Herald & Lantern 11 luly '84 ^

Should Be Aware of Hazards

By Nancy Vecere In addition to being concern with the child's safety a babysitter should be aware of potential hazards to his or her own safety and use caution while the child's parents are away, . say authorities. y Potential unsafe situa- \ tions could arise from: \ unexpected visiters*^ unusual telephone cajwT prowlers or window ^watchers, strange ySoun dsr ' . strangers 'jOfc a r s • strangers in/thp^feet or park, or fire] Before /leafrhtfcj/ntfme, parents sfttwldj^fflways make sure"^pr li^yof emergency flumMR is posted ndar tne phone, including police department, fire dephrtment, physician or hospital emergency room, and poison control center. Parents should also leave a number where they can be reached in an emergency. The sitter should then lock all doors and windows, pull the curtain shades, turn on interor lights in several rooms and stay inside with) the children after dartk—y. The~Tollowing tips will help sitters avoid or deal with potentially unsafe situations. jf/hen answering the telephone: Do not give your name to strangers or say you are the sitter or that you are alone in the house. Say that Mrs. Blank is unable to answer the phone right now. Take a message with the return phone number. Be courteous and calm, and do not argue with callers. Call the parents if the message is important. Check with the parents before allowing young children to answer the phone. Use the phonfc only for necessary calls.

If you receive an unusual or prank call, hang up. If the caller was threatening in any way, call the police, then the parents dr a neighbor. For wrong numbers, or no response to your "hello" ignore the call unless there^ie-a->repeat. ) Then c«jlLtHe polict. ^Wb^n answering the j AJ>y: I jLook through the window or peephole to see /who is there." • V Make sure the screen is locked or the chpm is in place before opening the door. J Open the door inly to persons whom you know or are expecting. \ j If the parents] instruct you not to answer xh^oor, don't. To others Say^tTtaM. Mrs. Blank is unable toll come to the door. Take a message. Check identifications if someone claims to be from the fire or pol.ice department. Have salespeople or meter readers leave their cards in the mailbox. If you hear strange sounds, try to locate and identify the sounds, but do not go outside after dark by yourself to investigate suspicious noises. If you cannot identify the sound, and it persists, call a neighbor or the police. Some common causes for sounds include: trees and shrubs knocking at the side of the house; street noise; humming appliances; furnace noises ; dogs and other pets. If you suspect a window watcher or prowler, remain calm. Call the police and state the problem. Stay on the phone to receive their instructions. Call a neighbor or your own parents after you have hung up from the police. Call the child's parents Leave the lights on inside, and make sure the outside lights are on as well. If a burglar attempts to enter the home, try to stay calm. Call the police from the nearest telephone inside the house. » Whenever you call the police, give the following information; your name and the family name; tell the police you are a sitter; give the address and telephone number of the house you are irt, describe the problem quickly. When a stranger in a car asks you, the sjtter, for directions: Stand several feet away from the car. Give directions quickly, or say you don't know the directions Do not linger by the car. . Do not discuss anything other than directions, and never give your name or the children's name. Do not

accept an offer to ride. If you see a child drawn into a car by force, memorize and then write down the license number. Remember the style and color of the car. Call the police. In case of fire. If you smell smoke before entering a room where there may be a fire, feel the door for heat. Do. not open the door if it isr' unusally warm. Rescue children from the farthest room first and then the others to avoid confusion and doublirfjg back. If the fire is below you i ItntTyou cannot exit safely from a window or door, t moveuhe children to the _ room farthest from the fire t or to where an alternation . exit is Available. Close all the doors between you and the fire. Opea^he window and call for help. Use a telephone if available. Stay close4o the floor is smoke is thick. Cover your face witn a wet cloth is possible Do not use water on grease fires or on the oven. Turn off the stove burners or oven and cover the container or close the oven door. Locate and use the fire extinguisher if you know how to use it safely. When you call the fire department, give your name, location and address of the fire, and location you are calling from. Stay on the phone until the fire department hangs up so firemen can get all the information they need from you. Do not return to the burning house. If a person is on fire, do not allow him or her to run. Wrap the person in anything available that will not burn easily; a blanket, a rug, a large coat, towel, a bedspread If nothing is available, stop the person, drop him or her to the ground, and roll the person to smother the flames. Sitters should also be aware of special problems with parents that could arise, and how to handle those situations. If parents arrive heme intoxicated, do not accept a rideshome. Call your own parents for a ride, or call a taxi If"parents are later than 45 mi^ites after their expected return, call your own parents. If a child's parent threatens you in any way. discuss tfie situation with your own parents Do not sit for this family again Baby sitting courses are offered by the Cape May County Chapter. American Red Cross. For information call 465-7382. Nancy Vecere is youth chairman of the County Red Cross chapter

word wise I

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7 ■ i ^■* ^1 jr *■_ hFMM SB ,mmm at, t , Dorit Ward NO TASTE — Apparently disinterested in the works being shown at Cape May's 20th annual Promenade Art Show are 8'*-month-oId triplets David, Matthew and Craig Clizbe. children of Mr. and Mrs. Keith Clizbe of Newark, Del., visiting their parenU. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Vander Decker of Cape Island Campgrounds in Cold Spring.

N e ws Digest (From Page 1>

replace Jerry Livingston as principal of Lowet^jownship Consolidated School during a special meeting last week, Supt. Edward J. Campbell announced. Livingston accepted a position in the Lower Alloways school district, Salem County West, an administrator in the Galloway Township schools, Atlantic County, holds a master's degree in elementary education and is studying for a doctorate at Rutgers University. Arson Suspected ERMA — Lower Townshiptdetectives and the county prosecutor are investigating a suspicious July 4 fire that destroyed a large shed off Falling .Mill Road An unreported fire was set there a few days earlier, according to a fire official. The latest blaze started in several spots, he said, while the earlier fire was caused when someone doused the building with gasoline Nasty Critter WILDWOOD — Mariner s Landing Amusement Pier officially opens its new Sea Serpent roller coaster tomorrow — at least 2b people will probably not be in line for tickets, though They're the ones who had a taste of the serpent's venom Sunday night when they'were suspended from its rails for more than two hours while rescuers built a 50-foot scaffold to bring them down None of the riders was reported injured Need a Hand? COURT HOUSE — Eugene Mayer, president of Court House Associates which hopes to build a 120-bed nursing home on Magnolia Drive, last week offered to help Middle Township upgrade its sewage treatment plant. It's at capacity and can't permit the home to hook up. Without municipal sewage, the home probably can't be built. The sewerage commission could consider Mayer's suggestion at its July 2S meeting.

Not This Time, Harry CAPE MAY - City Council selected Arthur Blomkvest for a third term as mayor during its reorganization meeting last week. The three councilraen ran unopposed for reelection in May with Councilman Harry Gilbert collecting the most votes, 491, to Councilman Adrian Capehart's 467 and Blomkvest's 414 Council usually chooses the top votegetter as mayor, but Capehart outdistanced Blomkvest in 1980 and didn't accept his offer to step aside Being mayor doesn't pay more, but includes some appointive powers. Decibel Man CAPE CITY — City council introduced a revised noise ordinance last week to replace the one found unconstitutional by Superior Court Assignment Judge Philip Gruccio recently According to the latest version, the police will acquire a decibel meter to measure noise volume and train a patrolman as a noise officer who will use the meter to enforce the ordinance Lifeguards CAPE MAY - Resoil lifeguards lAgan patrolling and collecting beach tag fetes Saturday on the Ocean Street beach across from the Marquis de Lafayette Hotel; both are owned by Robert Menz. Superior Court Assignment Judge Philip Gruccio said the city could assign lifeguards to Menz's 400-foot beach but he did not consider the question of beach tags Since 1977. the city has leased the beach, last year for $25,000. This year, the city refuses to lease the property and Menz has refused to permit the city to collect tag fees.