WASHINGTON — The holiday season is a joyful time, but Montgomery County Police Chief Tom Manger warns that “the most wonderful time of year is often times the most vulnerable time of year.”
Manger and Montgomery County Fire Chief Steven Lohr are offering holiday safety tips that could be valuable to everyone, everywhere.
The police chief says that crowded shopping center parking lots are rife with risk this time of year.
“It’s important for everyone to make sure that they’re paying attention while in their car, that they’re not driving distracted, they’re not holding a phone, they’re not texting,” Manger says.
The same rules apply to pedestrians in parking lots, and public safety leaders also recommend that walkers in busy lots take out the ear buds.
Also, Manger says drivers should be extra careful when backing out of parking spaces. Most times, when pedestrians are struck in parking lots, they are hit by cars backing out of spaces.
Additionally, there are more burglaries and robberies this time of year.
“Make sure that you lock your cars, that you don’t leave anything of value in plain view,” Manger recommends. “Make sure that you’re not carrying large amounts of cash … make sure that you hold your purse close to you as you do your shopping.”
Safety at home is paramount. Lohr says December through February tend to be the busiest months for firefighters.
“Ten-year battery smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors make excellent stocking stuffer gifts for those in your family,” Lohr says.
The public safety leaders say it’s wise to be extra cautious this time of year.
“We all need to make sure that we don’t let our guard down as we’re all in a rush this holiday season,” Manger says.
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