Holiday Safety Tips From City of Woodstock

City of Woodstock Police Department and City of Woodstock Fire and Rescue have some tips to help keep you, your loved ones, and your property safe this holiday season. Taking the time to think through scenarios related to gift buying, and even trimming the tree, can make a big difference.

• Check the water in live Christmas trees daily. Dried out trees pose a greater fire risk. Turn off your holiday lights before leaving the house or going to sleep.
• Decorating for the holidays provides a great opportunity to replace the batteries in your smoke alarms and go over an emergency exit plan with all the members of your household.
• When cooking holiday meals with small children present, use the back burners of the stove instead of the front when possible and turn pot handles to the rear.
• Always lock your doors at your home and keep gifts out of sight. If there is a new TV or other expensive electronics in the house, don't advertise to criminals on trash day by leaving boxes visible outside of garbage cans. Break down merchandise packaging fully and place it inside your trash bin.
• Lock your cars and bring any valuables inside. Don't leave purses and packages in plain sight. Do not leave firearms in your automobile. Never leave your car running and unattended in your driveway, especially if there are children in the car.
• Avoid porch pirates by having packages delivered to work, leaving specific instructions for delivery drivers, installing security cameras, networking with your neighbors, or using a smart lock.
• When shopping at night, stay alert and park in well-lit areas of parking lots. If the store doesn't provide carts, don't purchase more than you can carry and have your car keys out before you leave the store.
• When shopping with children, create a plan for what to do if you are accidentally separated.
• When shopping online, be sure your computer is safe by installing antivirus software. Also, use secure websites for purchases. Look for "https" in the URL.

The City of Woodstock wishes you a safe and wonderful holiday season.