Safety Around The Holidays

Enjoy a Safe Holiday Season

Holiday safety is an issue that burns brightest from late November to mid-January, when families gather, parties are scheduled and travel spikes. Take some basic precautions to ensure your family remains safe and injury-free throughout the season.

Traveling for the Holidays? Be Prepared

Many people choose to travel during the holidays by automobile, with the highest fatality rate of any major form of transportation. In 2015, 355 people died on New Year's Day, 386 on Thanksgiving Day and 273 on Christmas Day, according to Injury Facts 2017. Alcohol-impaired fatalities represent about one-third of the totals.

• Use a designated driver to ensure guests make it home safely after a holiday party; alcohol, over-the-counter or illegal drugs all cause impairment

• Make sure every person in the vehicle is properly buckled up no matter how long or short the distance traveled

• Put that cell phone away; many distractions can occur while driving, but cell phones are the main culprit

• Properly maintain the vehicle and keep an emergency kit with you

• Be prepared for heavy traffic, and possibly heavy snow

• Have a plan for travel in place; let people know where you’re going to be, your route when on the road or flying, etc. and have the Virtual Halo app downloaded and configured on your iPhone and Apple Watch in case of an emergency.

Even Angel Hair can Hurt

Decorating is one of the best ways to get in a holiday mood, but emergency rooms see thousands of injuries involving holiday decorating every season.

• "Angel hair," made from spun glass, can irritate your eyes and skin; always wear gloves or substitute non-flammable cotton

• Spraying artificial snow can irritate your lungs if inhaled; follow directions carefully

• Decorate the tree with your kids in mind; move ornaments that are breakable or have metal hooks toward the top

• Always use the proper step ladder; don't stand on chairs or other furniture

• Lights are among the best parts of holiday decorating; make sure there are no exposed or frayed wires, loose connections or broken sockets, and don't overload your electrical circuits

• Plants can spruce up your holiday decorating, but keep those that may be poisonous (including some Poinsettias) out of reach of children or pets; the national Poison Control Center can be reached at (800) 222-1222

• Make sure paths are clear so no one trips on wrapping paper, decorations, toys, etc.; NSC provides tips for older adults on slip, trip and fall protection

It's Better to Give Safely

We've all heard it's important when choosing toys for infants or small children to avoid small parts that might prove to be a choking hazard. Here are some additional gift-related safety tips:

• Select gifts for older adults that are not heavy or awkward to handle

• Be aware of dangers associated with coin lithium batteries; of particular concern is the ingestion of button batteries

• For answers to more of your holiday toy safety questions, check out this Consumer Product Safety Commission blog

• See which toys have been recalled

Watch Out for Those Fire-starters

Candles and Fireplaces

Thousands of deaths are caused by fires, burns and other fire-related injuries every year, and 12% of home candle fires occur in December, the National Fire Protection Association reports. Increased use of candles and fireplaces, combined with an increase in the amount of combustible, seasonal decorations present in many homes means more risk for fire.

• Never leave burning candles unattended or sleep in a room with a lit candle

• Keep candles out of reach of children

• Make sure candles are on stable surfaces

• Don't burn candles near trees, curtains or any other flammable items

• Don't burn trees, wreaths or wrapping paper in the fireplace

• Check and clean the chimney and fireplace area at least once a year

Turkey Fryers

While many subscribe to the theory any fried food is good – even if it's not necessarily good for you – there is reason to be on alert if you're thinking of celebrating the holidays by frying a turkey.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports there have been 168 turkey-fryer related fires, burns, explosions or carbon monoxide poisoning incidents since 2002. CPSC says 672 people have been injured and $8 million in property damage losses have resulted from these incidents.

NSC discourages the use of turkey fryers at home and urges those who prefer fried turkey to seek out professional establishments or consider a new oil-less turkey fryer.

Don't Give the Gift of Food Poisoning

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides some holiday food safety tips. Here are a few:

• Do not rinse raw meat and poultry before cooking

• Use a food thermometer to make sure meat is cooked to a safe temperature

• Refrigerate food within two hours

• Thanksgiving leftovers are safe for four days in the refrigerator

• Bring sauces, soups and gravies to a rolling boil when reheating

• When storing turkey, cut the leftovers in small pieces so they will chill quickly

• Wash your hands frequently when handling food

Keep Your Data Safe While Traveling Overseas

Whether at home or abroad there are a lot of cybersecurity threats that can put you and your personal data at risk, but this threat is even more perilous when you travel overseas. What steps have you taken to keep your data safe? Here are five key things you should be doing to protect against cyber security threats:

1. Change Your Passwords

Before you travel abroad, change all of your passwords on all of your devices. Your passwords should never be simple, like “password,” or use personally-identifying information, such as your name, birthdate, etc. Instead, opt for passwords that are at least eight characters long and use a combination of letters, numbers and symbols. When possible, you should also enable two-factor authentication.

2. Enable Auto-Delete

In the event that your device is stolen or misplaced, you want to have an extra safety measure in place. Make sure you enable auto-delete, a feature that will automatically erase all of the data in your device if someone incorrectly enters the password a set number of times.

3. Look for Anti-Theft Software

As an added level of protection, download anti-theft software to all of your devices. This software should allow you to remotely lock your device in the event that is it lost or stolen so you can take steps from there to locate it or erase all of your personal data. And while you’re downloading, make sure you’re only enabling apps that protect your personal information, like Virtual Halo.

4. Disable WiFi Auto-Connect

You should only connect to WiFi when you know it is safe and secure, no matter where you are on the map; but especially in foreign territory you want to be extra careful. Before you leave home soil, make sure you disable WiFi auto-connect features so you have to manually connect. If you know you will need to access sensitive data overseas, search for a secure VPN connection you can temporarily use.

5. Turn Off Bluetooth Connectivity

Along the same lines as WiFi, you want to turn off your Bluetooth connectivity. Cyberthreats can instantaneously seize opportunities to access your personal data through either WiFi or Bluetooth, so keep them out by turning it off altogether.

6. Keep Your Devices with You at All Times

Modern society is practically glued to their smart devices, but as a reminder: always keep your devices with you and in your sight. It only takes a second for them to go missing!

How Schools Can Improve Student Safety

A lot of schools are already taking steps to ensure their students are safe and secure while on campus or in classes with blue-light phones and campus security, but with modern advancements they can go the extra mile by downloading a user-friendly and reliable application on student smart devices that enables them to get help at the touch of a button: Campus Halo.

Campus Halo Was Designed with the Student in Mind

Campus Halo is a personal safety application that can be downloaded directly every student’s smart device, such as their phone and Apple Watch. Since they already travel these devices, whether to stay in communication with friends and family or take notes in classes, it’s a simple solution to aid in student safety. Plus, the SOS feature is free to all students of select campuses, so they don’t have to worry about any associated fees.

Students Can Connect Directly to Campus Security

Unlike blue-light phones, students always have their personal devices with them wherever they are, so if a dangerous situation arises they don’t have to worry about searching for help and safety. Instead, they can use their device to push an SOS button to send a notification that goes directly to campus security with the student’s exact location. This eliminates the extra time it would take to find help, so thestudent gets the assistance they need that much more quickly.

Campus Halo is Making Campuses Safer

With help just an SOS button away, students can feel safer on campus and have peace of mind as they make their way to and from classes. In the event of an emergency situation, Campus Halo is there with instant notifications that get help to them faster than most other campus security measures. By keeping school populations safer, we are helping to increase the security of everyone. Learn more about Campus Halo here.

Improve Your Health By Focusing On Your Personal Safety

There are plenty of potentially dangerous health risks that people routinely avoid every day. But if you want to keep your personal health in check, it’s a good idea to start with your safety. When you feel safe, you feel comfortable, which naturally reduces your stress levels. And since stress can lead to high blood pressure, diabetes or heart disease, keeping your mind and body relaxed and as stress-free as possible is one of the keys to leading a healthy, fulfilling life.

Personal Safety = Less Stress = Better Health

How are you keeping yourself healthy? When you think of health, your first inclination may be to imagine running, eating well or even practicing yoga; but do you consider your mental well-being? Your surroundings have been shown to have an impact on your mental state. When you feel safe, you feel comfortable and your mind is at ease, but when you don’t feel safe, your adrenaline races through your veins, putting your mind and body on high alert in preparation for the fight or flight response. This puts stress on your body both mentally and physically, which is why taking care of your personal safety is actually an integral part of being healthy.

Stay Alert to Avoid Danger

To stay safe, start by trusting your instinct; it’s usually very accurate. If a situation feels dangerous or you think there’s something off, there’s a reason why. Get to safety as quickly as possible and call for help. And always try to rely on the buddy system when you’re traveling to new areas or going on an adventure, like camping or hiking. Whether your buddy is another friend, family member or even your dog, having that extra safety net can come in handy if the situation arises.

Take Extra Precautions to Keep Yourself Safe

Even if you are traveling alone, always make sure you have a means to get help if you need it. With modern smart technology, it’s easier than ever before to stay connected and keep yourself safe. If you download Virtual Halo, your personal safety app, to your phone, you can link it to your Apple Watch so getting help is as quick and easy as pushing an SOS button.