Drowning

How We Drown Is Not Like In The Movies EMAIL FACEBOOK LINKEDIN TWITTER REDDIT PRINT Related articles We Are Killing Ourselves (Don t) leave them kids alone at the kiddie pool Health and Safety Tips for Your Summer Vacation (2005) Health and Safety Tips for Your Summer Vacation Dispatch: Real Risks: Drowning and Lightning By Jamie Wells, M.D. — May 24, 2017 Credit: Shutterstock With Memorial Day weekend and peak drowning season upon us, there is no better time than the present to debunk some myths about how we drown. And, it isn’t how you would think. An average of 3,536 fatal unintentional (non-boating) drownings occur each year in the United States inflicting anguish that could, in many cases, be prevented. Add on to this the 332 who succumb annually to boating-related incidents. Since over half of drowning victims get admitted to the hospital or transferred for comprehensive care, the often long-term devastating consequences of nonfatal drowning events will be elucidated here as well. (1) Buzzwords abound these days even in the drowning arena. It seems the topic has gotten branded. Terms like “silent drowning,” “secondary drowning” or “dry drowning” may complicate the picture. The important word to emphasize is “drowning.” The concept of greatest import is the realization that precautions and awareness should dominate when any body of water is in close proximity albeit a frozen lake, the bathtub or residential pool. Who Drowns Drowning can impact all ages, ethnicities, genders and health status. Those sick or well can be affected. Due to the tremendous variability of water safety, activities, environments (e.g. pool or open water) and conditions (e.g. inclement weather, currents, salt vs fresh water), even an excellent swimmer shouldn’t have a false sense of immunity from the subject. That said, knowing how to swim is a crucial benefit and important whether adult or child. As is knowledge of CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and its rapid initiation—the earlier it is received the better one’s chances. Here are some U.S. statistics on drowning (2,3): Roughly 1 in 5 people who die from drowning are children 14 or younger— 2nd leading cause of unintentional injury-related death in ages 1-14 behind motor vehicle accidents Almost 80% of people who die are male Highest rate in children ages 1-4. Top cause of death in this population behind congenital anomalies— most take place in residential swimming pools, for infants <1 bathtubs rank highest and buckets remain a hazard 5th leading cause of death by unintentional injury for ALL ages African-American children (ages 5-19) are 5.5 times more likely to drown in pools than peers (4) Primary and secondary causes of drowning put people at risk. For instance, a primary drowning incident would entail drowning of a healthy toddler in a pool. A secondary culprit would be one prompted by the effects of trauma, substance abuse or drug use, a disease or its treatment. Illnesses or the like that impair the physical mobility, consciousness, or mentation of a person like an undiagnosed cardiac arrhythmia or intractable seizures require special restrictions and surveillance. Clearly, those with specific medical conditions and on therapies that can impede their cognition or level of consciousness are imperiled. Anyone at risk of fainting (See Why We Faint), seizing or prone to low blood sugars (hypoglycemia) are in jeopardy. Suicide or self-harm can be another etiology. Throughout the span of the life cycle, there are occupational, situational, and recreational differences that contribute to your risk. In early infancy and childhood, a momentary lapse of adult supervision is all that is required while mopping the floor to answering a phone call when bathing a little one. As we age, there is a rise in drownings in natural waters. Adolescents might partake in riskier endeavors like diving under dangerous conditions with shallow water, while intoxicated or via extreme water sports. Adults and the elderly can have heart attacks and key medical conditions, abuse substances and can also sustain head or other traumas. Work-related risks are tied to certain professions while hurricanes represent one of many of nature’s unpredictable hazards. How We Drown Hollywood routinely depicts a drowning victim as a person shouting for help, flailing and thrashing about in the water. When someone can shout and speak, this actually implies they are getting the oxygen they need. By no means should you ignore this person as they are in apparent distress—they might be injured, be panicking and not know how to swim or be at risk of imminent drowning. More often, in the actual drowning person silence is the deafening factor. It happens quickly, quietly and without warning. As the person is gasping for every breath and concentrating on getting air, they will typically not speak, fatigue and be in a vertical position with their head bobbing in and out of water. Their effort to swim falls short and traditionally keeps them stationary. The mouth is usually open and the head tilted back as they attempt to leverage the water beneath by extending their arms outward and pushing downward. By the time it is noticed, the individual can be unconscious from hypoxia and submerged. Depending on body size, age, clinical and environmental factors, the rate of drowning can be quite quick between seconds to under a minute. (See this instructional video (5)) When Do We Drown Though it is prevalent this season (May to August), the issue is a year-round one that warrants diligence to avoid. For example, in the cold weather adverse events arise from playing or landing on frozen bodies of water that make you vulnerable to falling through cracks and weakened areas. Hypothermia can threaten survival and occurs even in more moderate weather that exists the majority of the year. This consequence is not exclusive to winter. In general, drowning is an indoor and outdoor concern. We worsen our chances of survival when we do not know how to swim. Due to size, younger children need even less volume of exposure to demonstrate symptoms of drowning. What Happens When We Survive Drowning or Submersion With near drowning or submersion comes morbidity or no morbidity. Ideally, the patient is discovered before loss of consciousness while alert and minimally impaired. This is your best shot at no morbidity from the event. If CPR needs to be initiated, the outcomes are worse. With greater delay in CPR often comes a more ominous result. In severe cases, brain damage, learning and memory problems and a persistent vegetative state is possible. It is very important for you or your child to be evaluated by a trained medical professional and emergency services after a near drowning or submersion incident. Symptoms can evolve, progress and pose great risk hours after the inciting event. You may think your child appears well, but there can be a lag before untoward effects come to light and when they do the decline can be fast. Multi-organ failure, chemical aspiration, pulmonary edema, acute respiratory distress, metabolic disturbances, and hypoxic injury to the brain are a mere few examples of serious health consequences. Remember, there are many variables in the mix that guide the extent of damage. Though there is much we can do today with medical advances, avoidance of drowning is in yours and your loved one’s best interest. Take Home Messages Exercise good judgement and be proactive—e.g. know yours and your child’s limitations, alcohol and illicit substances add danger to water activities, avoid diving into the shallow end or where there are many rocks, don’t leave a child unattended around any body of water, wear life jackets when boating, boat safely Be a responsible pool owner—e.g. have essential barriers around pool. Pool safely, see here. Take swim lessons and learn CPR— early bystander CPR makes a world of difference! Make prevention a family affair— it is never too late to learn to swim. Be partners with lifeguards—keep your eyes on your child at all times and don’t swim alone Seek emergency medical services when an incident arises, as time is of the essence. Submersion injuries can evolve and worsen, so don’t miss the window where help can be crucial in improving an outcome. A medical professional can discern the difference. Be aware of your surroundings and the signs of a person in trouble Encourage close observation of children With some simple steps to ensure summer and water safety, you will enjoy the holidays and season creating a lifetime of wonderful memories! (see Notes section, 6) Source(s): (1) (2) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)— Unintentional Drowning: Get the Facts, see here. (3) See here and here. (4) To review the CDC morbidity and mortality report, see “Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Fatal Unintentional Drowning Among Persons Aged Less Than or Equal to 29 Years—United States, 1999-2010." Note(s): (5) I urge you to look at posted videos of active drowning on youtube as there are many. They underscore that people can be swimming close by and be unaware of the struggle taking place within arm’s length. Knowing what to look for is crucial to early identification of drowning. This is the difference between life and death and a life without disabilities as a result of delayed intervention. Always be aware of what is going on around you. (6) The CDC is an excellent resource on prevention of drowning and water safety. Their National Action Plan is here.

Bipolar Disorder

10 Warning Signs of Bipolar Disorder

By Linda Wasmer Andrews, Special to Lifescript

Published August 06, 2016

We all have ups and downs. But the steep climbs (mania) and sudden plunges (depression) of bipolar disorder can lead to life-threatening situations.Shirley Rogerson, thought her husband of 40 years was simply prone to dark moods. At other times, he was the life of the party, telling jokes that had everyone in stitches.

But as years passed, his behavior became frightening.

“He threatened to kill himself and had hallucinations,” says Rogerson, an author and library information specialist. “Once, he saw visions of killing me and the dogs.”

Her husband was eventually diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
This serious mental illness affects about 6 million women and men in the U.S., according to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA). And it can be harrowing and dangerous for people around them.

In the manic phase, sufferers often don’t think anything's wrong. They’re hyper-energized and brimming with confidence. But they’re not as invincible as they feel.

Eventually, people almost always make a big mistake, such as a foolish investment or an ill-advised affair.

“When they realize what they’ve done, they can crash into really bad depression,” says psychiatrist Igor Galynker, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Family Center for Bipolar Disorder at Beth Israel Medical Center, in New York City.

What Is Bipolar Disorder?
This complex mental condition comes in various forms. These are the most common:

• Bipolar I is the classic type, what used to be called manic depression. Patients typically alternate between full-blown mania and depression, which causes severe behavioral shifts. In some, those symptoms occur concurrently.
• Occasionally, the mania or depression is so severe that it becomes psychosis — a break with reality characterized by delusions or hallucinations.
• Bipolar II is the less extreme, more common version of the disorder. Depressive episodes alternate with hypomania, a milder version of mania. People with hypomania are sometimes highly productive and function well.
• “It can start out lovely,” says Cynthia Last, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist in Boca Raton, Fla., and author of When Someone You Love Is Bipolar (Guilford Press).

• But hypomania inevitably leads to depression. And if left untreated, symptoms may grow more extreme, evolving into bipolar I.

Once diagnosed, bipolar disorder is often treatable with medications and psychotherapy. But warning signs of bipolar disorder are often confused with major depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), drug-induced highs or just plain moodiness.

As a result, only one in four sufferers are accurately diagnosed in less than three years, according to DBSA figures.

Recognizing the mania and depression signs of bipolar disorder is the first step to getting help. Here's what to look for:

6 Warning Signs of Mania
1. Unusually upbeat, outgoing or irritable mood
During a manic phase, some people feel euphoric, others talk nonstop and some develop a hair-trigger temper. The key is that their mood is a radical departure from the norm.“A person who’s usually a reasonable individual may suddenly become impossible to live with,” Dr. Galynker explains.

2. Racing thoughts and speed-talking
Besides speaking quickly and jumping between ideas, a person in a manic phase may also be easily distracted — one reason mania is sometimes mistaken for ADHD.

“Unfortunately, the primary treatment for ADHD is stimulants, which can trigger severe symptoms in someone with bipolar disorder,” Last says.

To avoid a misdiagnosis of ADHD, mental health professionals analyze how behavior has changed: Bipolar disorder is episodic, while adult ADHD usually continues from childhood.

3. Boundless energy
The extremely energetic behavior common in the manic phase often leads to rushing around and taking on new projects, however ill-advised. If the sufferer is also easily distracted, he’ll jump to new tasks before completion, Dr. Galynker says.
4. Impulsive and self-destructive behavior
Spending sprees, flagrant affairs or risky investments can all signal bipolar disorder if they’re out of character and part of a larger pattern of symptoms, Dr. Galynker says.

5. Decreased need for sleep
Sleeping only a few hours a night could be a sign of bipolar disorder – as well as depression or anxiety. How do you know the difference?

“People with insomnia typically feel very tired during the day,” says Elizabeth Brondolo, Ph.D., a psychology professor at St. John's University, in Queens, N.Y., and author of Break the Bipolar Cycle(McGraw-Hill Education). Someone in a manic episode may never feel exhausted.

6. Inflated sense of self-worth
An exaggerated sense of your power, knowledge or importance is common in the manic stage, such as believing you have a special relationship with God.

“It’s a feeling of being invincible and doing no wrong,” Dr. Galynker says.

4 Warning Signs of Depression

1. Sad, empty or hopeless mood
Many people with bipolar disorder spend most of the time depressed, Brondolo says. This relentless dark mood prevents them from taking interest or pleasure in their lives.

2. Low energy and constant fatigue
In contrast to supercharged energy during mania, this phase leaves a person feeling drained of energy and motivation. The smallest task – even getting out of bed – can seem impossible.

“A depressed person isn’t able to move forward and do what's supposed to be done,” Brondolo says. As a result, performance at home, work or school often suffers.

3. Decreased ability to think clearly
The same mind that races from idea to idea when manic may feel paralyzed during depression, making it hard for the sufferer to remember things and make decisions.

“Depression can lead to serious disruptions in concentration and attention,” Brondolo says.

4. Suicidal thoughts and behavior
Depression often leads to dwelling on past mistakes, including blunders made while manic.

“When it gets really bad, you may feel cornered, as if all possible ways of escaping a situation are closed,” Dr. Galynker says.

That’s when suicidal thoughts can take hold. And without treatment, the risk of acting on them is high. Up to 20% of people with bipolar disorder take their lives.

Getting Help
If you recognize several warning signs of bipolar disorder in yourself or a loved one, seek help. Contact a psychiatrist or other mental health professional, or get a referral from your primary care physician.

Several treatments are available:

Medications
These play a primary role in managing bipolar disorder. Options include:

• Mood-stabilizing drugs. Usually the first choice, these include lithium, the oldest mood stabilizer, and anticonvulsants, a group of drugs originally developed to treat seizures.
• Antipsychotics. These drugs are prescribed when lithium or anticonvulsants don’t work, or if the patient has symptoms of psychosis.
• Antidepressants. Often combined with a mood stabilizer or antipsychotic, “there's controversy over whether antidepressants should be used to treat depression in people with bipolar disorder,” Dr. Galynker explains. That's because there’s a risk of switching abruptly from depression to mania.

Psychotherapy
Therapy is also crucial. Intensive counseling helps people recover faster and stay well over a one-year period, according to the largest federally funded study of bipolar disorder treatments, the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder.

The three types of therapy included in the study had comparable benefits. They were:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy. This approach teaches people how to counteract negative thoughts and use behavioral strategies to cope with mood swings.
• Interpersonal and social rhythm therapy. You’ll learn how to maintain consistent daily routines and sleep schedules. This therapy also works on resolving interpersonal issues and conflicts that contribute to symptoms.
• Family-focused treatment. Couples or parents and children work together to manage a sufferer’s bipolar disorder in this type of therapy.

Persuading Your Partner to Seek Treatment
People with manic depression may not realize how sick they are. So if your mate is showing signs of bipolar disorder, overcoming denial and convincing him or her to see a mental health professional can be difficult.

Dr. Galynker recommends the following steps:

• Persuasion: Start by reasoning with him. Explain that he can improve his life by getting help.
• Intervention: Enlist the help of people your mate values, such as parents, siblings and friends.
• Manipulation: Present treatment as a privilege. For example, you could mention that he’ll be seeing the same doctor who treated a local celebrity.
• Ultimatum: If all else fails, “tell him, ‘Either you see somebody or I'm leaving,’” Dr. Galynker says. While harsh, it may be your only option.

Helping a Loved One Stay Well
Once your mate gets better, you can help him stay that way. Support his healthy lifestyle choices, such as avoiding alcohol and other drugs, keeping a regular sleep schedule and reducing stress.

Also, ask his treatment provider about early warning signs of a relapse. Then develop an emergency plan with her and your mate in case this occurs.

And remember, neither of you has to endure bipolar disorder alone. To find support in your area, visit theDBSA Chapter and Support Group Directory.

Today, Shirley Rogerson’s husband, Roger, is doing well. And he credits her with playing a pivotal role in his recovery.“It’s great to have somebody who has stuck with me for all these years and knows me inside-out,” he says. “With bipolar, it’s always way up or way down. She helps me find the medium.”

Learn more about signs of bipolar disorder in our Mental Health Center.

Which Personality Disorder Do You Have?
Everyone has idiosyncrasies that might lend themselves to a personality disorder. Take a look at the silly side of being addictive, compulsive, dependent and antisocial and keep an open mind while you take this personality disorder quiz. Discover your neurosis and find out which personality disorder best defines you. 

How to negotiate

5 Tactics to Win a Negotiation, According to an FBI Agent

• Chris Voss
 

May 25, 2016

    

HarperBusiness

Chris Voss is a former lead international kidnapping negotiator for the FBI, founder and CEO of The Black Swan Group and author of Never Split the Difference.

Identify and influence emotions

It was 1998 and I was standing in a narrow hallway outside an apartment on the 27th floor of a high-rise in Harlem. I was the head of the New York City FBI Crisis Negotiation Team, and that day I was the primary negotiator.

The investigative squad had reported that at least three heavily armed fugitives were holed up inside. Several days earlier the fugitives had used automatic weapons in a shootout with a rival gang, so the New York City FBI SWAT team was arrayed behind me, and our snipers were on nearby rooftops with rifles trained on the apartment windows.

In tense situations like this, the traditional negotiating advice is to keep a poker face. Don’t get emotional. Until recently, most academics and researchers completely ignored the role of emotion in negotiation. Emotions were just an obstacle to a good outcome, they said. “Separate the people from the problem,” was the common refrain.

But think about that: how can you separate people from the problem when their emotions are the problem? Especially when they are scared people with guns. Emotions are one of the main things that derail communication. Once people get upset at one another, rational thinking goes out of the window.

That’s why, instead of denying or ignoring emotions, good negotiators identify and influence them.

Emotions aren’t the obstacles to a successful negotiation; they are the means.

After six hours talking through the apartment door in Harlem that afternoon, all three fugitives surrendered peacefully, hands out first, prepared for handcuffs. How did my team and I secure a peaceful end to a high-stakes, life-or-death situation—as we had in hundreds of other cases in my 24 years with the FBI? We didn’t rely on logic or rationale; instead we used our emotional intelligence and techniques based in psychology, empathy and counseling.

Getting to this level of emotional intelligence demands opening up your senses, talking less and listening more. You can learn almost everything you need—and a lot more than other people would like you to know—simply by watching and listening, keeping your eyes peeled, your ears open and your mouth shut. Below are my top five field-tested techniques in utilizing emotional intelligence to succeed in any negotiation—whether you’re in a boardroom, at the dinner table or at the car dealership.

1. Mirror words selectively. Repeat the last one to three words your counterpart just said back to them. This is one of the quickest ways to establish a rapport and make your counterpart feel safe enough to reveal themselves. The beauty in this is the simplicity. People love this. Use it with what I like to call the “late night FM DJ voice” and upward inflecting (sounds like a question). Tactics like this will slow the conversation down for you and allow you more time to think.

2. Practice tactical empathy. Demonstrate to your counterpart that you see the nuances of their emotions. Proactively label their fears. Phrases like “It sounds like you are afraid of…” and “It looks like you’re concerned about…” go a long way in disarming them. Also, list the worst things that the other party could say about you and say them before they can. Expressing—and not denying—accusations they may be harboring (no matter how ridiculous) keeps them from festering.

3. Get to a “no.” Being pushed for “yes” makes people defensive; they fear a trap. Lawyers actually have a name for this—they call it “cornering.” Who wants to be cornered? But saying “no” makes the speaker feel safe, secure and in control, so trigger it. Ask no-oriented questions, like: “Is now a bad time to talk?” and “Have you given up on this project?”

4. Trigger “that’s right.” The moment you’ve convinced someone that you understand their dreams and feelings is the moment a negotiation breakthrough can happen. Trigger a “that’s right” response by summarizing and reaffirming how your counterpart feels and what they want. A great summary that will trigger a “that’s right” will be done based on feelings and passions that are driving them but that they may be blind to. This creates a subtle epiphany and simultaneously confirms that they share empathy with you.

5. Create the illusion of control. The secret to gaining the upper hand in a negotiation is to give the other side the illusion of control. Don’t try to force your opponent to admit that you are right. Ask questions, that begin with “How?” or “What?” so your opponent uses mental energy to figure out the answer.

Whether we notice it or not, we spend our days negotiating for something: for our spouse to do more housework, a child to eat just three more bites or go to bed on time, an extended deadline on a project, a salary increase, a better rate on a vacation package. In fact, our careers, finances, reputations, love lives and even the fate of our kids at some point hinge on our ability to negotiate. By using the techniques above, ones grounded in emotional intelligence, rather than the classic approaches based in logic and reason, you’re guaranteed to have the competitive edge in any discussion.

Getting low air fares

TRAVEL TRAVEL

9 Mistakes You’re Making When Booking a Flight

• Joe Richard / Hopper
 

May 29, 2015

    

Getty Images

Insider tips on getting the lowest airfare.

Wondering why you never manage to bag a flight for quite as cheap as the next guy? Pining for a summer getaway but really need to keep the cost down? Then this list of 9 mistakes that the average buyer makes when booking flights is sure to help.

1. You’re Only Checking One Airline

In the days of flight-aggregating websites and airfare-prediction apps, travelers no longer need limit themselves to the prices of just one carrier. So if you’ve always flown Airline X because you think they have the cheapest flights, check again! A new route may have opened up or an airline may have dropped its prices due to competition. Always comparison-shop before you hit that purchase button.

2. You’re an Impulse Buyer

It’s a very bad idea to rush into paying for your flight without exhausting all your options first. That means holding off the “buy” button until you’ve made sure there are no more competitive offers out there — from other airlines, to alternate airports, or to a different destination entirely. Oh, and if you do happen to find yourself regretting that impulsive buy moments after booking, then remember: Most major carriers in the United States allow you to cancel your booking within 24 hours of purchase — for free.

3. You’re Booking on the Wrong Day

Although it may seem a little odd and the savings may seem negligible, choosing the right day to book your flights can actually help reduce the cost of tickets. Hopper’s research has shown that buying on Thursdays (for domestic flights) and weekends (for international flights) offer the largest savings, on average. The data also revealed that it’s much more likely that passengers will be able to bag a bargain by buying on Thursdays for both domestic and international connections, because that’s when the vast majority of routes offer savings. (And that old adage about booking being cheapest on Tuesday? Not always true.)

4. You’re Not Checking Alternate Airports

When it comes to touching down in some of the world’s larger destinations, it’s likely that there will be more than one airport on offer. For example, New York boasts Newark, JFK and LaGuardia; London has Gatwick, Stansted and Heathrow, and Washington DC is served by Ronald Reagan National Airport, Dulles International and Baltimore-Washington International. So before booking, check all the available arrival points and include the cost of transfers into town in your final calculation.

5. You’re Not Being Flexible with Destinations

Perhaps you’re considering a trip to the bubbling baths and industrial beer halls of Budapest, Hungary, but can’t seem to find any bargain air connections into town. Well, a wise traveler would expand their range of choices and look at flights to Vienna, Munich, and Prague, too, all of which are just one manageable and affordable overland journey away from Budapest (especially when budget European airlines offer cheap connections!). It’s always worth checking out prices to alternative arrival points nearby — you never know, you may just discover some other place you love.

6. You’re Not Being Flexible with Dates

Hopper’s statistics have shown that there are some pretty hefty savings to be had on airfares by simply changing up the days of departure and return to suit the trends for particular routes. In general, Wednesdays are the best for travelers to depart, offering savings around $60 on international flights, while Sundays are the most expensive. For returns, Wednesdays are once again the best for international fliers, while Tuesdays come in as the cheapest overall for those on domestic flights. And these are just average savings — your own haul could be much higher.

7. You’re Not Including Taxes and Fees

It’s the same old story: shelling out for a “bargain” airfare because you forgot to add up all those additional fees, airport taxes, and the like. In recent years, the aviation industry has certainly become more transparent when it comes to these extra charges, but there’s still a whole load of potential costs for the would-be flier to consider, from checked- and carry-on baggage fees to fluctuating departure taxes.

8. You’re Booking Too Late

Generally speaking, the modern commercial airline industry does not reward spontaneity. In fact, with rapid and exponential growth in most airfares in the days leading up to take-off, it’s easy to see that — in most cases at at least — the early bird really does catch the worm. So, be prepared and plan your trips with ample time (at least 25 days in advance, according to Hopper research), and you should find your ticket prices are taking a turn for the more affordable.

9. You’re Booking Too Early

While many travelers think the earlier the better when it comes to bagging bargains in the air, the statistics actually speak to the contrary. Often, airlines will lower seat prices at a specific point before departure, all in the hope that the maximum amount of passengers will book for the maximum amount of money. The key is to buy just as carriers start to realign seat prices in accordance with demand (a process known as yield management). It’s a tricky thing but booking at the right moment can offer up potential savings to the tune of hundreds of dollars on some routes. Generally, waiting until 150 days out will save you the most money.

This article originally appeared on Hopper.com. Hopper is a travel app that tracks and predicts airfare prices.

More From Hopper:

• How Far in Advance Should You Book Your Flight?
• The Cheapest Day to Fly Internationally
• 7 Simple Ways to Save Money on Your Flight

Symptoms of Excessive Heat Exposure

1. Fairfax County ‏@fairfaxcounty  3h3 hours ago

   Learn the symptoms of excessive heat exposure and how to respond. http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/heat/heat-illness.shtml …

   

Safe Places pilot program for meeting people for face2face purchases

 

Fairfax Co. PoliceVerified account‏@fairfaxpolice

New "exchange zone" pilot program hopes to increase safety for face2face meetings/purchases http://ow.ly/YDAS301QUZm 

8 Ways to Keep Burglars Away From Your Home This Summer

Posted on June 28, 2016 in All News, Police, To Know

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Do you have a vacation or extended trip on the horizon, especially now that it’s summer?

Burglars might be interested to know, too, and they will look for signs you’re not home.

Here are eight ways to keep burglars at bay while you’re away:

• 1.) Do not leave notes on your door stating you are not home! (Yes, this happens.)
• 2.) If possible, keep a vehicle parked in your driveway or regular parking spot.
• 3.) Make your home appear occupied; use timers on lights, TVs or radios to automatically power electronics according to normal daily use.
• 4.) Ask a trusted neighbor, relative, friend or pet sitter pick up mail and newspapers; remove all flyers, doorknob hangers and advertisements that have been placed at your door or mailbox…
• 5.) …but do not leave door keys under flower pots or doormats, inside an unlocked mailbox, over the doorway or in other obvious places.
• 6.) Consider having someone mow your yard and water your outdoor plants.
• 7.) Keep all doors and windows locked; apartment dwellers, make sure any sliding glass doors are locked, especially on the ground floor!
• 8.) Avoid posting vacation plans on social media sites, especially more public ones like Twitter; share photos after you return home.

If you or a trusted neighbor/relative/friend discover that your home has been broken into, call our non-emergency number at 703-691-2131, TTY 711, so a police officer can be dispatched to take the report. We live in one of the safest jurisdictions in the country, but crime can happen. Check out the police department’s new crime mapping system at www.crimereports.com; enter an address and search.