Posts Tagged ‘summer safety’

Local crime watch on guard against scams

We encourage community activism, especially in the area of crime prevention. Good neighbors make good security.

A member of the Firethorne Community Crime Watch Committee near Katy, Texas, recently contacted us after receiving a Monitronics postcard warning of door-to-door scammers. They thanked us for the head’s up and said they’re taking action. We appreciate the shout-out and want to share their community notification:

DON’T BECOME A SUMMER SECURITY SCAM VICTIM
Firethorne Community Crime Watch Committee Warns of Door-to-Door Scammers

At least one security alarm company is warning its customers to beware of door-to-door salespeople this summer in Firethorne. Monitronics, a Dallas-based alarm monitoring company, recently called many Katy-area customers to warn about possible con artists.

These scammers, shady representatives of other alarm security providers, often offer fraudulent “deals.” Victims that fall prey to these scams can end up with double bills, non-working systems, and the huge headache of trying to get out of the situation.

According to representatives at Monitronics, these double dealers will knock on your door and likely claim that your current security provider is out of business or that they have a better deal for you if you will switch providers. They use high-pressure sales tactics to get you to agree to a “free upgrade” or other system bells and whistles. These swindlers often urge you to do the “upgrade” the same day.

Monitronics has a dedicated Summer Alert Hotline further describing this scam at 800-396-9815. You can also visit http://www.monitronics.com/SecurityScam.

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Tuesday tips: Beat the heat this summer

It’s sweltering across the U.S., which is pretty much on par for July. But as temperatures get over 90 degrees, heat-related illnesses soar. It’s no joke: about 400 Americans die annually from the heat. That more people than the combined deaths from floods, lightning, tornadoes, hurricanes, winter storms, and extreme cold from 1994 to 2003.

Elderly people, small children, those with weight or alcohol problems, people on certain medications or drugs need to practice extra precaution. Here are some tips for everyone to follow.

Stay cool in the heat

  • Drink up: Down lots of water–two to four glasses (16-32 ounces) each hour, whether you’re thirsty or not. And skip the booze; it dehydrates.
  • Replace salt and minerals: If you’re sweating up a storm, drink a sports beverage or some juice.
  • Wear a hat: Protect your face from sunburn and stay cooler overall with a wide-brim hat.
  • Dress for success: Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing.
  • Slather on the sunscreen: There’s more than the “ouch” factor at play here: sunburn screws up your body’s cooling mechanisms and dehydrates you.
  • Slow down, buckaroo: Why don’t you reconsider that midday run or gardening until it cools off a few degrees? And pace yourself. If you’re gasping or feeling dizzy, get indoors and drink liquids right away.
  • Know when to get help: Learn the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke and help others who might be confused because of their condition.
  • Use common sense: Your brain is there for a reason–take care of yourself!