FROM THE MACON-BIBB COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT

With us experiencing Winter Weather, we would like to remind our citizens of some Safety Precautions that should be exercised to prevent fires, injuries or possible loss of life: Winter holidays are a time for families and friends to get together but that also means a greater risk for fire. Following a few simple tips will ensure a happy and fire-safe holiday season.

• Your home should have a Working Smoke Alarm on every level of your home and in each bedroom if possible and a Fire Escape Plan. If your home is without a Working Smoke Alarm, the Macon-Bibb County Fire Department will install one in your home FREE of charge. Please call (478) 751-9180 (M-F) or go by your nearest fire station.

• Space Heaters are designed to warm a small area; should have a 3ft clearance from all combustibles (beds, curtains, chairs, sofas, etc.) and should be turned-off when you leave home or go to bed.

Holiday Safety Tips

• Be careful with holiday decorations. Choose decorations that are flame resistant or flame retardant.
• Keep lit candles away from decorations and other things that can burn.
• Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both.
• Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. Read manufacturer’s instructions for number of light strands to connect.
• Use clips, not nails, to hang lights so the cords do not get damaged.
• Keep decorations away from windows and doors.
• Test your smoke alarms and tell guests about your home fire escape plan.
• Keep children and pets away from lit candles.
• Keep matches and lighters up high in a locked cabinet.
• Stay in the kitchen when cooking on the stovetop.
• Ask smokers to smoke outside. Remind smokers to keep their smoking materials with them so young children do not touch them.
• Provide large, deep ashtrays for smokers. Wet cigarette butts with water before discarding

Christmas Tree Safety Tips

As you deck the halls this holiday season, be fire smart. A small fire that spreads to a Christmas tree can grow large very quickly.

• Choose a tree with fresh, green needles that do not fall off when touched.
• Before placing the tree in the stand, cut 2” from the base of the trunk.
• Make sure the tree is at least three feet away from any heat source, like fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents or lights.
• Make sure the tree is not blocking an exit.
• Add water to the tree stand. Be sure to add water daily.
• Use lights that have the label of a recognized testing laboratory. Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use.
• Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. Read manufacturer’s instructions for number of light strands to connect.
• Never use lit candles to decorate the tree.
• Always turn off Christmas tree lights before leaving home or going to bed.

FROM THE BIBB COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Shopping & Traveling Safety Tips

• Don’t go shopping alone. Go with a friend. There is safety in numbers.
• Park in well-traveled, well lit locations as close as possible to the building.
• Scan the parking lot for suspicious persons loitering or walking around the parking area. They might be looking into multiple cars or just watching people. Report them to law enforcement immediately.
• Leave your purse in the trunk of your car or other wise out of sight BEFORE you leave home. Put your cash, credit cards, checks, ID etc. in a wallet and keep it in a secure pocket; preferably a front pocket. Thieves target purses. This makes you less of a target.
• Protect your PIN when entering it at the check-out by blocking it from view.
• Don’t be the victim of a distraction theft. If you have a purse with you, teams of thieves may work together to distract you while another steals your purse or steals your wallet from your purse. Be alert.
• When gassing up lock your doors and stay alert. Thieves sneak up on cars with drivers who are alone at gas pumps. They open the passenger door and steal anything within easy reach while you are pumping gas.
• DON’T give money to pan handlers. There are many charitable organizations in Bibb County to which people can go for help. Many times, these are people working the same hard luck story at multiple locations. By allowing them to approach you or approaching them, you are putting yourself in a less than safe position.
• Keep your car doors locked when traveling. Check your surroundings at traffic lights while waiting for a green light. Keep enough distance between your car and the one in front so that you can see pavement between them. This allows you room to maneuver in an emergency. Never let an assailant move you from your location if avoidable. Cars and money can be replaced. If confronted for your purse or vehicle, throw the purse away from you and run in the opposite direction. Scream for help to bring attention to yourself.
• KEEP YOUR CELL PHONE CHARGED.
• If you are walking and a suspicious driver pulls toward you, turn and walk immediately in the opposite direction. Dial 911 if you feel you are in immediate danger. Be constantly aware of your location (street names and land marks) when walking, biking or driving.
• When checking into a hotel, park in well-lit areas of the parking lot and if possible, in view of the front lobby. Look for surveillance cameras and park in view of one. Thieves target hotel parking areas frequently and will enter multiple vehicles in one stop. Remove all valuables from your vehicle or remove them from sight. LOCK YOUR VEHICLE. Most times thieves go car to car checking for unlocked doors only. Call friends near the location you are staying or the local law enforcement for recommendations on safest areas to stay.
• Keep your car gassed up and maintained. A good rule is to fill up when you get around a half tank.
• Get a four-way lug wrench for your car. They make tire changes easier. Get a jump starter to keep in your car and keep it charged.

  Home Security Tips

• When leaving, lock the deadbolt also. If your storm door locks, lock it also. Make it as difficult as possible for someone to break in. If you are coming home after dark, leave the porch or carport light on for safety.
• Remember to set your alarm. Address any issues which cause false alarms at your home. This might be a spider web near a motion sensor, pets in the house, or ceiling fans causing motion. Faulty door and window sensors should be replaced or repaired immediately.
• If you don’t have an alarm, consider getting one. They do help deter burglars and shorten the time they spend in your home. Consider a surveillance system. Modern surveillance systems can be viewed remotely on your cell phone. Have cameras mounted out of reach. Do research on surveillance systems before purchasing. Camera quality is important. Storage capacity (memory size is also important.
• If you have landscaping that obscures a door from view, trim or remove it. Burglars like to be concealed when breaking in.
• If your rear door is hidden from view, a fence with a lockable gate will make access more difficult for burglars.
• Record the serial numbers of ALL valuables and keep copies of the list in multiple locations including your cloud storage. Take photos of Jewelry and other items that don’t have serial numbers. Mark power tools and hand tools that don’t have serial numbers.
• Don’t leave the packaging from expensive items at the road or in plain sight. This is a strong temptation for burglars who will see the boxes and know there is something new and expensive in your house.

• Don’t place gifts in view of a window. Record the serial numbers of items you buy as gifts BEFORE you wrap them. In the case you are burglarized, this will help investigators with recoveries and prosecution.
• Join or start a Neighborhood Watch. It works. Get to know your neighbors. Share phone numbers and start a phone tree to notify others in your area of suspicious activity.
• Report suspicious persons and vehicles to law enforcement immediately. You are the expert on what is suspicious in your neighborhood. The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office encourages and needs these reports.
• When on vacation, have someone get your mail and paper daily. Ask them to put your garbage out on your day……NOT before you leave. A garbage cart by the road for extended periods says, “no one is home”.
• Have lights and a radio or TV on a timer to make it appear as if someone is home.
• Ask someone to park an extra vehicle in your driveway to confuse a burglar that might be casing your home.
• Solid doors offer more deterrence than doors with a lot of glass. If you have a door with glass near the lock, install double cylinder deadbolts that require a key on both sides. The rule to go by is if a burglar can reach through one of the broken panes and reach the lock inside, you need a double cylinder deadbolt. Keep the key near the door but not close enough to reach from the outside.
• For information on the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office Neighborhood Watch Program, contact:

Judy Gordon, Neighborhood Watch Coordinator
Office: (478) 745-5162
Cell: (478) 447-9763
Email: jgordon@maconbibb.us