Back to School Safety

Katelyn SmrecanskySecurity Resources

With classes back in session comes the flood of school buses, kids on bikes, slower driving speeds and backed up traffic. It’s always important to drive slowly and check your surroundings but it’s especially important in September when kids are headed back to school. Did you know that children are hit by cars most often near schools between the ages of four and seven? Check out our tips below for safe driving, bus riding and more. Bus riding: • Stay at a safe distance from the bus’s pick up and drop off area • Watch out for loose clothing and open backpacks so you don’t get caught on the handrail or in the door • Wait for the bus to stop completely before getting off or attempting to get on • Do not pick up anything you have dropped near the bus before communicating with the driver • Wait to cross the street in front of the bus until the … Read More

Tip Tuesday: Camping Safety

Katelyn SmrecanskySecurity Resources

Did you know that over 45 million people went camping between spring 2008 and 2015? If camping plans are on your horizon and you aren’t prepared or properly educated, your camping trip could quickly go awry. Check out our top tips below. Always bring extra food and water: Generally speaking you would probably bring enough food just for the time you plan on camping, but what if you and your family/friends get stuck in a storm, lost or stranded? Always bring more than you think you need in case of any unforeseen predicament. Directions: Always have some sort of GPS device like your phone or even a physical map or compass in case your phone dies. (On that note, bring an external and wireless phone charger. Make sure you charge it before your trip.) Pay attention to landmarks and don’t stray too far at night when it’s dark out. Keep it simple: Be sure to bring food and beverages that … Read More

Tip Tuesday: Preparing for Disaster

Katelyn SmrecanskySecurity Resources

Hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunamis oh my. Disasters are difficult topics to discuss but they are incredibly relevant in our world and it’s vital we prepare ahead of time in the event a disaster occurs in our area. Preparing for disasters improve post disaster outcomes in our communities, schools, businesses and in our homes. Visit http://www.ncpc.org/ or your local police department’s website for more information. Below are some general emergency preparedness tips. • Keep cash on hand as automated teller machines won’t work if the power is out. • Know your community’s evacuation route. • Assemble an emergency preparedness kit that will allow your family to camp out for three days. Assume you’ll be without electricity and running water. • Store your emergency supplies in sealed containers such as plastic tubs – taped shut. • Learn how to shut off utilities such as gas, electricity, and water. Water: 1 gallon per person per day, 1/2 for drinking, 1/2 for cooking/sanitation. Food: … Read More

Heads Up, Phones Down

Katelyn SmrecanskySecurity Resources

The phenomenon that is Pokémon Go has swept across the globe and captured the attention of millions of mobile users. It’s a game that uses your actual location and encourages players to discover and capture Pokémon by walking around your neighborhood and other areas. However, there has been some controversy circling the game including trespassing incidents, injuries from not looking up from their phone and car accidents, just to name a few. People are becoming even more distracted in their cars or walking down the street and the results can be deadly. According to a 2012 www.safekids.org study, every day in the United States there are 61 children hit by cars. This most often occurs before or after school hours. It also occur most often in September, right when kids and teens are headed back to school which is just around the corner. It used to be that young children were the largest demographic affected but now it’s more likely … Read More

Summer Retail Theft: How to Protect Your Shop

Katelyn SmrecanskySecurity Resources

As the weather gets nicer, retail shops will often leave their windows and doors open, as well as leave merchandise outside to provide an open air shopping experience for customers. But did you know that according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, employee theft and shoplifting in the United States costs businesses more than $50 billion a year? Statistics also show that shoplifting increases in the summer. One theory is that the increase is due to kids being out of school with nothing to do and finding ways to get into trouble. But, it’s not just young people who are shoplifting. Shoplifting can happen to anyone, by anyone; often by people just looking for a thrill or maybe because they are desperate. Sadly, most shops lose thousands upon thousands of dollars (if not more) a year from shoplifters alone. WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR Loss prevention experts agree that there are certain traits to look for in potential shoplifters. They … Read More

Parking Garage Safety

Katelyn SmrecanskySecurity Resources

Have you ever been in a situation where you’re the last one out the door at work when it’s dark out, closed down a mall or store and had to walk by yourself to your car? It’s an unnerving situation no one wants to be in but sometimes we can’t control it. Back in college during summer breaks I worked at a popular department store and sometimes I would be on the closing shift. All employees had to park on the top floor of the attached parking garage which meant we all had to walk further than anyone. Sometimes I wouldn’t be off until as late as 11. Employees would always try to walk together to form a “buddy system” but it didn’t always work out that way. Looking back, I probably wasn’t as smart about that situation as I should have been. Parking garages are often poorly lit, massive in size and a prime spot for predators to lurk. … Read More

Keeping Watch Over Your Kids, Even When You’re Not Home

Katelyn SmrecanskySecurity Resources

The “back to school” shopping commercials have begun and before you know it, there will be a crispness in the air signaling that fall is near. This also means that it’s time for kids to head back to school. However, for a number of these children, it means returning to an empty house after school until their parents come home from work. According to a 2014 “America After 3pm” study by Afterschool Alliance, one in five children spend time after school alone and unsupervised. The numbers have slowly been on the decline but that still means that 11.3 million children are without after school care. These after school programs help give working parents peace of mind that their children are safe and secure. Another problem is related to a decrease in after school funding. More than two in five children would participate in such programs if there was the availability. It can be a stressful decision to leave your children … Read More

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Katelyn SmrecanskySecurity Resources

Did you know we’re on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Google+? We’d love to connect with you! We’re always posting new content whether its security tips for our #TipTuesday segment, apprehension videos, company updates and more. We hope that you will engage in our content and provide us with any feedback. Anything you’d like to see us blog or post about? Contact us! We’d love to hear from you and any ideas you might have. Check out the links below. • https://www.facebook.com/SecurePacific • www.twitter.com/SecurePacific • https://plus.google.com/+Securepacific/posts • https://www.linkedin.com/company/secure-pacific • https://www.youtube.com/user/SecurePacific