The winter holidays are a time for celebration, and that means more cooking, home decorating, entertaining, and an increased risk of fire and accidents. SSPD recommends that you follow these guidelines to help make your holiday season safer and more enjoyable.



Holiday Lighting

•Use caution with holiday decorations and, whenever possible, choose those made with flame-resistant, flame-retardant and non-combustible materials.

•Keep candles away from decorations and other combustible materials, and do not use candles to decorate Christmas trees.

•Carefully inspect new and previously used light strings, and replace damaged items before plugging lights in. Do not overload extension cords.

•Don't mount lights in any way that can damage the cord's wire insulation. To hold lights in place, string them through hooks or insulated staples--don't use nails or tacks. Never pull or tug lights to remove them.

•Keep children and pets away from light strings and electrical decoration http://bit.ly/ucPmum

Contact Hal at www.firsttrustalarm.net or call 1-831-636-1470 and get a quote for the newest in CCTV technology. http://bit.ly/v0kFbf

In the last week, we have received several reports of packages being stolen from front porches. As most are aware, delivery companies ring the door bell and leave the package on the front doorstep for residents to retrieve at a later time. In at least two of our recent cases, the packages were stolen in less than 15 minutes of when they were delivered. At this point we are not sure if the delivery trucks are being followed, but this type of criminal activity is common during the holidays. Most thieves are looking for electronics and high end gifts that they can profit from. http://bit.ly/sZa859

First Trust Alarm and First Trust Industries are just like you when the holiday season kicks off. We get busy with the exciting preparations for the two biggest holidays of the year. Christmas and New Years celebrations come into mind and all the worries seem to disappear. The LAST thing on your mind is how will your children behave during an emergency. Do your children know how to answer the questions a 9-1-1 operator might ask?



Kids | Ready.gov

www.ready.gov

Are you ready to put your planning skills to good use? Are you ready to help your family get prepared for the unexpected? Your family can use this Web site to create a plan that will help you be ready for many different kinds of unexpected situations



Safety tip to share: Teach your children how and when to call 9-1-1 or your local emergency medical services number for help. More children’s preparedness tips www.ready.gov/kids. http://bit.ly/t0u0cH

SANTA CRUZ POLICE: Continued traffic rerouting due to gas leak Natural Bridges @ Mission St. Ext. Expect closures over next 12 hours. No evacuations needed.



Explosions caused by natural gas leaks occur a few times each year. Individual homes, small businesses and other structures are most frequently affected when an internal leak builds up gas inside the structure. Frequently, the blast will be enough to significantly damage a building but leave it standing. In these cases, the people inside tend to have minor to moderate injuries. Occasionally, the gas can collect in high enough quantities to cause a deadly explosion, disintegrating one or more buildings in the process. The gas usually dissipates readily outdoors, but can sometimes collect in dangerous quantities if flow rates are high enough. However, considering the tens of millions of structures that use the fuel, the individual risk of using natural gas is very low. http://bit.ly/sZ40x4

If your a regular elevator rider it would not hurt you to know when the last time your elevator equipment was inspected. Do you know what happens with your elevator system if there is a fire in your building? These are serious questions. If you have an inspectors sticker in your elevator car and it is over one year old, contact the buildings property management company and ask them about it. It's your concern and you have the right to make that call.

Do you need an inspection? Contact First Trust Alarm Company and ask Joe about how to keep your elevator up to date. Follow this link http://firsttrustalarm.net/contact/index.html http://bit.ly/smuZEU

It's the first of the month - a great reminder to test your smoke alarm batteries & practice your family's fire escape plan. http://m.fema.gov

Visit http://www.firsttrustindustries.com/servlet/the-3321/Xcaper-Smoke-Mask/Detail http://bit.ly/vonCTm

great grandpa has 95 years and still looks at life in a way that compels me to remain on the right wagon/right track.