From IMPACT Personal Safety

Are you familiar with IMPACT Personal Safety? If not, you should be. Check them out at www.impactpersonalsafety.org Look for them at the 2010 SLAM Conference !

In the meantime, I received an email from their Executive Director this week highlighting the suggestions to consider for keeping safe. Follow these no-nonsense words of wisdom from an organization that is truly invested in the safety and well-being of New Mexicans.

IMPACT Personal Safety's SAFETY CHOICES

General Awareness

1. Trust your intuition. Believe yourself in the moment about whether a situation is safe or not.
2. Be aware of the people around you and how you are feeling about them.
3. Use all your sensese to be aware of what is going on around you.

Awareness in your Home

1. Think befoer you give out personal information or information about your daily routine.
2. When you go somewhere outside of your daily routine, consider letting someone know where you are going and when you expect to return.
3. If you are going to arrive home after dark, consider keeping an outside light on.
4. Note that people can see in through windows, especially at night when lights are on. Consider closing the blinds or curtains.
5. Decide how you want to answer the door. (Do you check the peephole? Should children be allowed to answer? Do you ask service personnel for ID?)
6. Do not depend on your dog for more than an alarm.
7. If you hear a prowler, turn on your outside lights and call the police. Alert your neighbors.

Awareness in your Car

1. Locate your keys before you go outside of your car.
2. Lock your car when you leave it.
3. Be aware of your gas tank level; refill it before you risk running out.
4. Keep all valuable out of sight and avoid leaving personal information in open view.
5. If you have car trouble, don't accept help from anyone you have a bad feeling about.
6. If you discover you are being followed, drive to an open business or a public place. Wait to go home until you are not being followed or have received help.
7. If anyone demands your car from you, it is safest to cooperate. Keep the assailant informed as you move quickly and deliberately. ("Okay, let me unbuckle my seat belt" and "My child is in the back seat, please let me get him out.)
8. If you are driving someone home, offer to wait until s/he has entered the house before leaving.

Want more SAFETY CHOICES.... visit www.impactpersonalsafety.org/tips.html