Do THIS Now

DO THIS NOW

Safety

Have you got smoke alarms?	No	You've probably seen the ads. The alarms aren't expensive and are easily fitted; one per floor
	Yes	Remember to replace the batteries regularly. Make a note in your diary.

Would you be able to leave your house if it were on fire?

Plan a safe route now.
Let every member of your household know where it is.
Keep it clear of obstructions.

Do you have a fire extinguisher or a fire blanket. They may help you fight small fires.

Have you seen this national fire safety web site?

Children in the house?

Fit child safety devices to all your sockets. Children love finding things out – e.g. whether their ball-point pen fits in the socket. Add on safety!
Protect your hotplates so that children cannot put their hands on them. Burns go hand in hand with severe pain.
All shelving and lightweight cupboards should be fastened to the wall so that they cannot topple over. Fasten every piece of furniture that is on the wall to prevent a ‘climbing adventure’ ending beneath the piece of furniture.
Your windows should be fitted with at least lockable window handles so that children cannot open them on their own. Otherwise, the ideal solution would be extra window locks. Apart from your children’s safety you’ll be doing something for anti-burglary protection.
Drawers ought to be fitted in such a way that they cannot be pulled out completely. Drawers with no stoppers pose a major hazard for children. You can buy drawer stoppers in the shops.
Make sure that steps and stairs in your household are not smooth or slippery. They should have a felt or similar covering to eliminate the risk of slipping.
Do not let your child play with twine or cord around its neck. When your child is romping around, the cord or twine can quickly transform into a rope – there is a risk of asphyxiation!
Even if you’re only next door for a few minutes, you should know what’s happening at home. A babyphone could do do just that.
If your children are alone and the doorbell rings, the door should not be opened directly. With door chains the door can be opened a fraction without a stranger coming straight into your home. Wide-angle peepholes are a sensible addition.
When buying children’s clothes, make sure that they have reflector stripes. This way your child will be easily recognised even when the light is bad.
Make sure that you put protective devices around hard edges and corners in every room, to prevent your child from being injured .
Make sure you clear all your electrical appliances away after use. Firstly there is a risk of children tripping over; secondly, electrical equipment is an invitation to ‘experiment’.
Household cleaning products, medicines, cigarettes and alcohol should not be stored or locked away at heights that can be reached by your children

Do not let your child ride an unsafe bicycle.

A safe bicycle ought to suit the child’s height, the saddle has to be properly adjusted. As a rule of thumb, when the child is sitting on the saddle his/her feet must touch the ground and he/she must be able to stay standing.
The indispensable pieces of equipment on a bicycle are two good brakes, light reflectors and a bell.
Your child should wear conspicuous, ideally reflective, clothing when cycling.

A bicycle helmet may help prevent some injuries in the event of an accident but a well-maintained bicycle and a well-trained rider may prevent the accident. The helmet would also need to be the right size and properly fitted; covering the forehead and back of the head and fastened under the chin.
The helmet can only protect against some injuries but may give the child (and others) a false assurance that they cannot be hurt.

Crime Reduction

Log on to the Thames Valley Police website. This site gives a wealth of information on crime reduction. If you have difficulty accessing this information ask this guy for help.

The TVP web site offers useful information regarding the marking of property but I flinch at the recommendation that die-stamping should be used to mark bicycles. Electronic identifiers for bicycles and motorcycles are inexpensive and reliable (without damaging the frame).

Encapsulated microdots can also be painted on equipment or ornaments without disfiguring them. The electronic tags and microdots have a unique number that is registered to the user.

Keep tools out of sight. and chain ladders to a wall or post. This will prevent a burglar using them to enter your house.

Make a record your property of your valuable property

Record the Make, Model and serial number of ALL, and ANY, portable or transportable equipment.
Record the information in the IMMOBILISE database. Should the item be stolen, you can forward the information to the police; you will have a better chance of getting them back. It's free and you can get all the details here.
Record or photograph any marks or unusual items. Keep a copy of these records in a safe place. You can add the photographs to the database and print ownership certificates if you pay for an upgrade (currently £3.99 per year).

You or the police can use the database to report items stolen and the serial numbers are then automatically transferred to a database that can be checked by traders. Other options also exist; Immobilise can point you at all the options.

Last updated Sunday, 23-Dec-2007 00:16:13 GMT

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