Holiday/Vacation Safety

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Halloween Safety
Halloween Safety Links
Christmas Safety
Vacation Safety

There are special occasions that call for special safety measures. During holiday times, there are special safety considerations you should keep in mind and when you or your family go on vacation, you must be extra careful to make your home and property safe and burglar resistant.

Halloween Safety

Halloween is a special time for children, but children don’t always know what is and is not safe. If your children are trick or treating on Halloween, there are several tips to follow for their safety.

Make sure they wear light colored costumes with plenty of reflective tape so they are visible to cars and trucks.
Have them go while it is still light outside.
They should be accompanied by an adult, or an older brother or sister.
They should never enter a stranger’s house even if invited.
They should not sample candy given to them until it has been checked by an adult for possible tampering.
Check with area hospitals to see if they offer free X-raying of treats on Halloween.
Notify a deputy if suspicious or harmful items are found in your child’s collection of treats.
They should stay away from homes with dogs loose in the yard.

Having a Halloween party is a good alternative to the tradition of trick or treating. It gives kids an opportunity to have a good time in a supervised and safe atmosphere.

For more Halloween Safety Tips, click here.

Holiday Decorating Tips

Christmas

Having a live Christmas tree is one of the nicest things about the holiday season. The smell of pine has become a symbol of Christmas. A live tree can be a hazard, however, if not cared for properly.

Buy a tree stand with a good sized water reservoir and keep plenty of water in the stand. In addition, use an additive for the water to keep the tree green and in good condition. A dry tree can be a fire hazard.

Also remember to turn off the Christmas tree lights when not in the room, especially at night when sleeping, or when the house is unoccupied. There have been instances of tree lights getting too hot, or shorting out and catching the tree on fire.

If candles are a part of a home’s decorations, follow the same rules. Put out the candle flames when no one is in the room, and make sure the candle is sitting on a non-flammable surface, such as a large plate. Incidentally, the use of lighted candles is strongly discouraged.

Christmas presents are a integral part of the holiday, and unfortunately they are also a temptation to burglars. Don’t keep presents underneath the tree where they might be visible from a window to someone passing outside. Hide them out of sight until Christmas morning, so you don’t wake up and find them gone before you have a chance to open them.

Play it safe—and have a happy holiday.

Vacation Safety Tips

When going on vacation or out of town for any reason:

Don’t publicize vacations ahead of time. Burglars watch for newspaper accounts.
Notify the Sheriff’s Office of your plans, and fill out a “premises-check” form, available at the nearest Sheriff’s Office Substation. Deputies will keep an eye on your house when they are in the neighborhood.
Stop deliveries of mail and newspapers or ask a friend to pick them up while you are gone.
Arrange to have the lawn mowed.
Leave information on where you can be contacted in an emergency with a trusted neighbor and ask them to keep an eye on the house.
Give your house a lived in appearance. A residence that presents a lived in appearance is a deterrent to burglars.
When going away during Hurricane Season, don't put your shutters up before you leave. This is an obvious sign that no one is home. Instead, arrange for a friend, neighbor or family member to put them up if a hurricane threatens.
Have a neighbor occasionally use your garbage cans.
Put automatic timers on several lights and a radio. Set them so they will turn on and off at random times in different rooms—especially the bathroom.
Don’t leave lights on 24 hours a day.
Leave drapes in a normal position to maintain a lived in appearance.
Turn the bell on the telephone down to low.
Have a neighbor park in your driveway or in front of your house.