COLONIE--Will your kids wake up at the sound of a smoke alarm? It seems like a simple question with a simple answer but parents might be shocked to learn than more than 70% of kids between the age of 5 and 10 won't wake up, according to recent studies. 

10 year-old Madelyn Terry and her 8 year-old sister Emily have always had a plan in the event of a fire. Their dad is a firefighter in Colonie so they've gone over that plan a number of times, "go down the stairs and go out the back door and go to our neighbors front porch...If we can't get down the stairs we would take our chair and poke the screen out and jump down," the girls tell CBS6. They're confident they'd know what to do in an emergency but what if that fire started in the middle of the night while the Terry girls were fast asleep, "the alarms are loud! It's very loud, very loud, we'd wake up," Emily says.

After the Terry girls were interviewed by CBS6, their parents sent them up to bed. When they'd been asleep for a few hours, Investigative Reporter, Jennifer Lewke came back to see if in fact the girls would wake up like they were so sure they would. First, the alarm in the bedroom next-door to the room the girls share was set-off. After a full minute, the girls didn't move so the alarm in their room was set-off. The alarm is right over their beds. Four minutes passed before CBS6 turned the alarm off, the girls not only didn't wake up, they didn't move the entire time the alarm was going off. " I'm pretty shocked, it was surprising that they didn't wake up to the one that was right in their room but then when we put the lights on and they still didn't stir, they didn't move an inch, so I'm very surprised," says Jill Terry, the girl's mother. Jill and her husband Kevin's bedroom is right across the hall, so that's of some relief but clearly after this test, they're worried, "a head start for them, could help in a situation and they didn't hear it," Jill says.

Dr. Kevin Ihrman, an audiologist at Sunnyview Hospital, says the outcome is not surprising, "kids spend more time in stages 3 and 4 of sleep and that's the hardest sleep to wake up from and adults just spend less time in there," he tells CBS6. The pitch and frequency of the sound can have an impact on whether a child wakes up according to Dr. Ihrman and that's why detectors that allow parents to record their own voice as an alert to their children tend to better wake kids up. Dresser alarms and bed shakers are also an option," so when the smoke alarm goes off, there is something that vibrates and that may help get them up," Dr. Ihrman says.

This holiday season, don't let the spirit of giving lull you into giving burglars, muggers and pickpockets a better chance to do their dirty work. Crooks love the holidays as much as everyone else, especially because it's an opportune time for crime.

Homes jam-packed with glittering gifts. Stores, malls and downtown streets teeming with unsuspecting shoppers. People rushing around, stressed out and careless, looking for last-minute gifts, trying to get everything done. It's enough to make a crook giddy with holiday joy.

Here are some tips on how to celebrate safely this holiday season:

If You Are Traveling

• Get an automatic timer for your lights.
• Ask a neighbor to watch your home, shovel snow, and park in the driveway from time to time.
• Don't forget to have mail and newspaper delivery stopped. If it piles up, it's a sure sign you're gone.

If You Are Out for the Evening

• Turn on lights and a radio or TV so it looks like someone's home.
• Be extra cautious about locking doors and windows when you leave, even if it's just for a few minutes.
• Don't display gifts where they can be seen from outside.

If You Are Shopping

• Stay alert and be aware of what's going on around you.
• Park in a well-lighted space, and be sure to lock the car, close the windows, and hide shopping bags and gifts in the trunk.
• Avoid carrying large amounts of cash; pay with a check or credit card whenever possible.
• Deter pickpockets and purse-snatchers. Don't overburden yourself with packages. Be extra careful with purses and wallets. Carry a purse close to your body, not dangling by the straps. Put a wallet in an inside coat or front pants pocket.
• Shopping with kids? Teach them to go to a store clerk or security guard if you get separated.

Protect Your Vehicle

• Loading up on all those gifts is a sign of progress in the holiday shopping. But if those packages are left out in the open after they're in the car, your car has become a likely target for thieves. Remember the old cliché "Out of sight, out of mind?" The same idea applies to items in your car.
• Always lock your vehicle and store all items out of sight. Breaking into an empty car isn't worth a thief's time. However, anything left in plain view—from your holiday gifts to spare change, sunglasses, CDs, cell phones or briefcases—may tempt a thief.
• Help prevent your vehicle from being stolen by always locking your car and using anti-theft devices. And although it's cold, never leave your vehicle running while you run inside your home or a store—even if for only a minute or two.

If a Stranger Comes to the Door

• Criminals sometimes pose as couriers delivering gifts, so be cautious when accepting a package.
• I's not uncommon for people to try to take advantage of others' generosity during the holidays by going door-to-door for charitable donations when there's no charity involved. Ask for identification, and find out how the funds will be used. If you aren't satisfied, don't give. Help a charitable organization you know and like instead.

After You've Opened the Gifts
Burglars know that many households have new, and oftentimes expensive, items in their homes following the December holidays—especially items such as new computers and peripherals, stereo components, televisions, cameras and other electronic equipment. In too many cases, residents make it easy for burglars to figure out which homes to target by putting boxes that identify their new gifts in plain view with their other garbage. Avoid becoming an easy target for post-holiday burglars by not leaving boxes for new electronics and other items in the alley or other garbage pick-up locations for several days at a time. Instead, break down any boxes you are throwing out, put them in garbage bags and place them inside a trash can. (In many cases, especially with computer equipment, you might consider keeping the boxes for safe storage, shipping or moving in the future.) Think about keeping broken-down boxes inside—in a garage, for example—until the evening before your regular garbage pick-up. Some burglars actually look inside garbage cans for evidence of holiday gifts. And, of course, if you see someone suspicious casing your alley or If you see a burglary in progress, call your local police department or 911. 
Take a Holiday Inventory

• The holidays are a good time to update—or create—your home inventory. Take photos or make videos of items, and list descriptions and serial numbers. If your home is burglarized, having a detailed inventory can help identify stolen items and make insurance claims easier to file.
• Make sure things like TVs, VCRs, stereo equipment, cameras, camcorders, sports equipment, jewelry, silver, computers, home office equipment and power tools are on the list. Remember to check it twice!

Celebrate Responsibly
The holiday season is a time of celebration and revelry. Drinking and driving is a danger to everyone on the road. Remember that the risk isn't worth it—if you choose to drink alcohol at a party, don't drive. Take a cab, use public transportation or a designated driver, or call a cab. Have fun, but remember to celebrate responsibly.
Enjoy the Season!
Last but not least, don't let holiday stress get the best of your holiday spirit. Make time to get together with family, friends, and neighbors. And think about reaching out in the spirit of the season and helping someone who's less fortunate or lonely.

Memphis Police Department
201 Poplar Avenue
Memphis, TN 38103
901-636-3700 
NON-EMERGENCY Memphis Police Department Phone Number 901-545-COPS (901-545-2677)


Have any other tips or suggestions? We'd love to hear your feedback!

Source: http://mpdc.dc.gov/page/winter-holiday-safety-tips

You see them all over the road, those decals on the rear window of cars, SUVs, minivans and trucks, the stick-figure representation of your family, personalized right down to the details of hairstyle, clothing and even sometimes including family members’ names.

Now, these decals are making families an easy mark, offering up way too much personal information to tempt various and sundry “bad guys,” according to KRMG News Talk Radio. That website reports that an organization called R.A.C.E Search and Rescue Ohio posted a photo recently outlining just how dangerous these car decals may be.

Photo from Search and Rescue Ohio
This has been our most popular post with over 30,000 shares and several News Station inquiries. Our goal is that everyone thinks about the free information that they are providing to potential criminals. Our families safety is the most important thing. Thank you to all of our fans!!
CrimeTracker 10 Central Ohio Crime Stoppers The Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force News Radio 610 WTVN




We would love to hear what ya'll think about the decal stickers! Please leave any comments, thoughts, or suggestions! 






Source: http://blogs.babycenter.com/mom_stories/05222014-car-decals-dangerous/