Safety Tips for a Realtor

Everyday there is a real estate agent who has become a crime statistic. Many of you Realtors feel that crime is not going to happen to you. You may be right because chances are it will not. According to law enforcement officials and security professionals, real estate is considered a "high-risk" profession. Sales agents are on the road, usually work alone, frequently interact with strangers, and visit unoccupied properties.

The following is some tips for a Realtor to ensure his/her safety:

Be suspicious of everyone. This is no benefit in being paranoid. Being a bit cautious can keep you from getting into a vulnerable situation. Be cautious of a man showing up alone. Assume that he will show up in a nice car, well dressed, perhaps with his wife and kids along for the ride. He might have a business card saying he is an engineer or a pharmacist. Do NOT let your guard down. He might decide to make you a target after two or three meetings. He wants to earn your trust first. You feel comfortable carrying jewelry and cash before he chooses that it is safe to move in.

Identify and pre-qualify during your first meeting. Whether you are at your office or meeting at the house, get a picture ID. Also, it may be to your benefit that the potential client purchasing a house is pre-qualified. Somebody who is pre-qualified by a lender and meets you at your place of work is less likely to be a predator. Make a file with the client's identification and include his personal information, such as license plate number, make and model of the car he is driving, and employer phone numbers.

Maintain contact with the office. Before showing a house, tell your co-workers, spouse, or friend where you are going and when you will return. Have this person call you at a designated time to check on you. It might be helpful to have this person set an alarm on their cell phone as a reminder. A "buddy" system where you call in has advantages. Have a designated in-out file. Use a clip board, cork board, e-mail, or voicemail system that everybody can access.

Have a plan for safe open houses. Bring a friend and carry a cell phone. Take a few minutes noting all the vulnerable points located within the property and how you would escape if necessary. When somebody walks in say to the client, "I'd be happy to show you the benefits of this home and in a few minutes, my partner, Rex, will be along to help me." When a couple comes to preview the house, ask that they remain together. Often, they split up. One has your attention while the other rifles through the jewelry boxes and drawers for anything of value. In high crime areas, especially blue-collar areas, consider hiring an off duty police officer to watch over the property during a showing.

Use predetermined code words to alert your office of distress. Use the colors of a traffic light: red, yellow, and green to alert your office of your levels of distress. For example, say to your caller, "It's in the green folder" letting the office know that you are okay. Or, "it's in the yellow folder" telling your office that you are in a shaky situation and you might need help. Consider using an acronym for help such as Have Emily Leave the Papers at 401 Main Street.

Conduct safe personal marketing. To a stalker, your picture on a sign or in print is a personal advertisement. He makes the determination if you have the "look" of a prey that he is seeking. Keep your pictures "professional" rather than "attractive." Use your cell phone number as opposed to your home phone number on the advertisement. If possible, use a personal 800 number which you can subscribe to anywhere in place of a home or cell phone number. Use P.O. boxes in place of your home address.

Use the buddy system. If possible, bring a co-worker. There is safety in numbers. Predators prefer isolation. By pairing up with a buddy, you reduce the chances of a potential attack.

Dress for safety and success. Do not wear expensive necklaces or rings. A $2500 diamond ring buys a lot of drugs. Dress professionally and not provocatively. Scarves and loose fitting items can give attackers something to grab onto. Wear shoes you can run and kick with so that you can defend yourself in case of an attack.

Do NOT take predators for a ride. Do not allow the client to ride in your car if you do not know who he is. Properly identify him. Make sure he is a client and not a potential attacker. Ensure you have taken the necessary precautions ahead of time before you are put in an isolated situation. If you feel uneasy about a client, let him follow you to the location and bring along a buddy. If he gets into your car and makes attempts to control you, put on your seatbelt and ram into a stationary object such as a parked car or a telephone pole.

Heed your intuition. Trust your gut instinct if you feel troubled by your new client. If something feels wrong, then it is wrong. Cancel your appointment with him if necessary.

Know how to defend yourself. Your life is worth fighting for. It is necessary to defend yourself if you are ever placed in a situation that would put you in harm's way. Aim for the eyes, throat, groin, and the top of his foot. Ground fighting is an advantage that few people realize they have. Kicking the knees and the groin is very effective when you are lying on the ground. Scream, yell, gouge, bite, and fight with whatever you have. Carry some pepper spray, stun gun, or a kubaton keychain in your coat pocket. Have a ball point pen ready to jab. It has been estimated that 80% of women who fought back against an attacker escaped. You have the power within you.

Fabiola Castillo is an online marketer for the website NinjaCOPS SuperStore. This virtual store specializes in personal defense products where you can buy pepper spray, kubatons keychains, wireless hidden cameras, nunchaku technique videos, Taser stun guns, expandable steel batons, and many other home security products.

Airsoft Gun Safety and First Aid: Play Safe!

No matter how safe a game or sport is, the fact still remains that there's just no such thing as a pastime that's guaranteed to be accident- (or incident-) free. This holds true for bike riding, jogging, baseball, and even airsoft guns. But just like everything else, if you use the proper safety techniques, are aware of some of the basic mishaps and carry a suitable first aid kit, you'll be able to enjoy a worry-free day of airsoft fun.

First on our list of safety topics is the all-important first aid kit. While most of the major playing fields and areas will have a substantial kit or a medical professional available, you might want to consider the possibility of injury when you're well out of range of the base. For this reason and many others, you should always carry a personal-sized first aid kit. Most discount retailers, convenience stores and pharmacies carry the "ready-made" kits for you to grab and go, or you can make your own for a lot less money. It needs to be the right size to carry with you at all times, but also needs to hold the essentials like waterproof band-aids, eye-wash pods (to get dust and other tiny, foreign objects out of eyes), Tylenol or Advil, wound dressing, wound disinfecting spray and medical tape. Remember that you'll want to treat a small cut or abrasion early on before it gets infected and becomes a real problem.

It also might be a good idea to carry a cold-pack and an Ace bandage or other flexible support with you in your gear bag to aid in any ankle or wrist twists that may happen during your adventure. Slipping on wet grass or leaves, or turning holding your airsoft rifle incorrectly for a prolonged period of time can have quite an impact on certain body parts.

But the most important of all safety tips is to wear your protective gear like gloves and other body coverings. Always use your protective eyewear according to the manufacturer's instructions, as eye injuries can be some of the most painful of all. If your eye ruptures, there is a good chance that you will lose your eyesight permanently, so don't try to "look cool" by skipping protective eyewear!

Common sense reminds us to know our bodies when heading out for a safe day of airsoft. If you have weak ankles, be sure to wear the proper footwear and ankle support for a long day on your feet. If you're prone to back pain, a back brace or other support will help to keep you comfortable and pain free while you spend some relaxing time practicing the latest maneuvers and tactics in the realm of airsoft guns.

Chad Hodges recommends Trinity Airsoft if you?re shopping for airsoft guns.

Firearm Safety

HANDGUN SAFETY RULES

We've all heard it: firearms are not toys. Since pistols, revolvers, shotguns and rifles are really only as safe as the handler, everyone needs to know how to operate any type of gun safely. The safety rules below are recommended by EVERY firearm maker in the world and all who use pistols and rifles would do well to adhere to all of these safety rules. No one wants to turn an enjoyable outing of shooting into a terrible tragedy. So, read them well and APPLY them to your shooting experience, and above all, have fun with your gun!

ALWAYS...

1. POINT GUN IN A SAFE DIRECTION.

This rule will prevent 99% of all shooting accidents. The pistol or rifle should be pointed in a direction so that even if it goes off accidentally it will not injure anyone or damage anything. When handling the gun, it is up to the shooter to control the muzzle in the safe direction at all times (loaded or not). You need to use common sense to determine that direction whenever the gun is being handled.

2. KEEP YOUR FINGER AWAY FROM THE TRIGGER UNTIL READY TO SHOOT.

You should rest your trigger finger on the OUTSIDE of the trigger guard. Even better, keep your shooting hand away from trigger/trigger guard. Not until you are ready to fire are you to put your finger ON the trigger.

3. KEEP THE GUN UNLOADED UNITL YOU ARE READY TO USE IT.

When picking up ANY gun you must make sure the safety is ON! Then check the firing chamber by working the action back out of the way and checking the chamber visually to make sure it is empty. Remove any remaining rounds, if any, from the chamber. If you don't know how to work the action LEAVE THE GUN ALONE! Put it down! Find someone who knows how and they can show you.

SUMMARY

In order for all to safely enjoy the sport of shooting EVERYONE must hold to these simple rules for firearm safety. Shooting is such a pleasurable sport and can be as fun as anything you do with your family or as a "solitaire" experience. So PLEASE apply these safety rules and have a good time.

Billy Willis
lonestarholsters.com

6 Safety Tips For Keeping Guns In Your Home

Owning guns is a huge responsibility, especially if there are children living in your home. Whether you own firearms for protection, hunting, or sport, it is important to the safety of those around you to keep the guns securely stowed when not in use, and always handle them properly. All too often we hear tragic stories of accidental gun shootings in the home because it was assumed a gun wasn't loaded or because kids had easy access to the weapons. However, with diligent adherence to safe practices, you can safely keep guns in your home and enjoy the sport or personal security benefits they provide.

1. Never bring a loaded gun into your home. In fact, the only time your guns should be loaded is when you are at your target destination. When you are finished with target practice, or ending your hunting adventure for they day, remove unused ammo before placing the guns in your car and heading home.

2. Always check to make sure a gun is unloaded before you handle it. You can't double check too often and assuming a gun is unloaded could be a fatal mistake. Keep the action open after you check for ammo until the gun is ready to be placed in storage. Make a habit to check your firearms for ammo before you hand off a gun, accept a gun from someone else, transport the firearm, or place in it storage.

3. Store guns in your home under lock and key. Don't rely on finding a safe hiding place that is not locked, especially if you have kids. Rifles and shotguns can be placed in locking racks.

Revolvers and pistols can be kept locked in a home safe. Sentry Safes are ideal for this as they will protect your guns from fires, floods, and theft as well as keep them out of reach of children. Sentry safes are also good for storing ammo, although many home safety experts recommend you store ammo and firearms in separate locations so it takes a deliberate effort to assemble and use the weapons.

4. Teach and practice gun safety. Never horseplay with guns and never point a gun at another person, even if you believe a gun is not loaded. While children shouldn't be able to get their hands on guns, it is still a good idea to teach them how to respect firearms so they understand the dangers associated with them.

5. Store guns in temperature and humidity controlled areas. In addition to protecting your family, you also want to protect your guns. This means keeping them properly maintained and storing them in an appropriate environment. Excess humidity and heat can cause wooden stocks to split and metal parts to rust.

6. Learn how to use a gun properly. If you buy a gun for personal safety, it is important to learn how to use it the right way otherwise it could be dangerous in an emergency situation. Take classes so you know how the gun operates and you understand how to use it to your best advantage in a home invasion situation. If you want to use rifles for hunting, there are many things you should know first to stay safe. For example, you want to know how to hike with a loaded gun, climb fences, climb a tree, wade a stream, and any of the other activities you will encounter in the woods.

Gun ownership can bring you many benefits. You will have peace of mind knowing you are able to protect your home and family. You may love the sport of hunting your own food or simply target shooting. Guns sometimes get bad press, but when they are handled responsibly, they can be safely kept in your home. When it comes to owning and handling guns, "safety first" should always be your guiding motto.

10 Deer Hunting Safety Tips to Ensure a Fun and Safe Hunting Experience

Deer hunting season is upon us this fall in many states and I am so excited that I can hardly wait to put on my ridiculous looking bright orange hunting clothing and accessories so I can hit the outdoors.

My wife teases me about how silly I look in my bright orange hunting gear but if I were to leave the house without it she would be terrified for my safety and would think I have lost my mind for not wearing the correct gear for deer hunting safety.

As I double checked my gear in anticipation of the deer hunting season opening right around the corner it got me to think just how important it is to be safe out there.

Deer hunting is a fun outdoor sport but just like any type of sport you must adhere to certain safety precautions to avoid injury or even death. And not just your safety but that of your fellow hunters.

Deer hunting after all involves a lot of eager men, women, and children out there armed with high powered rifles and unfortunately not everyone is as safety conscious as they should be.

7 Deer hunting safety tips

Wear the bright orange hunting clothing gear so you can be easily seeing and not confused with a deer. Not only is it safe but it's also required by law.
Do not pull the trigger unless unless you are sure without doubt, that your target is a deer. Sounds like a no-brainer but you would be amazed that the most hunting accidents are from hunters shooting other hunters by accident.
Let your family and/or friends know when you're going hunting, where, and what time you're expected to be back home.
Check the weather forecast.
If at all possible, avoid hunting alone.
Use your own tree stand and make sure it's installed or built safety before you climb up on it.
Take care of your hunting equipment before and after the hunt.

Hunt Safe - Have Fun

Hunting is a fantastic and fun outdoor activity. Not only is it a great form of getting exercise but it allows you to spend time outdoors with your friends and family and even your dog.

By following the hunting safety tips outline above not only do you ensure your safety but that of your fellow hunters (both the two and four legged hunters).

Please keep those hunting safety tips in mind each time so we can all have a safe and fun hunting experience.

When you pick up your deer hunting license ask for safety brochures or check your states department of natural resources agency website they will have printable safety tips.

Wesley Ames is an avid bird and deer hunter. His love for deer hunting and the outdoors led him to launch a website dedicated to deer hunting. Deer Hunting 411 provides tips, ticks, news, venison recipes, and more. Anyone interested in deer hunting is encouraged to visit Wes at Deer Hunting 411 at http://www.deerhunting411.com