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From A/Sgt. Phil REID, CPS, PMPD
Former Vice President of the Block Watch Society of BC
An Informative Newsletter for British Columbia Published Monthly by the Block Watch Society of BC.
www.blockwatch.com
Monthly Tip – Drivers are Getting Worse
The Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) has released the results of its national road safety audit, which explores attitudes toward safety on the roads and highways approaching the summer’s busy driving season. The survey, carried out for CAA by Harris/Decima, polled 1,348 Canadians.
The survey found that 45 per cent of those polled feel less safe in their vehicles than they did ten years ago, while only 11 per cent feel safer than they did ten years ago. One of the major causes for concern is a belief that others are not as careful when they drive as they did in the past; 77 per cent said that people are not safer drivers today than they were compared to twenty years ago.
Source:http://www.carsp.ca/index.php?0=page_content&1=54&2=482
Child Passenger Safety Month – June 2008
Starting July 1, 2008, new child passenger safety regulations will take effect. All drivers will be responsible for transporting all children in age and weight-appropriate child car seats until their 9th birthday.
With the new regulations taking effect in just over a month, the BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation is stepping up its child passenger safety awareness campaign and declaring this June “Child Passenger Safety Month”
A correctly installed and used child car seat can reduce the risk of injury and death by up to 85%.
Block Watch News June 2008
“We want to help parents and caregivers prepare for the changes,” stated David Dunne, director of provincial programs for the BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation. “Our team of certified child passenger safety educators will be out around the province to answer questions and help people understand what is expected.”
During the month of June, CPS educators will be traveling around the province visiting schools and communities. They will have information packages and will be available for questions at child seat checks held at various community events.
A British Columbia-wide child car seat study shows that while 95% of babies and toddlers are restrained in the vehicle, but that more than half of the child car seats have installation or use p rob lems that could compromise the child’s safety. The good news is that often only a few simple adjustments can make the difference and help to ensure that your child is as safe as possible in the vehicle.
Most children under the age of nine that have outgrown their forward-facing child seat should use a booster because they are too small for adult seat belts to be beneficial in a motor vehicle collision. A booster seat positions the child so that the seat belts can protect the body properly.
Dunne adds that a recent survey indicated an overall increase in booster seat use, but that there is still less than 50% of children between 4 and 9 years old using booster seats. This is why the legislation has been changed to include booster seats.
For further information, call 1-877-247-5551 or visit http://www.ChildSeatInfo.ca
Source:http://www.carsp.ca/index.php?0=page_content&1=54&2=477
Swimming Pool Safety
Each year, many children drown in backyard swimming pools and in small kiddie pools.
· Check with your town or city to find out the rules for putting up a fence around your pool.
· Build a fence and a gate that will keep children away from your pool.
· Keep the gate locked at all times.
· Have emergency phone numbers listed at the telephone closest to the pool.
· Make sure toys, garden furniture and tools are not near the pool fence. Children can climb up on these things to get into the pool.
Source: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/pubs/cons/pools-piscine_e.html
Camping Safety
Pack a first aid kit. Your kit can prove invaluable if you or a member of your group suffers a cut, bee sting or allergic reaction. Pack antiseptics for cuts and scrapes, tweezers, insect repellent, bug spray, a snake bite kit, pain relievers, and sunscreen.
Bring emergency supplies. In addition to a first aid kit, this includes: a map, compass, flashlight, knife, waterproof fire starter, personal shelter, whistle, warm clothing, high energy food, water, and insect protection.
Learn the ABC's of treating emergencies. Recognizing serious injuries will enable you to attend to a victim until medical help arrives. Before you leave, find out the weather report. When you arrive at the site, watch the skies for changes and carry a compact weather radio. In inclement weather, find shelter until the worse passes. Stay dry - wet clothes contribute to heat loss. Also, keep sleeping bags and important gear, dry at all times.
Arrive early. Plan your trip so that you arrive at your actual campsite with enough daylight to check over the entire site and to set-up camp.
Check for potential hazards. Be sure to check the site thoroughly for glass, sharp objects, branches, large ant beds, poison ivy, bees, and hazardous terrain.
Avoid areas of natural hazards. Check the contour of the land and look for potential trouble due to rain. Areas that could flood or become extremely muddy can pose a p rob lem.
Inspect the site. Look for a level site with enough room to spread out all your gear. Also, a site that has trees or shrubs on the side of prevailing winds will help block strong, unexpected gusts.
Build fires in a safe area. Your open fires and fuel-burning appliances must be far enough away from the tent to prevent ignition from sparks, flames, and heat. Never use a flame or any other heating device inside a tent. Use a flashlight or battery-powered light instead.
Source:http://www.macecanada.com/tips/camping.htm
Reducing Auto Theft – Bait Car Program
The IMPACT Bait Car Program celebrated its 3rd anniversary by hosting a media event where the Solicitor General announced some impressive statistics and information.
The program was launched in the Spring of 2004 and has now grown into the largest Bait Car program in North America . Supported by award-winning advertising campaigns from ICBC, auto thieves are now well aware that "Bait Cars are Everywhere - Steal a Bait Car - Go to Jail".
Since the inception of the Bait Car Program some three years ago, auto theft in British Columbia has dropped a whopping 35% and we believe that Bait Cars have been the catalyst for the impressive decreases.
Source:http://www.baitcar.com/news/bait_car_program_celebrates_third_anniversary
Williams Lake Warns the Criminals
Williams Lake was clearly bucking the trend of the decrease in auto theft. Auto theft in the small community of about 12,000 people experienced 74 stolen vehicles in the month of August 2007 which represented a 350% increase over the same month from the previous year.
To tackle the p rob lem IMPACT quietly sent up several bait cars and the local RCMP began to plant them strategically throughout the city. It didn’t take long before two suspects were caught on audio and video stealing a bait car and IMPACT went up to Williams lake to warn local car thieves that ‘Bait Cars Are Everywhere – Steal One, Go to Jail’.
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