen for the pain.

If left untreated, shingles can be one of the most painful things to endure, but there is hope if you can recognize it early and seek treatment right away.  If you start on an antibiotic and antiviral medication from your doctor as soon as you realize you may have it, you could avoid getting the blisters altogether.  Instead of treating it for four or more weeks with possible scarring, you could cut that down to only a couple of weeks.  The trick is to seek medical attention early.  Shingles can also cause numbness in fingers, but that will most likely go away over time.

General Safety Issues, Health Issues

WE’RE A “DAY LATE AND A DOLLAR SHORT” ON A VERY IMPORTANT SUBJECT!

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Yesterday, November 15, was The Great American Smokeout, and we FAILED  to remind you!  Sponsored by the American Cancer Society since 1977, Great American Smokeout has encouraged tobacco smokers and chewers to quit for the day, and hopefully, forever.  The Smokeout draws attention to deaths and health damage caused by smoking.  It has also contributed to bans on smoking in workplaces and restaurants, increased taxes on cigarettes, limitations on cigarette promotions in the media, attempts to discourage teen smoking, and other countless actions to reduce tobacco use.

By quitting even for one day smokers will be taking an important step towards a healthier life- one that can lead to reducing cancer risk. Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the US, yet about 43.8 million Americans still smoke cigarettes; that’s almost 1 in every 5 adults. As of 2010, there were also 13.2 million cigar smokers in the US, and 2.2 million who smoke tobacco in pipes other dangerous and addictive forms of tobacco.  According to the CDC, 440,000 deaths and $193 billion in health care costs and lost production occur annually.

Here are some facts from the U.S. Surgeon General and American Cancer Society that point out the benefits of quitting:

  •         Your heart rate and blood pressure drop 20 minutes after quitting.
  •          Your circulation improves and your lung function increases within 2 weeks to 3 months after quitting.
  •          The carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal 12 hours after quitting.
  •          One to nine months after quitting, coughing and shortness of breath decrease; normal function in the lungs is regained, which reduces the risk of infection.
  •          One year after quitting, the risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker’s.
  •          Five years after quitting, the stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker 5 to 15 years after quitting.
  •         Ten years after quitting, the lung cancer death rate is about half that of a continuing smoker’s.  The risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, cervix, and pancreas decrease.
  •          Fifteen years after quitting, risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker’s. 

Workplaces that make the choice to become smoke-free would see increased productivity, fewer sick days and lower insurance claims by employees.  Employers could reward their workers that stop smoking by paying a membership fee to a health club, treat non-smokers to an occasional free breakfast or lunch, or come up with other ideas. 

People have the right to choose what to do with their body; however, when facts prove that smoking damages almost every organ in the human body and is linked to at least fifteen different cancers, that should be reason enough for tobacco users to stop and think about it.  Besides that, think of how much money could be saved!    

We hope that you made that decision on the 15th to start a healthier lifestyle.  If you smoke, please don’t smoke in your home or in your car if you have other passengers to consider, especially children.  Consider the health benefits as listed above, not to mention creating a safer environment for those non-smokers who have to breathe secondhand smoke!

 

General Safety Issues

FIVE IMPORTANT SAFETY TIPS FOR HOLIDAY ROAD TRIPS (GUEST POST)

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By Sam Banai – Some great suggestions for everyone planning to travel next week for Thanksgiving, or later on, Christmas.

Everyone loves to travel on the holidays, but not everyone is willing to deal with the stress and hustle of flying on a major airline.  Choosing to drive to your holiday vacation spot can cut down on the bothers of airports and even create a little adventure in your life, especially if you have someone to keep you company and a good mix to drive to.  There are some added safety issues though that you must deal with if you’re driving long distances.  Keeping these precautions in mind before and  during your trip can make the difference between a festive vacation or one that spells disaster.

Funds For the Road

When embarking on a long journey through the country, make sure you have enough money.  Imagine driving down the highway and narrowly running out of gas about two miles from a station.  You walk the two miles in the cold — it is winter after all — and you arrive at the gas station with no cash and all your money in savings and not checking.  This might seem rare, but the vacation frenzied and excited mind will do silly things sometimes.  Just make sure you have emergency funds for those times that you run out of something that you will need in the middle of nowhere: gas, food, oil, payphone calls — when reception is elusive.   

Proper Rest is Best

Driving on slick roads is dangerous; driving on slick roads when you’ve been driving for 10 hours, or through the night, is suicide.  Pick out spots along the way where you can rest or even sleep.  If you’re really driving through nowhere, or if you just want to save some much needed cash, switch off driving with your road trip buddy.  You would be amazed how even a 30 minute nap can revitalize your awareness.  

Have a Clear Mind and Few Distractions

Music is great, but make sure it’s not distracting you from signs, lights, and noises of the road: horns, sirens, and railroad gates.  If you take medication, make sure it’s non-drowsy.  If it is, have someone else drive when you feel the effects, or don’t take it at all.  Nothing ruins a vacation like driving through Florida on the holidays and getting a DWI Charlotte officer pulling you over for swerving.  Just be responsible; don’t drive if you’re under the influence of drugs or alcohol.      

Have a Backup Plan

It might be worth investing in a service like AAA to give you peace of mind and security during the holidays.  If you can’t afford a service like that, or if you are Mr. or Mrs. Self Sufficient, make sure you have a spare of all major car elements.  The main ones include tires, windshield wiper fluid, and oil.  Also, make sure you have the tools and knowledge to use these things.  You need to have a car jack for changing tires and a working understanding of your engine in case something goes wrong.  And, please bring a windshield scrapper; it’s winter, and it tends to snow or get icy.

Keeping all of these things in mind will dramatically increase the chances that your holiday road trip goes well.  Be aware of the weather, supplies, your state of mind, and the route that you’re taking.  It may seem like a lot of work, but it can be a lot less stressful, more fun, and more rewarding to take a road trip with a loved one than fly to your holiday spot.

Saam Banai is a freelance writer and editor.  He contributes this article for Powers & McCartan PLLC, a firm with experience in DWI Charlotte based crimes.  If you have been taken in for a DWI in the State of North Carolina, you should quickly contact a defense attorney who knows this area of law.

 Thanks, Saam, for another great article! Travelers may also want to pack supplies, as you mentioned, such as blankets, water, snacks, fully-charged cell phone, and always carry a first aid kit.  Pat

General Safety Issues

Five Common Car Seat Misuses (Guest Post)

 Submitted by Sophie Leake, of aupaircare.net

In September 2012 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released the findings of its National Child Restraint Use Special Study, a national sur­vey of child restraint system use in children from birth to age 8.  The study revealed five significant and common car seat mistakes.

These included:

1. Using the wrong harness slot. When it comes to car seat harnesses, best practice dictates that in rear-facing seats the slots at or below the child’s shoulders should be used. For forward-facing seats, the slots at or above the child’s shoulders should be used. According to the study, when the wrong slots are used it can increase the risk of excessive excursion.

2. Improper chest clip positioning. The proper place for the chest clip to be positioned is at armpit level. When the chest clip is positioned over the abdomen, down by the crotch, or not used at all it can also increase the risk of departure from the seat.

3. Loose installation. Car seats should not move more than one inch front to back or side-to-side across the belt path. Loose installation may allow for excessive movement of the seat which could increase the risk of injury.

4. Loose harness straps. The harness straps of a child’s car seat should be snug and there should be no slack when pinched at the child’s shoulder. Loose straps not only can result in a greater risk of excessive excursion, but can increase the risk of ejection and injury.

5. Improper belt positioning in booster seats. When riding in a booster seat, the lap belt should lie snugly across the child’s thighs, not across the stomach, and the shoulder belt should lie snugly across the shoulder, and not the child’s neck, chest, or face. Improper positioning of seatbelts can increase the risk of excessive excursion and abdominal injury.

The study also cited that one in five parents do not read any instructions when installing their child’s car seat. Reading the car seat installation manual carefully can help prevent critical misuses that can increase the risk of injury in the event of a motor vehicle crash.

SafeKids and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator encourage everyone to conduct an at-home car seat safety check.  In addition to reading the car seat installation manual, parents and caregivers should be sure that:

1. The child is in the right seat for his age, weight, and height.

2. The car seat is placed in the back seat and that all children under the age of 13 ride in the back seat.

3. Children use rear-facing car seats for as long as possible, until he outgrows the seat.

4. The installed seat can’t be moved more than one inch front to back or side-to-side along the belt path.

5. The child’s harness is in the correct slots and that, when in use, they’re adjusted snugly with the chest clip at armpit level. Parents and caregivers should not be able to pinch the straps at the child’s shoulder once he’s properly fastened in.

When it comes to car seat safety, parents and caregivers must be on the same page. An agreement to follow best practices should be made and parents and caregivers should commit to ensuring that all passengers are properly secured in an appropriate car seat restraint system at all times.

Reading manuals is one thing that we all usually say, ” If all else fails, read the manual.”  In this case, as instructed, the first thing you should do is read the manual and follow instructions.  As a grandmother, I never was good at hooking up those carseats, but the parents knew how and did it correctly.  And the grandkids wouldn’t let me start the car until they were buckled up!  Their parents did a good job in teaching them the importance of seat belts. pb

General Safety Issues

POP QUIZ: CAR SEAT SAFETY (GUEST POST)

 This article is being shared with us by Debbie Denard, of Nanny.Net.  If you have a child or grandchild, take this quiz and see how well you do! 

1.) Installing your car seat, as well as maneuvering your child in and out of it, is easier when the seat is on one side of the car or the other. However, the recommended placement is in the center of the backseat. Is this rule one that can be safely bent?

  • A)   Yes. The placement of your child’s car seat should be what’s easiest for you to manage.
  • B)   No. It’s important to adhere to the center placement guidelines, as it’s significantly safer for your child in the event of an accident.
  • C)   Yes, if there’s a console between the two front seats.

2.) When should a child transition from rear-facing seats to those of the front-facing variety?

  • A)   When her feet touch the back of the vehicle’s seat.
  • B)   Around one year of age.
  • C)   When she’s reached the top weight or height limit allowed by the manufacturer of her car seat.

3.) You’re in a financial bind after purchasing baby items, and find a great deal on a used car seat. Is it okay to use a second-hand car seat?

  • A)   Yes. Every penny counts and you should save money wherever possible.
  • B)   Yes, as long as the seller assures you it’s never been in an accident.
  • C)   No, it’s never a good idea to purchase a second-hand car seat.

4.) When making a car seat purchase, is it better to choose one with a high weight limit, or a lower one that your child will outgrow in time to transition to a booster seat?

  • A)   A high weight limit.
  • B)   A smaller seat.
  • C)   The cheapest possible option.

5.) Your child is almost at the legal weight and height to transition from a car seat to a booster seat in your state, but she still fits comfortably in the high-limit car seat you purchased. Should you:

  • A)   Transition to the booster seat on the schedule recommended by your state.
  • B)   Continue to use the car seat until she no longer fits properly.
  • C)   Ask the child what she’d prefer.

6.) Your ten-year-old is clamoring to sit in the passenger seat. Is it okay to let him do so?

  • A)   Yes, as long as there’s no air bag, or an existing air bag has been disabled.
  • B)   Yes, as long as he wears his seat belt.
  • C)   No, even if there is no risk of air bag deployment.

7.) You’re planning to take a long-distance train with your toddler, who is far from graduating out of his car seat. Should he ride in his safety seat on the train?

  • A)   Yes, his safety seat is non-negotiable.
  • B)   No, his car seat is not a necessity for rides on a long-distance train.
  • C)   Only if he wants to ride in a safety seat.

8.) You’re bringing your newborn home from the hospital for the first time. Should after-market items like head positioners and strap covers be placed in her car seat?

  • A)   Yes, these products keep your baby comfortable in her car seat.
  • B)   No, these items can actually prove to be dangerous.
  • C)   Yes, but their value is mostly decorative.

9.) Your child is prone to motion sickness, which becomes problematic during longer car rides. Will turning his seat around so that he’s facing forward help?

  • A)   Yes.
  • B)   No.
  • C)   Maybe.

10.) You’re traveling by plane for a family vacation. The airline doesn’t require you to purchase a seat for children under the age of two; does this mean that it’s okay to leave the car seat at home?

  • A)   Yes. You’ll be forced to carry enough through the airport, and his car seat is an unnecessary burden.
  • B)   No, it’s safer to purchase the additional seat and properly install a car seat before take-off.
  • C)   Only if you plan to hold your child for the entirety of the trip. 

Answers:

Question 1: B. Because a child whose car seat is placed in the center of the back seat cannot be directly struck in a crash, he’s 43% safer than he would be on either side of the vehicle. The myth that consoles make center placement risky has been dispelled.

Question 2: C. Even if your child’s feet are touching the back of your car’s back seat, she’s still not too big to ride in a rear-facing position until she’s reached either the height or weight limit for her rear-facing car seat.

Question 3: C. In addition to the fact that you’re simply not able to accurately ascertain whether or not a seller is being honest with you regarding prior accidents, car seats also have expiration dates that older, used seats may have exceeded.

Question 4: A. When your child transitions from an infant seat, or if your chosen car seat is a convertible model, the longer you can keep her in a full car seat, the safer she’ll be. Don’t rush to transition to a booster seat.

Question 5: B. State requirements are often the bare minimum in terms of safety, so your child should continue to ride in a booster seat until she’s reached a weight or height that meets the upper limits put in place by the manufacturer.

Question 6: C. Even if the air bag in your front passenger seat is disabled or non-existent, the CDC recommends that they ride in the back seat until at least age 13.

Question 7: B. In fact, trains seats aren’t equipped with safety belts, making it impossible to install your child’s car seat safely.

Question 8: B. Any after-market items that are advertised as being an additional comfort measure may actually adversely affect proper head positioning and the fit of the car seat’s harness.

Question 9: B. The evidence supporting facing forward as a remedy for carsickness is purely anecdotal. A study reported by The Car Seat Lady shows that both front and rear-facing children showed identical 2% rates of carsickness.

Question 10: B. In addition to keeping your child safely restrained in the event of turbulence or difficulty in takeoff and landing, bringing your child’s car seat along ensures that you won’t be tempted to take the “short drive” from the airport to your destination without one.

How did you do on this test?  Make your child passenger(s) the safest little travelers they can be!

General Safety Issues

Ten iPhone Apps Focused on Child Safety (Guest Post)

Submitted by Paul Taylor, of BabySitters.net

The highest priority of any parent or quality childcare provider is ensuring the safety of the children under their care. The world can be a very dangerous place, and many of the hazards are all but hidden to inexperienced youngsters. If you’re responsible for the wellbeing of a child and are the owner of an iPhone, there are several applications in the App Store designed to help you keep your little ones safe. From product recalls to content filters, here are 10 of the best child safety apps available for the iPhone.

  1. FBI Child ID – No parent or caregiver wants to think about the possibility of a child going missing, but unfortunately from time to time it does happen. With the free FBI Child ID app you can save and organize personal information relevant to your child for use by law enforcement professionals. The app also provides tips for helping keep kids safe from harm in the first place, making it a great resource for anyone responsible for the care of a child.
  2. Consumer Reviews – Grocery, Baby & Health Product Barcode Scanner – Choosing the best and safest products for your child can be a challenge when you’re browsing the available options at a brick-and-mortar store, as there are no helpful product reviews sitting on the shelves alongside the many options. With this free app, you’ll be able to scan product barcodes to access allergy information, hidden food ingredients, and product reviews from real users.
  3. Sex Offender Search – While you cannot legally act on the information in any way, being aware of any sex offenders that live in your area is essential for the parents and caregivers of children. Registering for an account will also allow you to sign up for monthly update emails that notify you of any new offenders in the area, keeping your knowledge of the neighborhood and its residents current.
  4. Child Safety Poison – Kids, especially very young ones, explore the world using all of their senses to gather information. Unfortunately that means that a lot of dangerous substances can end up in their mouths. It only takes a single unsupervised moment for a child to gain access to and ingest poisonous substances, but this $4.99 app will let you know exactly how to treat a child who’s managed to swallow any one of the 252 household substances or 72 plants stored in its database. Of course, Child Safety Poison is no substitute for medical attention, which you should seek immediately if you suspect that a child has ingested a poisonous substance.
  5. Evoz – Imagine being able to listen to your baby from the office, the gym, or during your morning commute with a few taps of your iPhone’s screen. With the free Evoz app, that scenario is no longer a far-fetched one. The app will even push notifications or send emails when your infant cries, allowing you to track and monitor sleeping patterns all day long. There are no range limitations, so you can monitor the activity in your home and your baby’s sleeping habits from anywhere.
  6. iHound – Using GPS technology, iHound allows parents to track the movements of every member of the family. Know when your children arrive at their designated destinations, and if they leave them unexpectedly. In addition to providing you with valuable information regarding the whereabouts of your children, iHound also allows you to communicate with a lost or stolen iPhone.
  7. Nearparent – When children get old enough to explore the world and spend relatively unsupervised time with their friends, the ability to check in periodically to let you know they’re okay is invaluable. As an added bonus, this free app also allows parents to receive notifications when a child leaves a designated “safe” zone and gives you contextual weather warnings.
  8. Life 360 Family Locator – Know where every member of your family is at any given time and stay informed of any safety hazards in their area with Life360′s Family Locator. Available for free in the App Store, this app even allows you to track family members that have regular cellphones. There’s no need to buy pricey smartphones for young children in order to keep tabs on their location.
  9. Pocket First Aid & CPR from the American Heart Association – Knowing how to properly perform CPR and administer first aid is one of the most essential skills a parent or childcare provider can master. From the United States’ largest and most venerable voluntary health organization, Pocket First Aid & CPR provides you with valuable information, including child and infant CPR techniques.
  10. Mobicip – Before presenting your child with his first iPhone, be sure to install this $4.99 app to protect him from questionable or objectionable content. Your youngster will only be able to access age-appropriate content, even providing safe and non-threatening YouTube usage.

While your iPhone can be a powerful tool for ensuring the safety of your children or charges, it’s important to remember that it can also become dangerous if it presents a distraction. Never text, email, or use complex apps while driving or performing other tasks that require your full attention. Be sure to comply with all local and state laws regarding the use of a hands-free headset for voice calls while driving, and that your phone use doesn’t affect your ability to supervise the children under your care.

General Safety Issues

Benefits of 2-Way Radios (Guest Post)

Guest post by Charlie Curtis-Jones

Planning an event is never easy at the best of times. Perfect preparation may prevent pretty poor performance but all your best laid safety plans may go to waste when hundreds of people descend on one space and the chaos begins. It’s not always possible to prepare for every eventuality.

The life of an event planner may call for a cool head and organisational skills that border on obsessive but there are certainly a few tools out there which can make life somewhat easier. In recent years, the 2 way radio has become something of a life saver for those hoping to keep an event flowing and ensuring everything and everyone is in the right place at the right time.

The key benefit of having instant communication at an event, and large events in particular, is safety. Having tens, hundreds, or even thousands of people in one place at the same time can be difficult to manage and it is even harder to ensure everyone arrives safe and goes home in one piece.

This is an area where 2 way radios can really help. The primary benefit of instant communication across a whole site is emergency response to an incident. If your event is a large one, say a festival, wedding or party or club night – or any place where alcohol is served – then it is paramount you are able to keep on top of everything and limit any possibility that someone could get hurt or cause damage.

Being able to contact either an on-site medical team or designated first-aid personnel instantaneously could prove to be vital, and that is something the use of 2 way radios can grant you.

Coupled with the ability to call upon medical assistance straight away is the fact that with mobile communications you are able to co-ordinate more efficiently, and therefore even further restricting time that could be wasted if an event organiser and other parties are not constantly instantly contactable. The fact signal won’t ever drop out like it does on mobile phones further increases their benefit.

Improving your control of a site and in turn your control of events, is undoubtedly helped by increasing communication.

If for example, an event planner is charged with organising a large wedding then it is not only important to make sure guests are in the right place and ready to move on to the venue or to the dining area to keep the day running smoothly to ensure everyone has the best day possible, but to also keep everyone safe.

If, say, caterers are setting up a dining area with cutlery, glasses and crockery and guests are coming in and out of the area then an accident is a real possibility.

Through communicating across a large space, an event organiser can ensure every person at the venue is away from the hustle and bustle and enjoying themselves while behind the scenes everything is set up seamlessly to ensure they have a day to remember for all the right reasons.

Before an event, those charged with organising it will put hours of planning into making sure everything runs smoothly across the day. Having the right communication device can be paramount in ensuring that these well laid plans are administered and adhered to ensure the safety of visitors and guests at any event.

Guest post by Charlie Curtis-Jones who writes for Brentwood Communications, a leading UK supplier of digital and analogue two way radio communication equipment.

 
First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues

TWELVE TIPS TO ENSURE YOUR SAFETY AT WORK (GUEST POST)

By Brandon Allred

While people may feel that they are safe at work if nowhere else, this is a common misconception that can lead to unfortunate incidences. No matter where you are – work, home, shopping- you can fall victim to crime. Understanding this can help protect you, and learning about some simple things that you can do to keep yourself safe at work can make all the difference in the world.

Tip 1:

When at work you should keep your purse and keys locked up in a locker or drawer no matter how safe you feel your personal items are. Anything can happen to them even when it comes to people that you think that you can trust.

Tip 2:

If any strangers show up at your office you should ask for photo identification to ensure that they are who they say they are. On the same note, if someone whom you do not know makes you feel uncomfortable or uneasy, trust your gut and call for security.

Tip 3:

If you notice any broken or flickering lights, corridors that are not well lit, broken windows or doors, or doors or windows that will not properly lock or close, report them to the right person immediately,  as they may be warning signs of something unpleasant to come.

Tip 4:

Keep an emergency kit on hand at all times. In it you should include water, food that is nonperishable, and a flashlight. This is for in case the lights go out because of a storm or because someone has messed around with the wires.

Tip 5:

When someone makes a delivery or pickup at your company, follow the same procedure for tip number two. Always ask for identification before you allow them in the building. Without proper ID you should not allow them to enter the premises.

Tip 6:

If you are the owner or the business, or in a position to make important decisions, take a good look at your office layout to assess any sort of potential security breach risks. Also do through background checks on all employees including criminal background checks.

Tip 7:

Assess  the probabilities of being a victim of fraud, burglary and embezzlement and have basic principles of prevention put in place in case any of these issues arise. This is something that  every business is vulnerable to and taking the proper steps is  important for prevention and recovery.

Tip 8:

If you know about any violence in the workplace, or witness any violence (or even know about the potential for violence), make a report to the appropriate authority right away to prevent an unfortunate event.  The same goes for sexual harassment or harassment of any type. These are serious matters.

Tip 9:

Keep your entire inventory up to date. You should do both regularly scheduled checks and random checks. Also write down equipment and product ID numbers and keep them at the office and at home or a bank safety deposit box so you have backups.

Tip 10:

If you are working alone after hours make sure that all doors and windows are locked up before the last person leaves.

Tip 11:

Have an emergency plan in place and make sure that your employees know what the plan is and understand how to follow it.

Tip 12:

If you work at home all of the above still applies. Keep yourself safe no matter what your working environment may be.  Keep everything locked up and have some sort of alarm system in place in case of emergency.

Staying safe at work is something that everyone should know how to do. Being privy to the proper information can make life much less stressful and much safer overall.

Protective Technologies provides safety equipment for business. Please visit our  website to find out more information.