Kathryn Smith

If a car fire breaks out, pull over and get everyone out immediately. Like all fire, a car fire can spread quickly, so don’t take chances with your family’s safety. But if the fire appears small and contained, using a fire extinguisher could help minimize damage. It’s a good idea to keep an extinguisher in your car. Another handy fire-fighting tool to take along is a cellular telephone to call for help.

Falls rival poisoning as the number one home accident in the U.S. The number of injuries or deaths from falls due to winter conditions is not recorded by the NSC. But, safety experts agree that many injuries result from falls on ice-covered surfaces.

SAFETY TIPS
It’s important that individuals recognize the hazards of slippery surfaces. Here are helpful hints from winter-safety experts that reduce the risk of falling when slippery conditions exist:

• Wear boots or overshoes with soles. Avoid walking in shoes that have smooth surfaces, which increase the risk of slipping.
• Walk consciously. Be alert to the possibility that you could quickly slip on an unseen patch of ice. Avoid the temptation to run to catch a bus or beat traffic when crossing a street.
• Walk cautiously. Your arms help keep you balanced, so keep hands out of pockets and avoid carrying heavy loads that may cause you to become off balance.
• Walk “small”. Avoid an erect, marching posture. Look to see ahead of where you step. When you step on icy areas, take short, shuffling steps, curl your toes under and walk as flatfooted as possible.
• Remove snow immediately before it becomes packed or turns to ice. Keep your porch stoops, steps, walks and driveways free of ice by frequently applying ice melter granules. This is the best way to prevent formation of dangerous ice patches. Using a potassium-based melter, such as Safe Step, instead of salt will prevent damage to concrete, grass and other vegetation or to carpets and floors should you track in some.

1. Keep your headlights clear with car wax! Just wipe ordinary car wax on your headlights. It contains special water repellents that will prevent that messy mixture from accumulating on your lights – lasts 6 weeks.

2. Squeak-proof your wipers with rubbing alcohol! Wipe the wipers with a cloth saturated with rubbing alcohol or ammonia. This one trick can make badly streaking & squeaking wipers change to near perfect silence & clarity.

3. Ice-proof your windows with vinegar! Frost on it’s way? Just fill a spray bottle with three parts vinegar to one part water and spritz it on all your windows at night. In the morning, they’ll be clear of icy mess. Vinegar contains acetic acid, which raises the melting point of water—preventing water from freezing!

4. Prevent car doors from freezing shut with cooking spray! Spritz cooking oil on the rubber seals around car doors and rub it in with a paper towel. The cooking spray prevents water from melting into the rubber.

5. Fog-proof your windshield with shaving cream! Spray some shaving cream on the inside of your windshield and wipe it off with paper towels. Shaving cream has many of the same ingredients found in commercial defoggers.

6. De-ice your lock in seconds with hand sanitizer! Just put some hand sanitizer gel on the key and the lock, the problem is solved.

We are in that time of year again when the cold temperatures, snow, and ice set in. This is why it is important to check your vehicle before the weather hits to ensure it’s in good operating condition and can maneuver in the elements safely.

In addition, make sure that you have an emergency survival kit stored in your car. The kit can be used in the event you are stranded for some time before help arrives. This kit should include the following items:

* Booster cables
* Blankets and/or sleeping bags
* Candles and matches
* Snow shovel and ice scraper
* Extra clothing – hat, mittens, coat, boots
* High-calorie nonperishable food like candy and canned nuts
* Sand or strips of carpet for traction
* Flashlight and extra batteries
* First Aid kit
* Bottled water

1. Life insurance death benefits are received free of income taxes. Your family will receive the full benefit without a reduction for Uncle Sam.

2. Life insurance will protect your family’s future. A life insurance contract can help cover loved ones’ living expenses, mortgage, and college costs.

3. Life insurance benefits are paid immediately. A life insurance contract is the only financial vehicle that explodes into a pile of cash at exactly the moment it is needed – at death.

4. Individual life insurance policies stay with you, even if your employer’s don’t. Unlike life insurance aquired through an employer, you don’t lose the life insurance you buy from an employer when you change jobs.

5. Life insurance provides peace of mind. You will worry less knowing your family will be provided for financially, even if they’re not around to help out.

And here is a bonus reason:

6. There is no risk. You have 30 days to review the policy. If you are not satisfied, you will get a full refund of all premiums paid.