According to the CDC, poisoning is one of the nation’s leading causes of accidental death, second only to auto accidents. Poisoning expert Rose Ann Soloway of the National Capital Poison Center offers some great advice for how you should respond if you or someone you know has taken a poison.

• If someone gets poisoning in their eyes, flush eyes thoroughly with running water. If it’s a small child, bundle them up and pour water across their face for 20 minutes.
• If poison gets on your skin, rinse it off right away and remove any contaminated clothing.
• If you’ve inhaled what you think might be a poison, get out to fresh air immediately.
• If someone has swallowed a poison, drink a small amount of water or milk and call the poison center.

Your local poison center will tell you what you need to do, and they will guide you through the step-by-step process. But remember, don’t wait around for symptoms: if you think you’ve come into contact with a harmful substance, call your local poison center immediately at 1-800-222-1212. Check out http://www.poison.org for more information on how to protect your family against common poisons in the home.

Stalking is a very serious and all-too-common crime. According to the National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC), over 1 million women and over 370,000 men are victims of stalking each year in the United States. When someone is being stalked by a stranger, friend, or intimate partner, it can lead to a loss of quality of life, and feelings of anxiety, paranoia and fear. While stalking is considered against the law in all 50 states, victims are often afraid to report their stalkers, sometimes resulting in deadly consequences. Only about half of stalking victims file complaints with the police, but you should take stalking very seriously. By being assertive and following some of these simple safety guidelines from the NCVC, you can prevent a stalker from being in control of your life. Continue reading Avoid Becoming The Victim Of A Stalker »

Even with constant reminders to prepare for an emergency, lots of people go unprepared for emergencies and disasters and this could cost you your life. Here in the AMW Safety Center, our motto is Preparation and Response. March is Red Cross Month, and it’s a great time to talk a little bit about what that means. If you aren’t prepared, it’s never too late to get started.

The Red Cross can do its work because people like you get involved and volunteer: the Red Cross responds to about 70,000 disasters a year, helping out millions of people. There’s a good chance that you may need them someday. Continue reading March Is Red Cross Month; A Great Time To Get Prepared »

According to the National Crime Prevention Council, it takes a professional car thief less than 30 seconds to break a window, unlock the door and steal anything that’s inside. Property theft from cars is mostly a crime of opportunity. Because of an increase in theft from cars, the Washington, DC Metropolitan Police Department sent these tips to residents and they’re useful regardless where you live Continue reading Keep Your Car From Becoming A Shopping Spree For Thieves »