Soulful Thoughts of Rachel

After watching Kung Fu Panda yesterday, we noticed that one of the escalators near the cinema was not working. I didn’t give it much thought and we simply walked until we reached another escalator. Today, I was horrified to learn from another mom in school that she saw an accident at the escalator of that mall. She said a child’s hand got stuck in the escalator. The child was with the parents but she saw the child squatting on the escalator while moving up. The child must have put his hand on the side and got stuck. I didn’t see it happen but I feel sorry for the child. My fellow mom who witnessed the accident said the child’s hand was severely injured and was immediately wrapped in a blanket as soon as mall personnel freed the child’s hand.

If you have young children, make sure you avoid this kind of accident by supervising your child in escalators. Here are some escalator safety reminders that I would like to share:

• When you have a stroller, do not take the escalator. It’s safer to use the elevator. Many malls prohibit strollers on escalators.
• Never let a young child go up or down an escalator unsupervised.
• Hold one of your child’s hand while on the escalator. Tell him to use his other hand to hold the escalator banister.
• Never let your child touch the steps and side walls of the escalators.
• Make sure your child does not stand too close to the sides.
• Check your child’s shoes. Make sure they are no shoe laces left undone.
• If your child is wearing a long dress, be on the look out to make sure it doesn’t get caught in the escalator.
• When you reach the end, assist your child as he gets off the escalator.
• Be aware of the location of the emergency button in case you need to stop the escalator for emergency purposes.

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Today is my son’s last day in school and tomorrow is the start of summer break.  Summer is a fun and exciting time for the whole family.  Many of us take this opportunity to spend a lot of time outdoors. Common summer activities are hiking, swimming, biking, going on picnics, and other fun outdoor activities.

Here are some safety reminders for children this summer.

1.  Now that summer has arrived, expect hot climate.  Avoid sunstroke by watching out for symptoms such as thirst, cramps, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, headaches, and fever. Let your children drink lots of fluids especially when they are actively playing.

 2.  Apply sunscreen on your child (make sure you read label to determine if it is safe for children’ use) when activities involve long sun exposure. Avoid sunburn by using appropriate sunblock.

3.  Supervise your children when they are swimming in the pool or at the beach. Provide your children who do not know how to swim yet with safety floating devices such as life vest, arm “floaties”, inflatable lifesavers and more.

 4.  When children are out biking or skateboarding, make sure you provide them with protective gear like helmet and protective pads.

The value of having car insurance should not be taken lightly. Car insurance should be classified as important and should not be taken for granted. It can serve as your protection against problems brought about by untoward and unpredictable road mishaps.

Nobody wants to be involved in a vehicular or traffic accident. Every driver should make safety on the road a number one priority. Every driver should always follow traffic rules, maintain speed limits and obey all traffic signs. However, even though you are a good and responsible driver, there are others out there who are not as reliable as you.  Accidents may still happen even though you follow all traffic rules and regulations.

Autonet Car Insurance offers excellent Car Insurance service. They offer great deals and astonishing special discounts of up to 70% off new policies. You can get a free online quote to determine the amount of your car insurance.

Don’t take the risk by driving off without the security of car insurance. Just imagine the tremendous liability that you can face if you get involved in a traffic or vehicular accident without the protection of car insurance. Remember that proper precaution is always a wise decision in life.

In the Philippines, using car seats for children are not required by law.  However, if you have children and value their safety, it is advisable to invest in one.

Here are some safety reminders when it comes to children riding a vehicle:

• Remember that the safest place for children in a vehicle is the back seat.
• Rear-facing infant car seats should NEVER be placed in the front seat of vehicles that have the air bag feature.
• Double check if the car seat has been properly installed and harnesses secured on your child properly before driving.
• Make sure that the car seat is appropriate for your child’s weight, height and age. Refer to car seat manual.

March is Fire Prevention Month in the Philippines.  Here are some fire prevention tips that you can apply at home.  Make it a point to practice the following advices to prevent fire.

1. Do not overload electrical outlets by plugging too many appliances.
2. Unplug all electrical appliances after every use.
3. Make it a point to set regular checkups for all electrical installations.
4. Regularly check gas stoves and LPG tanks for leaks.
5. Do not leave lighted candles, mosquito coils and cigarettes unattended.
6. Never throw away lighted cigarette butts on the grass or garbage containers.
7. When going on extended trips, unplug electrical appliances after every use.
8. Turn off and unplug electrical appliances during harsh thunderstorms.
9. Invest on a fire extinguisher for your home.
10. Teach every member of your household on what to do in case there is a fire. (Make sure you have emergency telephone numbers posted in your home.)

I shared some safety tips about proper use of pedestrian lanes in our village newsletter and thought of sharing them here as well.

Sadly, I see a lot of people who do not heed warning signs by crossing restricted areas, despite availability of pedestrian lanes and overpass. Some say they are in a hurry and going up to take an overpass is time consuming. Others say they prefer to cross where it is convenient. I don’t understand how some people can carelessly disregard their own safety.

Here are some important safety reminders about crossing:

• Let safety be a top most priority. Use pedestrian lanes and other designated means of crossing (e.g. overpass, underpass)
• Be a good example to others. Help educate other pedestrians about the proper use of pedestrian lanes.
• Familiarize yourself with important pedestrian signs. For example, take note that PED Xing is short for Pedestrian Crossing
• Always look both ways when crossing the street.
• Cross when both ways are clear. Do not stay on the middle of the road.
• Be concerned of others. Help children and the elderly cross the street safely.
• At night, make yourself more visible in the dark by wearing light colored clothes or carrying a flashlight.

They seem very simple and easy to follow but you would be surprised how others can be so negligent.

Don’t Take Chances. Obey Pedestrian Traffic Signals.