SAFETY
TIPS
Hot Tips To
Keep Your Cool
Don't Let Thieves Steal Your Fun
Washington DC - The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) today released several hot weather safety tips to keep summer vacationers cool. School is almost out for the summer, which means summer vacations are about to get under way. While vacationers are a favorite target for thieves, you can leave your worries behind by using your common sense and following a few simple precautions from NCPC and its icon McGruff the Crime Dog®. Make your vacation a memorable one. Don't let thieves steal your summer fun
Packing and Planning
Unprepared tourists
become prime targets for criminals. Research your vacation destination.
Decide in advance where you want to go and how to get there. Looking and
feeling confident in your travels helps make you look like you belong, not
like a tourist. That's important, because criminals often view tourists
as the most vulnerable of potential targets.
Before you leave home,
record the information on your credit cards and serial numbers on any valuable
equipment that you plan to bring. Copy your passport and other important
documents and secure the information in a safe place.
Plan your trip. Know
where to go and how to get around.
Before you Leave
Make sure that all doors
and windows of your home are securely locked before you leave.
Stop mail and newspaper
delivery, or ask a neighbor to pick them up every day.
Create the illusion
that you are home; use timers to turn lights, the television, or a radio
on and off during the day and night.
On the Road
Always lock the car
when you park. Avoid grab-and-go at gas stations. Lock your doors and roll
up your windows.
Stick to well-lighted
and well-traveled streets.
Select ATM machines
in visible and well-lighted locations.
Check around and in
your car for anything suspicious before you get in.
Keep valuables out of
sight or in the trunk. Purses, wallets, MP3 players, and cell phones in
plain view only help attract thieves.
In the Hotel
Avoid leaving valuables
in your hotel room. If necessary use a hotel safe.
Keep your hotel room
door locked, even when you are inside. Check all window locks, especially
if you are on a lower floor.
Verify any unexpected
visitor or delivery person by calling the front desk and asking to see identification.
Family Safety
Review your family's
safety rules with your children.
Make sure that everyone
in your party-adults, teens, children-has the name, address, and phone number
of the place you are staying and carries that information at all times.
Set up rules for each
day's outings on where and how you'll link up if you become separated. Agree
on a meeting place, just in case.
Is Your Family
Safe?
Tips for National Family Month
Washington, DC - Families across the country are celebrating National Family Month during the month of May. To mark this important occasion, the National Crime Prevention Council and its icon McGruff the Crime Dog®, have some tips about how families can stay safe at home, on the computer, and in their neighborhoods.
Securing your Home and Protecting your Property
Lock
your doors and windows. Research shows that more than 60 percent of all
burglaries show no sign of forced entry. Pick burglar-resistant, high-security
windows.
Use automatic timers
to turn on lights, radio, or the television when you are not at home.
Ask a trusted neighbor
to watch your home and pick up your mail and newspapers when you are out
of town. You can also ask your local post office to temporarily stop your
mail delivery.
Your landscaping should
provide maximum visibility to and from your house. Trim shrubbery that could
conceal criminal activity near doors and windows.
Install exterior lighting
near porches, rear and side doorways, garage doors, and all other points
of entry. Outdoor lighting can eliminate hiding places and deter burglars.
Neighborhood Safety
Join
a Neighborhood Watch group to discuss solutions to local crime problems.
If one doesn't exist, you can start one with help from your local law enforcement.
Know that route that
your children take to and from school. Point out McGruff Houses along the
way.
Be alert in the neighborhood.
Call the police or, if you're a kid, tell a trusted adult about anything
you see that seems suspicious.
Get to know your neighbors.
Good neighbors are one of your least expensive defenses against crime and
one of your most effective, too.
Report problem areas
and ask the police to increase patrols of your neighborhood hot spots.
Internet Safety
Keep
your personal information private and your passwords secure. Change your
passwords every 90 days to keep cyber criminals away.
Beware of "phishing."
These are email requests purporting to be from your bank, credit card company,
or other trusted sources that ask you to verify"
passwords, bank account numbers, or credit card information. Don't be fooled.
Use only secure websites
for purchases. Look for a secure padlock icon at the bottom of the browser
window or an "https" in the URL address.
Before surfing the Internet, secure your personal computers by updating
your security software. Everyone should have antivirus, antispyware, and
antispam software installed.
CONSUMER PROTECTION SERVICES: http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/consumer.htm
Keep abreast of scams involving everything from cars and personal fitness
to telemarketing and travel at this FTC site. Or file an online complaint.
CAR
SAFETY:
http://www.carsafety.org/
Before you take advantage of lower interest rates and buy that new car,
check out its safety ratings. Drop-down menus let you choose makes and models
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