Make Holiday Safety a Family Tradition

The holidays are a special time to share with family and friends. Below is a list of precautions to keep the season cheerful. The Natwick Insurance Team wishes you a Safe & Happy Holiday!
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General Safety

• Use a ladder during decorating.
• Tiny batteries and small toy parts should be monitored so kids don’t accidently swallow or choke.

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Fire Safety

• Check your smoke detectors to make sure they are functional.
• While it’s soothing to have a holiday light display, be certain that you’re not risking fire. Be careful to not overload your house circuits.
• Discard any lights or accessories with frayed power cords. Exposed wires and extension cords are also trip hazards so take care when decorating around your home or office.​
• If you’re going to fry a turkey, always do it outside in a well ventilated area. Never try to fry a frozen bird and make sure to wipe it dry inside and out before immersing it in oil. If a fire does start douse the grease fire with baking soda and not water to extinguish the fire. Have some form of fire extinguisher handy.
• Keep kids and pets away from open flames. Never leave open flames unattended. Make certain that ornaments, decorations and flammable items are kept away from flame.

Burglary Safety

• Keep your garage door closed even if you’re home and keep your cars locked in the driveway. Thieves take garage door openers for easy access when you leave for work.
• ​Conceal your trash so thieves don’t know that you’ve just given the family a new 4K TV or other such expensive gift.
• If you’re traveling for the holidays, don’t post your plans on social media for everyone, including thieves, to see. Post your pics when you return. Set your lights on timers while you’re away.
• We all know someone who has had a package stolen from their front door. When ordering online ask for carrier to require signature for packages or have them left with a trusted neighbor.
• Check your insurance policy to make certain that high value gifts like jewelry are covered under your homeowners or renters insurance policy.
• Monitor your bank accounts and credit cards for unauthorized purchases or cyber theft.

Food Safety

• Use a food thermometer to make certain food internal temp reaches 165 degrees.
• Harmful bacteria grows on food left at room temperature for prolonged periods of time. You have maximum 4 hours before they are unsafe - as a best practice return food to the fridge after being out for two hours.
• Make sure that you properly clean and sanitize surfaces that touch raw meat before using the same surface for cutting or prepping other foods.
  
• ​Wash your hands frequently when working with food to avoid cross contamination.
• Keep your pot handles away from the edge of the stove to avoid spills and burns – especially with kids in the kitchen.

Driving Safety

• The holidays are a time to celebrate with friends and family. If you plan on having a cocktail, use a designated driver, cab, or driving service like Uber or Lyft.
  
• If you’re the host of the party, it’s wise to monitor guest drinking to be certain that your friends and family don’t have a misfortune on the road.
  
• Keep in mind that driving while exhausted is just as dangerous as impaired driving. Even if you are clear headed be aware that other drivers may be impaired, tired or distracted.