Holiday Shopping
Gift giving is fun and rewarding, but holiday shopping can hold several hazards. Here are a few tips to help give you a safer experience:
•    Take a friend with you – there is always safety in numbers
•    Never leave valuables where they can be seen in your car
•    Keep your keys in your hand when walking to your vehicle; get in quickly and lock the doors right away
•    When shopping online, only give your credit card information to reputable sources
•    Before you make a purchase from an individual, run a background report on the seller
•    Don’t leave empty boxes outside of your house – they can show criminals what you have waiting inside

Decorations
Holiday decorations can brighten any home of office, but every year hundreds of homes are accidentally set on fire. Follow a few simple precautions to help avoid disaster:
•    Unplug your holiday lights at night, or when they will be unattended for a long period of time
•    If you have a tree, keep it well watered to make it more fire-resistant
•    Candles make beautiful decorations, but they should never be placed near flammable objects or in areas where they may be easily knocked over
•    Keep working smoke detectors in your home, and don’t forget fresh batteries

Socializing
December is packed with social occasions: parties, work events, outings with friends. Before you go out, take a moment to think about safety:
•    Never let your beverage out of your sight; it only takes a moment for someone to slip something in a drink
•    Meet someone new while you were out? Learn more about them before accepting a holiday date by running a Stud Or Dud report
•    Plan ahead to have a safe trip home; never drink and drive

Got your own holiday safety tips? Leave us a comment and share your ideas on how to keep safe and secure during this special time of year. Enjoy the rest of the holiday season, and thank you for reading the PeopleFinders People Search blog.

Choosing A Costume

Half the fun of Halloween is dressing up, and kids can be very opinionated about what or whom they want to be. Parents often go through a lot of trouble to put these costumes together, but safety should always be one of the key components.
When you’re shopping for a costume, check the label to see if it is fire retardant. Your kids may be running past jack-o-lanterns with candles inside, so fire safety is essential. If the costume includes a mask, make sure your child can see through it clearly. You may have to expand the eyeholes yourself, but the mask must provide a clear line of vision.

Another consideration is how well others will be able to see your child’s costume at night. Many costumes come in darker colors, so it’s a good idea to add reflective tape so they will stand out to motorists. If the costume includes a prop like a toy sword or axe, make sure it is soft, flexible and not too large for your child.

Prepare For The Big Night
Before anyone sets out to collect goodies, decide which blocks you will visit. Once you determine your route, you can take a few extra precautions such as checking for registered sex offenders in the area, or running a background check on any address along your path.

It gets dark early in October, so trick-or-treaters should always have at least one good flashlight to help them see where they are going, and to help others see them. Don’t forget to load it with fresh batteries. Someone in the group should also carry a cell phone at all times, in case of an emergency.

Trick Or Treat!
An adult or older kid should always accompany young children when they go out on Halloween evening. It’s also a good idea to give each child a piece of paper with their name and your phone number, so a responsible adult will be able to contact you if your child gets separated from the group.

Street safety is essential on Halloween, so the chaperone should get everyone together and make sure the road is completely safe before anyone crosses. It’s best to keep everyone on the sidewalk for most of the journey, but now and then you will have to cross a street to get to more houses. Speaking of those houses, remind your children that it is never okay to enter a stranger’s home, and if an adult they don’t know tries to convince them to come inside the best thing to do is run away.

The Sweet, Sweet Aftermath
As soon as the trick-or-treating is over, kids will want to dive into their goody bags, but a responsible adult needs to look through the candy first. Give the kids some of your own candy to tide them over, but check out the snacks and make sure every treat is individually wrapped. If anything looks like it may have been tampered with, don’t take a risk, throw it away. Adults should also make sure younger kids don’t have hard candies that could be a choking hazard.

One final child safety tip is to explain to your children that Halloween is the only time when it is acceptable to take treats from people they don’t know. Compare the night to other annual holidays, and be clear that it is not usually okay to accept anything from a stranger.

Have a safe and thrilling Halloween, and thank you for reading the PeopleFinders People Search blog.

Now that June is almost over, kids everywhere are enjoying a carefree summer away from classes, homework and teachers. It’s up to the adults to make sure they have a safe and secure experience. PeopleFinders.com is happy to help by presenting a few child safety tips.

Children’s Safety In Public
While your kids are on break they usually tag along when you run errands. Start these excursions by making sure their seat belts are on, locking the doors and rolling up the windows. Criminals look for easy targets, so an open window or unlocked door may seem like an invitation to a carjacker. Never leave a child alone in a vehicle for any reason. It only takes a second for someone to break the glass and get inside.

When you’re out in public always keep your kids in sight. Accompany younger children into public restroom and wait right outside for older kids. Leaving young people unsupervised even for a moment can have disastrous results if a predator notices. Give each child a piece of paper with your name and number on it in case you do get separated. A responsible adult can use it to contact you immediately.

Safety For Kids At Home
Your children can’t go everywhere you do, so it’s important to teach them about home safety. Give your kids a list of emergency numbers including the fastest way to contact you, 911 and numbers for trusted friends or family. Your kids may not answer the phone, but if they do make sure they never tell anyone they are home alone. More importantly, tell your children not to answer the door for any reason while they are unsupervised. Sit down with your kids to talk about these safety rules, and show them every way to get out of your house so they have several escape routes in case of an emergency.

Some parents hire care givers to watch their children during the summer months. Before allowing anyone into your home, you can learn everything you need to know about them by ordering a Background Check or finding out if they have Criminal Records on file. When it comes to your home and children, there is no such thing as being too cautious.

Stranger Danger
You’ve heard the term, but what does it mean for your family? Every parent must teach their children about staying away from strangers. Explain that some strangers can be helpful – police officers, store clerks or even other children – but that it’s best to stay away from adults they don’t know. Warn your kids not to accept anything from a stranger. Predators use many tricks to find a victim, such as offering candy, asking for directions or even claiming to know you. Let your kids know that if they ever feel threatened the best thing to do is run away.

At PeopleFinders.com we understand the dangers that certain strangers pose, so we provide information about sex offenders who may be living close to your home or school. Order a Sex Offender Report by Zip Code, Name or City to see a list of registered sex offenders in your area. It’s a great way to stay informed and keep your family safe.

Children are our most precious resource, and it’s up to us to keep kids safe.  June is National Safety Month, and we hope these safety tips will help keep your family safe all year long. Have a safe and exciting summer!

]]> http://blog.peoplefinders.com/2009/06/29/safety-tips-for-kids-this-summer/feed/ 0 http://blog.peoplefinders.com/2009/06/04/observing-national-safety-month/ http://blog.peoplefinders.com/2009/06/04/observing-national-safety-month/#comments Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:57:47 +0000 PeopleFinders.com http://blog.peoplefinders.com/?p=23 June is fresh and new for 2009, and all the signs of summer are in the air. This month is nationally recognized as a time to educate people about safety, and PeopleFinders.com is proud to support programs that help keep you and your family safe all year long.

What Is National Safety Month?
The National Safety Council (NSC) started this event in 1996 to share their ideas about workplace safety, home security and safe driving techniques. Their mission is “preventing injuries and deaths at work, on the roads and in homes and communities”. Every June the NSC sponsors National Safety Month and focuses on a different safety related topic each week. We salute their efforts and encourage you to read their suggestions for living safely.

Safetyville USA
Safetyville USA is a replica of a city built in 1/3 scale to give young people a personalized view of the world around them. Tour guides accompany children through the park and offer safety tips about electricity, fire, bicycling, vehicles and other potential hazards. On Saturday, June 13th this Sacramento, CA based attraction hosts their annual Family Safety & Health Exposition from 10am – 4pm, and PeopleFinders.com will be there to hand out child identification kits and discuss ideas on how to keep your children safe. Join us at this free event to learn about child safety, predators and stranger danger in a fun and supportive environment.

More Safety Thoughts
You can find a variety of safety related tips and events throughout June. The month kicks off with National Sun Safety Week sponsored by the Sun Safety Alliance. June also boasts National Tire Safety Week and Lightning Safety Awareness Week to promote awareness of other dangers. People in the safety industry use this month as a time to discuss this important topic. Safety, Health and Environmental professionals are encouraged to attend the Safety Engineers Conference (June 28th – July 1st) and the International Association of Fire Chiefs proudly sponsors Fire, EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week (June 14th – 20th). Whether you hold a safety related job or not, this is a great time to think about tips and practices that will keep you secure during any season.

Our Ongoing Commitment
At PeopleFinders.com we know one of the best ways to stay safe is to be well educated. It’s a sad fact that many of the threats we face come from other people. Don’t let anyone victimize you – protect yourself with a Comprehensive Background Check to learn more about anyone you know professionally or personally, or find out if someone you may deal with has a Criminal Record on file.

Enjoy your summer and remember to practice good safety habits. Have a happy and safe June. Thank you for reading the PeopleFinders.com People Search blog.