Don’t let the Grinch steal your holiday cheer: follow these winter safety tips

The holiday season is a joyful and exciting time of year, but all the celebration, shopping, and hustle, can also bring added safety risks.

“This time of year can bring increased risk of theft from vehicles, porch piracy, fraud, and fire hazards at home,” said Kevin Duggan, Community Safety Services Manager. “We encourage residents to take precautions that keep celebrations focused on what matters most.”

A few smart steps can help you protect your home, your belongings, and your peace of mind throughout the holidays.

Safeguard your valuables. The holidays are busy for everyone but taking a moment to secure your vehicle can make all the difference. 

Safety tips:

• Lock doors, roll up windows, park in well-lit, well-traveled areas, keep driveway lights on overnight and never leave spare keys in your vehicle.
•  Don’t leave or store anything valuable in your car or truck, if you must, hide valuables when shopping.

Watch out for deals that seem too good to be true because they probably are. Common fraud red flags include high pressure tactics, requests for personal or financial information, and unknown callers who won’t verify who they are.

Safety tips:

• Shop at trusted retailers, stick to reputable websites and stores, look for secure payment options and avoid deals that seem ‘too good to be true’
• Regularly check and monitor your bank and credit card accounts and statements for unauthorized transactions, report them immediately if there are discrepancies
• Avoid making purchases over public Wi-Fi and instead use a secured network, if you must, use a VPN for added security.
• Look out for phishing emails, fake charities, suspicious gift cards, marketplace scams, tap-to-pay fraud, and unusual payment methods.

Avoid house fires. Fresh trees, unplugged lights, and flameless candles are key to preventing fires.

Safety tips:

• In the kitchen, never leave cooking unattended and keep flammable items away from heat sources. Simple steps like supervising the oven, using timers, and switching to LED candles can prevent tragedy.
• Ensure trees are at least three feet away from any heat source, including fireplaces, vents or lights and do not block exits.
• Always unplug tree lights before leaving the house or sleeping 
• Ensure artificial trees are fire retardant and use flame-resistant materials 
• Never use lights on metal trees 
• Avoid candles near trees or decorations 
• Disposal: Don’t burn branches or wrapping paper, drop of live trees for chipping at the Glenmore Landfill (Dec 26 – Jan 31)

Looking for more ways to improve safety? Scroll through the Community Safety Toolkit at kelowna.ca/communitysafety. Find more fire safety resources and tips at kelowna.ca/fire.