Holiday Travel Tips to Stay Safe

 The following is a list of safety tips from the Seattle Red Cross.  I've provided a few comments in bold with each tip. 

• Holiday traveling and winter can be a dangerous combination. Allow extra time when traveling. Monitor weather conditions carefully and adhere to travel advisories. [It is so much easier to stay abreast of travel conditions today using smart phones and in-car information systems--but you need to use them to have them work]


• Keep a winter storm survival kit in your car. This should include blankets, food, flares, chains, gloves and first aid supplies. To purchase a disaster or emergency road kit, please visit our online store at www.seattleredcross.org.  [How many emergency managers don't have these kits in their cars?  If we are going to "talk the talk, we have to be willing to walk the walk."]


• Designate a driver. When attending a party, always designate a non-drinking driver. If you are the host of a holiday gathering, be sure there are non-alcoholic beverages available for guests who are driving.  [Invite me to come along with you to your party--I don't drink!]


• Buckle up. During the holiday months, people travel more than ever. Wearing a seat belt is the easiest and best way to prevent injury in a motor vehicle collision. Ensure that all passengers are also wearing safety belts.  [I have gotten dirty looks from adults when I tell them to buckle up when riding in my car--even in the back seat.]

 
• Always be careful with holiday candles. Avoid using candles during parties. Take special care when burning candles and make sure they are never left unattended. Be sure they are kept away from decorations and other combustible materials. Don't leave children unattended in a room with lit candles, and always keep candles, as well as matches and lighters, out of the reach of children. Never display lighted candles in windows or near exits. [Now that many candles are scented you could become overcome with the smells :).  In reality there are so many battery operated candles avialable today that flicker you can still have the ambiance and be safer.]


• Decorate only with flame-retardant or noncombustible materials. If guests will be smoking, provide them with large, deep ashtrays and check them frequently. After the party, check inside and under upholstery and in trash cans for cigarette butts that may be smoldering. If you plan to hang stockings on your fireplace, do not use the fireplace for fires.


• Dress appropriately before going outdoors. The air temperature does not have to be below freezing for someone to experience cold emergencies such as hypothermia and frostbite. Wind speed can create dangerously cold conditions even when the temperature is not that low. If possible, dress in multiple thin layers so you can adjust to changing conditions. Avoid overdressing or overexertion that can lead to heat illness.  [Since teenagers don't wear coats anymore (its not cool I guess) throw a blanket or old coat in the trunk and tell them it is there.  When they are stranded and cold -- they'll know you love them]