Those of us on the East Coast have been feeling the heat this week, as a serious heatwave has taken hold. Record temperatures surpassing 100 degrees in many areas have had people running for air conditioning, shade and cool beverages.

Summertime means many of us are spending a lot of time outdoors, whether at play, on vacation, and even working, but in these times of extreme temperatures, we need to be extra cautious to avoid harm.

According to the Red Cross, extreme heat in recent years has caused more deaths than any other weather related events, including floods. So before heading outside, make sure to take some basic precautions and keep your safety a primary consideration.

• Listen to local weather forecasts to find out what outside conditions will be like. The heat index is what the temperature feels like when combined with humidity.
• Prepare an emergency kit in advance in case of a black out. As the temperature goes up, so does the stress on the power grid and the likelihood of a power outage.
• Never leave children or pets alone in an enclosed vehicle for any length of time.
• Try to avoid being outdoors during the hottest part of the day. Postpone outside activities outside if possible. Wear loose fitting, light-colored clothes, and take frequent breaks if you have to be outside.
• Stay hydrated! Don’t wait until you are thirsty — drink plenty of fluids throughout the day and avoid drinks with caffeine or alcohol.

Heat-related emergencies range from heat cramps, to heat exhaustion, to heat stroke and they can all be very dangerous. If you or someone you know begins to experience any symptoms such as muscle spasms, headaches, nausea, pale or flushed skin, or changes in consciousness, help them get to a cooler place immediately. Try giving them small amounts of cool water. If any of the symptoms persist or if if they refuse water or are vomiting, call 911 for help. Heat stroke is life-threatening, so you need to act fast.

Talk to your whole family about heat safety. Children, the elderly, and those who are sick or overweight are more likely to become victims of overheating. And don’t forget about your pets, who are also very susceptible to the dangers of extreme temperatures. Check out this Heat Wave Safety Checklist for more details on beating the heat, or helping someone who might be suffering from a heat-related emergency.

 

Police in Portland, Ore. have been investigating the disappearance of Kyron Horman, who on June 4, 2010 was reported missing by his parents. The last reported sighting for the boy was that morning, in the halls of his elementary school. With few clues to help lead investigators to the boy’s whereabouts, this scenario is a worst nightmare terrifying parents everywhere.

While there remain many unanswered questions in young Kyron’s case, parents should take some time to think about what they might do if they found themselves in a similar situation and their child has gone missing. Our kids are our most precious resource, and in any missing child case, know that you are not completely helpless. Being prepared for the worst and never needing to use your knowledge is a much preferable situation to be in than finding yourself in an emergency with no clue what to do.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has prepared a quick-reference guide for you and your family to help you be better equipped to act quickly and decisively in the event of an emergency.

• If your child has gone missing or has been abducted, contact your local law enforcement agency immediately.
• Provide law enforcement with times, dates, and locations for where your child was last seen, and with whom they might have been seen. Gather descriptive information about your kid, including recent photographs, videos, descriptions of clothing, identifiers such as eye and hair color, glasses, scars or braces, and be prepared to offer this information to investigators
• Ask the officer if an AMBER Alert is appropriate for this situation.
• Secure your child’s room and belongings until law enforcement can do a search. Identify computers, cellphones, or other online devices your child uses that could provide clues to law enforcement for any revealing communications your child had engaged in before disappearing.
• Provide law enforcement with information about any suspicious or unusual behavior your kids may have been exhibiting, or unusual attention paid them before their disappearance.

Additionally, beyond working with law enforcement:

• Prepare posters of your child with recent images and post them within your community.
• Make noise! Get the word out about your case and work toward getting local and national media attention–i.e., television, radio, newspapers and the Web outlets. If video of your child is available, provide that to the media. You can also upload it here to the NCMEC online video channel.
• If you have DNA samples, provide them to authorities investigating the case. If not, you can collect samples from your missing child’s possessions, your child’s hairbrush, or maybe a saved baby tooth.

No one wants to imagine the horror of their child gone missing. But by being prepared to act quickly in such an emergency you can take some proactive steps toward ending the nightmare. We’ve got some more information right here at the AMW Safety Center to help you and your family prepare. Talk to your kids today about what threats exist out there, both on the streets and online. Make sure your kids are equipped with the street smarts to help them understand how to recognize a dangerous situation and how to get out quickly. Prevention is your best weapon.

Internet safety should be on our minds at all times. But with so many aspects of our lives largely played out online these days, it’s very easy to take many of our actions for granted. This is particularly true if you’ve been one of the lucky few who hasn’t had any issues with compromised passwords or identity theft.

But it’s important that internet safety stay at the forefront of your mind. This is especially true for parents, and we need to be sure our kids are thinking about these issues too. Whether you are banking, booking travel, shopping, downloading music or playing online games, you could potentially be leaving yourself vulnerable to unseen dangers.

The U.S. Senate designated June to be National Internet Safety Month, to serve as a reminder to us all of the importance of smart internet usage. Take some time to think about your day to day internet habits. Are you taking the proper precautions to stay on guard against identity theft? Are your passwords strong? Do you know what sites your kids are visiting regularly, or even how much time they are spending online?

The AMW Safety Center has plenty of tips for you to go over with the internet users in your family to be sure you are doing what you can to ensure your time on the web isn’t leaving you at risk and unprepared for what dangers lie in wait online.

The FTC has outlined seven basic practices to keep in mind as you surf the web that can help you be safer and more secure online. Raising your awareness can go a long way in minimizing your chances of being a target. Here are a few key points to help you be sure you are on the right track.

• Protect your personal information. Whenever you enter details such as address, account numbers, Social Security number, etc., find out how they are being used. Check to see if the page is transmitting your info via a secure connection.
• Know who you are dealing with. “Phishers” send spam and pop up messages making certain claims, and requests for your personal information. But don’t fall for it. Your bank will never ask for your account information by email.
• Beware of file-sharing and peer-to-peer (P2P) applications. These applications can be a great resource, allowing you to share games and music with potentially millions of users online. But these file-sharing programs may also make your computer and possibly your personal documents available to fellow users. Make sure you understand the side effects of these free downloads to ensure you aren’t unwittingly downloading pornography or viruses labeled as something else, or that you aren’t violating copyright laws by downloading protected material.

The internet is a wonderful and powerful tool for people of all ages, but by using the internet you also assume great responsibility. Check out the FTC’s OnGuard Online safety resource for more tips on how you can better safeguard you and your family when going online.

 

For so many of us, restaurant dining is very common. Whether on lunch break, out with your family or friends, following a sporting event, or just as an opportunity to spend time with your kids, it is estimated that by the end of 2010, nearly half of the total dollars spent on food by Americans will be spent in a restaurant. We are spending an estimated $580 billion in restaurants, and very frequently we are offering up a credit card to pay the bill. We sign the receipt, and we are on our way.

But this week, we were all once again reminded of how such a simple transaction can result in ruin for unsuspecting customers. Authorities recently discovered employees at a popular family restaurant chain in Washington, DC were running a scam involving the credit cards of the clientele through a process called “skimming.”

We’ve talked about credit card fraud before on the AMW Safety Center, and skimming isn’t new. And as is often the case with fraud, scammers often use classic practices in an updated context to separate you from your hard-earned cash. According to the FTC, skimming involves a computer mechanism attached to a either a specialized card reader or a legitimate card reader such as those at gas pumps or ATMs. This device captures the information encoded in the magnetic strip of your bank card, after which allowing the thieves to create an exact duplicate.

Regardless of whether the scams are new or old, the fact remains that for the 9 million annual victims of identity theft, the outcome can be significant and long-lasting. The most important weapon you have against having your identity stolen is awareness. Learn about the different techniques thieves use to steal personal information, and learn about how to protect yours. Additionally, it’s crucial to know what to do if you think your identity has been stolen so you can act fast and prevent widespread damage.

Here are some more helpful tips to protect your identity:

• Monitor your bank or credit card statements monthly and scan for suspicious charges.
• Check your credit report regularly to be sure there aren’t any charges or accounts opened that aren’t yours.
• If your identity has been stolen, some steps you should take include contacting your creditors, disputing the charges, and filing a police report.
• For suspicious activity on your legitimate accounts, you can typically dispute the charges. For fraudulent accounts, filing an identity theft report can help you gain access to additional protections.

Check out the FTC’s Fighting Back Against Identity Theft microsite for more tips on both prevention and tips for how to counter identity theft if you find yourself the victim of fraud.