7 Ways to Stay Safe for National Safety Month

June is National Safety Month! In this episode, I’ll share seven simple, easy ways to enhance your safety and the safety of your loved ones.

With June being National Safety Month, I’m recording this episode for two of my podcasts. Those are, “Safe Living Today” and “Weird and Whacky Holidays”.

Of course, Living Safely is neither weird nor whacky. As a former Chief of Police, Security Director and leader of the Life Safety and Business Recovery group for one of the largest Financial Services Companies in the world, keeping people safe is one of my passions.

A mindset of safety is a wonderful way to enhance your physical and emotional wellbeing. It also can save you money and help you avoid accidents that bring on pain and suffering.

Here are my seven safety suggestions:

1. June 1 is the beginning of the hurricane season in the Northern hemisphere. Now is a great time to stock up on non-perishable food and water so you can ride out an extended power outage. Plan on at least one to two gallons of bottled water per person per day. If you’re using well water, you’ll need additional water for the toilet I suggest having enough food and water to sustain you and your family for at least a week and preferably longer. There is a “Use by” date on water containers, so check and make sure the water is fresh. Act now to stockpile adequate food, water, a working battery or hand cranked radio, fresh batteries, and at least two working flashlights. If you have pets, ensure you have adequate food for them as well. For a more expansive guide on stocking supplies and preparing for disasters, I’ll have a link to an earlier “Safe Living Today” episode entitled, “Hurricane Irma - Prepare and Stay Safe” plus the link to an excellent guide prepared by the Red Cross and FEMA linked in the show notes. YouTube version of podcast: https://youtu.be/jePlA_S5Xl8. Red Cross - FEMA Guide: https://www.fema.gov/pdf/library/f&web.pdf.

2. Have a family meeting and go over fire safety procedures and escape routes. Remind everyone of the “drop and roll” method to snuff out clothes fires. Have a working fire extinguisher, working smoke detectors, and Carbon Monoxide detectors. If you’re using battery operated detectors, change the batteries. Even better, upgrade to the new long life detectors.

3. Have a well stocked First Aid kit in your home and car. Ensure everyone in the family knows basic First Aid and CPR.

4. Create a safety kit for your car. Flashlights, fresh batteries, a working battery or crank radio, blankets, water, and non-perishable snacks should all be part of your kit. Have cellphone charging cords in the car. If you have people with Android and iPhones, you need at least one correct cord for each type of cellphone.

5. Ensure there is a working car jack, tire wrench, and spare tire in the car. Ensure all drivers know how to change a flat tire. Keep jumper cables in the car and ensure drivers know how to use them. I highly recommend having a portable battery charger capable of jumpstarting your car. You’ll find them on Amazon and other online retailers and they’re available at most auto parts stores as well. Remember to charge them every two to three months and then put them back in the car.

6. Have a “Go Bag” ready that contains medications, copies important documents, and anything else you want to keep safe. Make sure you have copies of insurance policies, medical information, insurance ID cards, medical directives, drivers licenses, and Social Security cards.

7. Look around your home or workspace and identify and eliminate any electrical, tripping, or other safety hazards.

To summarize,

Stock up on water and non-perishable food.

Review fire safety procedures and ensure your detectors and fire extinguishers are working properly.

Ensure you have a well stocked First Aid kit in your home and car and everyone knows First Aid and CPR.

Have a safety kit in your car.

Ensure you have jumper cables, a spare tire, a wrench, and a jack in the car. Ensure drivers know what to do in an emergency.

Have a “Go Bag” ready with medications, prescriptions, and copies of all important documents.

Identify and fix all safety hazards in your home.

With June being National Safety Month, this is the time to take action and safeguard yourself and your family.

To listen to other “Safe Living Today” episodes and to subscribe so you never miss an episode, visit http://SafeLivingToday.com.

Until our next episode, this is your host Stephen Carter asking you to, Stay Well, Stay Safe, and Stay Blessed.