Safety Tips

Internet Safety Tips

The Internet is a very useful tool. The Internet or the worldwide web, is a wonderful resource for children’s homework assignments and school projects. Parents need to be actively involved with their children while using this tool of technology.

Some risks to children while “surfing the web” are inappropriate web sites accidentally accessed while searching for reference material. Web sites that offer free computer games that can be downloaded or played on line. Due to some games containing violent and or objectionable graphics, they may be inappropriate for younger children. Some on line games are linked to gambling websites.

Some of the most dangerous places for young children to get involved are the chat rooms. Chat rooms were created to allow people to meet and communicate online. Some chat rooms are private, allowing only certain people to participate in the conversation. Child predators sometimes use this service to get children involved in a dialogue and commonly monitor some chat rooms. While there the predator will pose as a young person and attempt to garner information from children.

Some good rules for parents to set for their children regarding use of the Internet:

Never give out personal information to anyone.

Know that people who talk to you online are not always who they say they are.

Do not agree to meet anyone in person who you have met online.

If anyone uses inappropriate language or asks you to do something you know is wrong, sign off quickly and tell your parents.

Tips for parents:

Place the computer in an area where the entire family has access to it and where it can be easily monitored by parents.

Provide your child with a screen name that does not reveal information about the child’s age or real name.

Check your child's e-mail for inappropriate content.

Learn about parental control software that is available to restrict your child's use online. This includes software that monitors usage timing or content blocking.

Make sure your children understand the potential dangers of “web surfing” and how to avoid them.

Make sure that you use quality anti-virus software and keep it updated. Several retail and freeware titles are available.

Consider the use of an Internet firewall program to provide you protection from unwanted intrusions from hackers on the Internet.

Secure all wireless hubs and routers in your home. Security instructions are usually listed in the device documentation. Do not open your computer or home network to abuse from the outside via your own wireless transmitter.

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Travel Safety Tips

Coming soon

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Auto Safety Tips

Be mindful of where you park your car. Try to park it in a lighted area and if possible where there is a higher volume of vehicle and pedestrian traffic close by.

Lock your car when not in use.

If your car is equipped with an alarm, use it.

The use of steering wheel locking devises, column sleeves and “Kill Switches” are added measures to help protect your car.

Never leave anything that you want to keep in the passenger compartment where it can be seen. Clothing, Laptop computers, bags and boxes draw the criminal’s interest. Take it with you or lock it in the trunk. This is true even when parked in your own driveway.

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Home Safety Tips

Always lock your home when going away, even on a short errand.

Make sure the exterior doors are solid core wood or metal.

Make sure that you have good dead bolt locks installed on your doors.

Install a peephole viewer in your doors with a view angle of at least 180 degrees.

Secure all of your sliding glass doors with a strong wooden dowel in the door track or a commercially produced product that stops the door form movement.

Secure all double-hung windows with a small bolt, nail or commercially available product to block the window from being raised.

Make sure that walkways and entryways are well lit after dark.

Use timers on lights and set a staggered pattern throughout the house.

Keep shrubbery and trees around the house trimmed back to avoid leaving places for criminals to climb to second stories or hide around windows and doors.

Never hide keys to the house outside. The hidden key trick is well known by criminals.

Should you purchase a new home or loose your keys, re-key the doors to the house.

List, photograph and engrave your valuables. If possible video tape your property and make sure that this information is stored in a safe place off site.

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