‘Tis the season for saftey

‘Tis the season to be jolly.'  Yep, it's that time of year again.  Time for slipping on your winter boots and hats, for cranking up those classic Christmas tunes, for sipping out of those exciting red Starbucks cups that remind you that winter break and family time is just around the corner.  But with all of these cozy comforts come a slew of potential holiday hazards.  These dangers include things such as possible fires, drinking and driving, and home or apartment burglaries.

Fires may be the least of one's worries during the cold, long winter months, but in fact, fire reports spike during this time of year.  This is due to the fact that people use many means to keep themselves warm, including the use of household heaters and fireplaces.  Decorations are also to blame for this yearly sudden increase.  

Many families routinely place Christmas string lights and other lit up decals to liven up the home around the holidays, as well as lighting candles to set the ambiance and create a pleasing scent within the home.  All of these seemingly harmless practices can result in the horrific outcome of a fire.  A good way to keep oneself protected from such mishaps is to simply take extra caution when using the tools mentioned above.  Make sure to blow out the candles while not in the room, and turn off the lights and heater/fireplace when there are no people around to use these luxuries.

Perhaps the most relevant to UW-La Crosse students is the danger of drinking and driving.  As you know, holiday gatherings are abundant this time of year, and there is most likely going to be plentiful eggnog and other festive yet alcoholic drinks present.  People are usually expected to drive home from these venues, making it quite unsafe to indulge in the drinking activities.  A few simple ways to reduce your risk of a fatal or, at the very least, scary accident due to your own driving while intoxicated is to stick to a very limited amount of alcohol and waiting a few hours to go home, find a buddy who will abstain from alcohol to drive you home safely, or to just not drink at all.

And if you feel as though everyone will notice your decision to not partake in the festivities at a party, just remember that they probably aren't.  "It's seriously ok to not drink, even if all of your friends are.  They are probably more focused on talking to you and others and just having a good time," Freshman Eva Lauderdale said.

The final major crisis students may face over the holiday season is burglaries.  Since most students return to their hometowns for the holidays, their apartments are left vacant, and are perhaps easier to break into than assumed.  Thieves are well aware of this, as this is one of the most common times for people to get robbed of their belongings.  In order to keep your living space safe from intrusion, try to seek out others who may be staying and ask them to keep an eye on your place, or make sure to have sufficient security installed, such as better locks on doors and windows, or maybe even an alarm if at all possible.

So, while this is "the most wonderful time of the year", one must be informed of these common dangers and take action beforehand to prevent these malicious occurrences from happening.