Safety Tips for Halloween

Here are some safety tips for the Trick or Treaters in our neighborhood:

• Eat a good meal before trick-or-treating.
• Wear reflective clothing.
• Carry a flashlight or some type of lighting device.
• Use sidewalks when going up to homes and don’t cut through yards.
• A parent or responsible adult should always accompany young children on their neighborhood rounds.
• Children should not enter a stranger’s home or car, even if invited. Talk with your children about this important rule.
• Homeowners should not invite children inside.
• Accept treats only in the doorway, not from anyone on the street.
• Parents should examine all candy before eating it.
• Plan your entire route and make sure that your family knows what it is.
• Be very cautious of strangers.
• Only trick-or-treat at homes that have their porch light on.
• Walk...don't run.
• Cross the street at the corner or in a crosswalk.
• Wear a watch.
• Don't play near lit jack-o-lanterns.
• Take a cell phone with you, if possible.
• Because masks can limit or block eyesight, consider non-toxic makeup and decorative hats as safer alternatives. Hats should fit properly to prevent them from sliding over eyes. If wearing a mask, make sure that eye openings are big enough for peripheral vision.

Some Safety tips for the parents:

• Turn on your porch light.
• Move lit Jack-O-Lanterns off the porch where kids get bunched up if they are trick-or-treating in groups.
• Remove objects from your yard that might present a hazard.
• Drive slowly all evening...you never know what creature may suddenly cross your path.
• Report ANY suspicious or criminal activity to the police at 840-4000, or if necessary 911.

For adults who are celebrating there are some things to consider when creating that "perfect" Halloween Costume.

• Make sure that any accessories, such as fake guns, knifes, and other potentially dangerous items are not mistaken for the real thing.
• Fire safety and visibility are also important for adult costumes. Apply the same standards to adult costumes as you do to your children's.
• Remember adults that are dressed up can be pretty scary to young children.

For a really GREAT interactive Halloween Safety Game to play with your kids, visit the following link: http://www.halloweenmagazine.com/play2.html

And most of all, don't forget to have a...

Parking Quiz

Did you know that failure to follow any of the following parking guidelines could get you a ticket?

1. Vehicles should not block or extend into a public sidewalk.
2. Vehicles should not be parked in front of a public or private driveway.
3. Vehicles should not be parked within 15 feet of a fire hydrant.
4. Vehicles should not be parked within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection.
5. Vehicles should not be parked within 30 feet of a stop sign.
6. Vehicles can not be double parked on the street.
7. Vehicles need to be parked within 12 inches of the curb on the street.
8. Vehicles should not be parked on the stret facing into normal traffic flow.
9. Vehicles parked on any road must be registered with proper registration validation on display.

For more information on parking and how to properly operate your vehicle on Utah roads, please visit the West Valley City website at: http://www.wvc-ut.gov/citycode/html/title22.htm and the Utah Department of Public Safety Driver License Division website at: http://driverlicense.utah.gov/

(Taken from a West Valley City brochure.)

Take Pride in our Community!

West Valley City urges you to take pride in our community. They offer the following suggestions:

1. Keep your lawn & parking strip watered, fertilized & free from weeds. Mow it regularly.
2. If you remove landscaping from the front yard, the remaining landscaping can not be less than 60% of the front yard. Park strips are generally landscaped but each subdivision can have their own requirements.
3. Do not park cars on the lawns.
4. Trim your bushes & shrubs to keep them looking neat.
5. Observe the speed limits. Residential zones are 25 mph.
6. Remove your garbage cans from the streets as soon after the weekly pickup as possible. Cans left on the street can be an invitation to thieves.
7. Sweep your gutters regularly & keep drain grills free from debris.
8. Keep leaves raked up & dispose of them properly.
9. Turn on your porch lights from dusk to dawn. It only costs pennies per day. This serves as a great crime prevention tool.
10. Remove sale & lost signs immediately.
11. Grocery carts belong to the stores. It is a crime to remove them from the store parking lot.
12. There should be no loud noise between 10:00pm & 7:00am. This includes music, car honking, revving of engines or parties.

(Information taken from a West Valley City brochure.)

Lighting Safety Tips

These are some great tips/reminders from the West Valley City Neighborhood Services department!

Lighting can be one of the greatest deterrents to crime in our community. Carefully consider the following suggestions:

1. Leave lights on when you go out at night. Timers can be used to give the impression someone is home, turning lights on & off.
2. Leave porch lights on at night to illuminate your yard & home. It is estimated that a 75 watt light bulb will light your yard for less than $29 a year.
3. Motion lights have become very affordable in recent years. Install motion lights in your yard to help illuminate areas like driveways, side yards & back yards.
4. Think like a criminal. Turn on your outside lights & evaluate dark areas, look for areas you can hide in the shadows. If you can hide, so can a criminal. Adjust your outside lighting or landscaping to help eliminate these hiding places.
5. Make sure your street lights are working. Let the power company know when lights are no longer working.
6. Maintain your outside lighting. Replace bulbs when they stop working.

A well lit street & neighborhood can be a great deterrent to criminal activity. An alert neighborhood with residents "looking out for each other" is also needed!

BE ALERT!

Watch for activity that does not belong in our neighborhood & let the Police (840-4000) know & your Neighborhood Watch Block Captain know immediately!

Valley Emergency Communications Center

VECC...the dispatch center for most of the valley's law enforcement & medical agencies! I had the priviledge of going there to see the "behind the scene's" of a 911 call, and the dispatchers who work with the police officers. What an amazing facility!! In fact, I went on Friday, September 28th...but needed a few days to absorb it all & to sort it out in my mind. I sat with a lady who has been a dispatcher for over 20 years. She showed me the many things that go into a simple 911 call & how they relay that information to the police. I also sat with the people who take the phone calls from the public...I had the opportunity to listen in on some 911 calls. Ok, 911 is for emergencies...not to ask for the time, or directions! Oh my goodness...it's like people don't realize that 911 is for emergencies!

There were some really intense calls that made my adrenaline soar....& some that made me sick to my stomach. One call had me in tears ( I thought I was doing good at hiding it) but the call taker said...that they have to distance their feelings, or it would be just too tough to do their job. I was amazed at how calm the dispatchers were, & thank goodness so that they can relay the important information.

I learned a few things that night... I think first & foremost is that there is a need to educate on how to make a 911 call. Usually emotions are running high if a 911 call needs to be placed. But, from talking with the dispatchers, it's so very important to give the essential facts first. Don't give a long-winded story...that just takes up important time. They need the absolute facts first...but even if emotions are high, they will guide you through to get the information. I also learned that it is so important for the public to work together with law enforcement...

I learned that I need to give my children extra hugs, extra kisses, check & make sure the doors & windows are locked & do all that I can to make sure my home is a safe place for my family!

I'm really grateful for the opportunity that I had to visit the VECC facility, it opened my eyes even more! I promise I will do all that I can to help this Neighborhood Watch successful in our neighborhood, but I do need your help & support. If you would like to help the neighborhood watch, please email me at summitneighborhoodwatch@yahoo.com .