safety tips

Easton Police Encourage Parents to Talk to Children About Stranger Danger

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Easton Police Department
Chief Gary F. Sullivan
46 Lothrop St.
North Easton, MA 02356

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018

Media Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: [email protected]

 

Easton Police Encourage Parents to Talk to Children About Stranger Danger

EASTON — Following an incident this week where a man approached a child and asked him if he wanted a ride in his car, Chief Gary Sullivan and the Easton Police Department are reminding parents to talk to their children about dealing with strangers.

Children see strangers every day, whether at the store, walking home from school or playing in their neighborhood. To protect and educate children, parents and guardians should teach them about strangers and suspicious behavior, as well as take a few precautions of their own.

“Most strangers that our children interact with on a daily basis are not bad people and we do not want our kids to be afraid of people that they don’t know,” Chief Sullivan said. “But, we want all of the kids in our community to be safe and understand the warning signs of potentially dangerous or suspicious behavior and feel comfortable reporting it to an adult or loved one.”

The National Crime Prevention Council recommends several tips on talking to children about strangers:

  • Explain to your child that a stranger is anyone who your family doesn’t know well. It is common for children to think that “bad strangers” look scary, which is not only untrue, but dangerous for children to think this way. Tell your child that no one can tell if strangers are nice or not nice just by looking at them, and they should be careful around all people they don’t know.
  • Don’t make it seem like all strangers are bad. Teach your child about safe strangers and adults they can trust — police officers, firefighters, teachers, principals and librarians. Also show your child places they can go if they need help, such as local stores, restaurants and the homes of family friends in your neighborhood.
  • Teach your child to be wary of potentially dangerous situations and the warning signs of suspicious behavior, like when an adult asks them to disobey their parents or do something without their permission, asks them to keep a secret, asks children for help, or makes them feel uncomfortable in any way.
  • Talk to your children about how they should handle potentially dangerous situations. You can use the “No, Go, Yell, Tell,” saying, which teaches children to say no, run away, yell as loud as they can, and tell a trusted adult what happened right away if they feel threatened by a stranger.

In addition to teaching children how to recognize and handle dangerous situations and strangers, there are other things that parents can do to help their children stay safe:

  • Know where your children are at all times. Make it a rule that children must ask permission or check in with you before going anywhere. Give your children both your work and cell phone numbers so they can reach you at all times.
  • Point out safe places. Show your children safe places to play, safe roads and paths to take and safe places to go if there’s trouble.
  • Teach children to trust their instincts. Explain that if they ever feel scared or uncomfortable, they should get away as fast as they can and tell an adult. Tell them that sometimes adults they know may make them feel uncomfortable, and they should still get away and tell another adult what happened. Reassure your child that you will always help them when they need it.
  • Teach your children to be assertive. Make sure they know that it’s okay to say no to an adult and to run away from adults in dangerous situations.
  • Encourage your children to play with others. There is safety in numbers.

For more resources and information about talking to your children about strangers, visit the National Crime Prevention Council website.

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Wenham Police Provide Cold Weather Safety Tips in Anticipation of Freezing Temperatures

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Wenham Police Patch

Wenham Police Department
Thomas Perkins, Chief of Police
1 Friend Court
PO Box 536
Wenham, MA 01984

For Immediate Release

Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Wenham Police Provide Cold Weather Safety Tips in Anticipation of Freezing Temperatures 

WENHAM — Chief Thomas Perkins and the Wenham Police Department would like to provide several important safety tips in anticipation of freezing temperatures early tomorrow morning.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has issued a freeze warning from midnight to 9 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 19. Temperatures could reach as low as 28 degrees Fahrenheit.

This type of weather will kill sensitive vegetation and can damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.

“We generally don’t see this type of weather until November or December, so we want residents to be prepared,” Chief Perkins said. “Bring plants inside, be careful when outdoors, especially with pets, and make sure you have a proper heating system in place.”

The Wenham Police Department also advises residents follow important safety tips from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency:

  • Minimize outdoor activities for the whole family, including pets.
  • If outside, dress in several layers of loose-fitting, lightweight clothing instead of a single heavy layer. Outer garments should be tightly woven and water repellent. Wear a hat, mittens (not gloves) and sturdy waterproof boots to protect your extremities. Cover your mouth with a scarf to protect your lungs.
  • Be a good neighbor. Check with elderly or disabled relatives and neighbors to ensure their safety.
  • Ensure you have sufficient heating fuel, as well as alternate emergency heating equipment in case you lose electricity.
  • When utilizing alternate heating sources, such as an emergency generator, your fireplace, wood stove or space heater, make sure they are properly ventilated and always operate a generator outdoors and away from your home. Improper use of heating devices can lead to dangerous carbon monoxide buildup in the home.

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Hull Elementary School Students Participate in Fire Prevention Week

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Hull Public Schools
Michael F. Devine, Superintendent
180 Harborview Road
Hull, MA 02045

For Immediate Release

Monday, Oct. 15, 2018

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Hull Elementary School Students Participate in Fire Prevention Week

HULL — Students at Lillian M. Jacobs Elementary School received a special visit from the Hull Fire Department last week to refresh their fire prevention skills.

Oct. 7-13 marked National Fire Prevention Week, and to ensure children are prepared in the event of an emergency, Fire Capt. Steve Johnson, Capt. Gary Twombly, Firefighter Brian Thompson, Firefighter Jake Williamson and Firefighter Tyler Pari met with students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade for some important lessons.

In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge declared Fire Prevention Week a national observance, making it the country’s longest running public observance. Each year, the week is observed to coincide with the anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 on Oct. 8, where more than 250 people were killed and more than 2,000 acres of land burned.

This year’s campaign, which changes annually, was centered on the message: “Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware. Fire can happen anywhere.”

Look – Students were educated on potential fire hazards within their home and where to look for them.

Listen – Capt. Johnson reminded students that whenever they hear a fire alarm, they should exit their home immediately and leave all belongings and pets behind. “Get out and stay out,” Capt. Twombly added. “We will arrive quickly and rescue your pets.”

Learn – Firefighters asked that students talk with their families to learn two ways out of every room in their house in the event that one is obstructed by fire.

Capt. Johnson and Capt. Twombly, along with firefighters Thompson, Williamson and Pari visited students on Oct. 9-11, where they led customized 30-minute training sessions for each grade. During every class, firefighters reviewed lessons from last year’s Fire Prevention Week and used captivating visuals to guide their presentations.

  • Pre-kindergarten: Stop, drop and roll – students practiced the maneuver on gymnastic mats as the firemen assisted them. Once all students had the opportunity to practice they received a tour of a fire engine.
  • Kindergarten: Firefighters are community helpers – Capt. Twombly and Capt. Johnson disused the role of fireman within their community. Additionally, Firefighter Thompson demonstrated how each piece of equipment is put on before entering a burning building in an effort to alleviate any fears students may have had when seeing a firefighter dressed in his or her gear.
  • First grade: Crawl low under smoke – students learned about how smoke rises and practiced crawling on their hands and knees on the gymnastic mats.
  • Second grade: Escape plans – students were instructed to speak with their families to plan two escape routes from their house as well as meeting places once outside. (“Get out and stay out.”)
  • Third grade: What is fire? – students were introduced to the fire tetrahedron, a four-sided geometric representation of the four factors necessary for fire: heat, fuel, oxygen and chemical chain reaction.
  • Fourth grade: Reporting emergencies – students learned how to identify emergencies and the proper methods to report them.
  • Fifth grade: Cooking safety – safety precautions around cooking were discussed.

At the end of the interactive presentation, each student left with a fire safety pencil, bracelet and plastic firefighter helmet.

Additionally, each student was given a poster board and asked to draw a picture that represents what they learned during Fire Prevention Week. Posters are due on Oct. 19. The Hull Fire Department will pick one poster from each grade level that best represented Fire Prevention Week and award the student who drew it a ride to school on a fire engine. Fifth grade students were also asked to write one paragraph summarizing what they learned.

“Every year Hull firefighters do an amazing job taking on the roles of teachers to educate our students about the importance of fire prevention,” Assistant Principal Kyle Shaw said. “Throughout their presentations, students were curious, engaged and enjoyed showing off some of the tips they learned from firefighters. Thank you to the Hull Fire Department for taking the time to meet with our students.”

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Concord Police Alert Residents after Bear Sighting

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Concord Police Department
Chief Joseph O’Connor
219 Walden Street
P.O. Box 519
Concord, MA 01742

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2018

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: [email protected]

Concord Police Alert Residents after Bear Sighting

CONCORD — Chief Joseph O’Connor and the Concord Police Department are seeking to remind residents of key safety tips after a black bear was sighted by a resident on Tuesday.

Early this morning, a Lowell Road resident notified Concord Police that they had seen a small black bear, likely a juvenile, walking in their back yard. The bear eventually wandered off and did not harm anyone or have any interaction with people.

“Black bears, as we know, are a part of life in Massachusetts. A sighting does not indicate a threat to public safety, but we should all be aware of best practices to take at our homes and businesses in order to coexist with wildlife,” Chief O’Connor said. “I would ask all residents to review the safety tips below and do your best to adhere to them.”

If a resident sees a bear in town:

• Leave the bear alone. Do not approach, feed, interact with, or in any way engage with a bear.

• Do not try to follow or track the bear.

Bears, especially black bears, generally avoid people. If you chase a black bear, it may find its way into traffic or into a group of bystanders, creating a serious risk to the bear and public safety. Bears often climb trees to avoid people and will come down on their own when they are ready.

If you would like to minimize the likelihood that a bear will enter your yard or linger in your yard, please review these tips from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife:

• Avoid filling bird feeders: Bears that find a bird feeder will often revisit that site, month after month, year after year. Bird feeders, bird seed, corn and other bird foods can draw bears into closer proximity to people and often result in bears losing their fear of people.

• For those people who enjoy birds in their yard, MassWildlife suggests growing native plants, shrubs, and trees to attract birds. Adding a water feature is a big draw for birds. Taking these actions may increase the diversity of birds you see and will prevent the unnatural feeding of bears and other kinds of neighborhood wildlife.

• Bring empty bird feeders inside, as even empty ones may have a lingering scent that may draw a bear

• Take a close look at your yard for potential bear food sources such as bird feeders, pet food, dirty barbecue grills, open compost, or trash and remove the food sources immediately.

• Never leave pet food stores outside

If you come face to face with a bear:

Remain calm, talk to the bear in a calm voice (try ‘hey bear, hey bear”) and slowly back away and leave the area. If a bear approaches or follows you, make yourself look bigger by putting your arms above your head. Continue to repeat “hey bear” in a calm voice and back away and leave the area while monitoring the bear.

For additional information, visit mass.gov/bears

Click here for video tips from the state.

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