By Your Local L.E.A.F.F. Organization
Eastvale – With the holidays swiftly approaching, thefts and burglaries, as well as fire risks, are elevated. Help keep your loved ones safe this season by following these important tips:
Indoor House Safety
• Treat your Christmas tree like another houseplant. When you water your houseplants, check the water in your tree, and make sure and check for any dead branches, and remove them.
• Keep your tree away from electrical sources and outlets. This includes fireplaces and burning candles.
• Before hanging lights on the house or tree, inspect the lights for rips and tears and bulbs that may be burned out or broken.
• Make sure your tree is suitable for your house. A 10-foot tree should not go in a room with a 9-foot ceiling, and so forth.
• Make sure your tree is safe, secure and upright to prevent it from falling on children, pets or guests.
• Keep pets away from lights and trees. Animals, especially young ones, like to chew on cords, which can cause an electrical shock and even spark a fire.
• When you are not at home, leave blinds and curtains closed so that your tree and gifts are not on display for curious criminals. When you are home at night, it is okay to open blinds and “display” your tree.
• Boxes from the big ticket purchases like plasma TVs, X-Boxes, Play Stations, etc., should not be thrown in the outside trash container as they draw attention to what is inside your house. Instead, flatten boxes and throw them away at work or in a local dumpster.
• Retrieve mail and packages immediately. Do not allow them to sit on doorsteps or in the mailbox as thieves regularly break into mailboxes and steal packages right off the porch.
Shopping Safety
While out shopping, be aware of your surroundings and never shop alone. Keep an eye out for suspicious persons or people that appear to be “watching” you. If at all possible, shop during the day and try and only go to one store. If you need to shop multiple stores, check your purchases into the store’s bag-check instead of leaving them in your trunk. Thieves will often watch shoppers as they go from store to store, drop items off at their car, and return to shopping. Once you have left your car, especially at night, they break into your car and grab your purchases. If you must put things in your trunk, try to at least cover purchases with blankets or other items to make it more difficult for thieves to grab and go.
Personal Safety
When you attend holiday parties and other celebrations, make sure you designate a responsible driver or call a taxi or a friend if you drink too much. Also be aware of your surroundings and your neighborhood. If something looks out of place or is questionable, call the police. According to L.E.A.F.F. President, Rigo Arrellano, local law enforcement would rather you call them than not. You never know when your suspicion could catch a criminal or save a life. In other words, don’t just talk about it, be about it.
