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Safe
& Sound
- Warm
Up
Keep your home safe while staying warm this winter.
- Stop
Cyberbullies with Help
These tips will assist you in keeping cyberbullies away from your
kids. Download it today.
- Help
Keep Kids Safe
Put your phone to work on the AMBER alert network.
- Know
the Cell Blocks
When you're traveling, make sure you know the rules of the road
before you use the cell phone while driving as the laws vary.
Warm
Up
Avoid
these common mistakes when heating your home this winter:
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Heat
source
|
Don't
do this |
| Woodstoves |
Never use
artificial logs, which are often made of fast-burning wax and
sawdust that can overwhelm woodstoves. (Artificial logs are
OK for use in traditional wood-burning fireplaces.) Check the
warnings on log labels. |
| Space heaters |
All
styles: Resist the temptation to dry gloves on a space heater,
even for a minute; wet clothing can cause shock hazards and,
once dried, catch fire. Keep flammable items, such as bedding
and curtains, at least 3 feet away. |
| |
Fuel-burning
(such as kerosene or natural gas): Carbon monoxide poisoning
is a danger, so install a CO alarm in every room with a space
heater and in or near every separate sleeping area. |
| Wood-burning
fireplaces |
Don't burn
holiday wrapping paper, which may be manufactured with materials
that release unhealthy fumes when on fire. |
Cyberbullies
On Your Computer
43% of teens say they were cyberbullied in the past year, according
to a study by the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) released
in 2007. Cyberbullying is a high-tech version of schoolyard teasing:
Some cruel kids post nasty notes on the Internet or send embarrassing
photos by cell phone. Parents can help stop cyberbullying by discussing
inappropriate uses of technologies with their kids. For more tips,
download NCPC's "Stop Cyberbullying
Before It Starts" brochure.
|
Are
your computers covered?
Our standard home insurance provides $5,000
coverage for computer hardware and software. However, if everyone
in your family has their own PC, those limits may be too low.
You can increase coverage to $15,000 with our optional Home
Computer endorsement.
Get
the Advantage with MetLife Auto & Home
|
Child
Safety: Make a Call to Help
Turn your cell
phone into a powerful crime-fighting tool by signing up to receive
free text-message AMBER alerts, which law enforcement agencies issue
when a child is abducted. More than 400 children have been found
thanks to AMBER alerts, according to the National Center for Missing
and Exploited Children (NCMEC), with the majority of leads called
in on cell phones
Nationwide,
about 250 alerts are issued each year, but you get a text message
alert only when an abduction occurs in the region where you live.
Don't let fears of fees or "junk" text messages stop you from participating.
"It's free to enroll, and there are absolutely, positively no charges
for messages," says David Diggs, executive director of The Wireless
Foundation, which coordinates this service with the Department of
Justice and NCMEC. "The only thing your information is used for
is AMBER alerts, period."
Almost 96 percent
of wireless customers in the United States can sign up. Register
today at wirelessamberalerts.org.
Cell
Blocks
Attention holiday
travelers: Will you be driving through California, Connecticut,
New Jersey, New York, Washington, or Utah? These states, as well
as Washington, D.C., ban the use of handheld devices by drivers.
In other states, some cities have enacted similar bans, and learner's
permit holders and teenage drivers are banned from all cell phone
use in 17 states and the District of Columbia. Ignorance of local
laws is no excuse. The smart bet? Ask Santa for a hands-free device.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety provides a list
of laws by state.
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Links
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