Holiday Home Security

How secure is your home this Christmas?

A house left empty is a prime target for intruders because they have less chance of being disturbed and the offence can go undetected for days or even weeks.

A good neighbour can be as effective as a police patrol in protecting your home while you’re away.

When you go on holidays, don’t leave any clues that will tempt an intruder.

Advise your local police if you are going on holiday and leave your contact details.

Give your home a “lived in” look by doing the following:

·                     Ask neighbours to watch for visitors but not say you are away

·                     Ask them to mow your lawn and collect your mail

·                     Cancel deliveries

·                     Secure your garbage bin

·                     Install electrical timers that automatically switch on lights and tune your

                   radio to talk-back program

·                     Install self-activating external lights

·                     Turn down the volume of your telephone ringer and don’t leave a message on

                   your answering machine to say you are away

·                     Check the yard to ensure no ladders or tools are accessible

(Source: 11^th edition North Brisbane District Crime Bulletin)

Stay safe while enjoying the festive season

Police have advised that they will be out in force this Christmas so please consider how you celebrate this festive season.

If you are going to be drinking alcohol or are with friends who are, police advice is to consider the following:

·                     Plan how to get home safely. If you plan to drive, DON’T DRINK

·                     Plan ahead and determine how many drinks you will have and stick to the plan.

·                     Eat before and during drinking to slow the absorption of alcohol into your
                      bloodstream (Avoid Salty Foods)

·                     Alternate alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks (water)

·                     Avoid shouts – drink at your own pace

·                     Avoid mixing drinks

·                     Avoid top-ups – finish each drink before you start another

·                     Don’t leave the venue with people you don’t know or trust

·                     Avoid situations that may lead to confrontation or conflict

It is important to note that various drink serves are not all equal to one “standard drink” and take this into account when considering how many “standard drinks” you have consumed.

The orange numbers on the below chart indicate the actual number of “standard drinks” in various servings of alcohol. For example, an average restaurant glass of red wine is actually the equivalent of 1.6 standard drinks.

  

(Source:  North Brisbane District Crime Bulletin 11^th edition)

Can you help? Break and enter at Stafford Car Wash

On the 17th November at 10pm the Stafford Car Wash on Stafford Road, Stafford, offender/offenders have attempted to enter the premises via the roof.

Cash was stolen.

Police believe that this person may be able to assist with inquiries.

Anyone with information in encouraged to contact local police or Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000 or www.qld.crimestoppers.com.au 24 hrs a day.

Be prepared for summer storms

With a couple of severe storms already, it is important to ensure that we are all prepared for storms over the summer.

Councillor Fiona King has provided a few hints in her latest newsletter. These include:

1. Clean up around the yard and remove any over-hanging branches
2. Sign up to Brisbane City Councils early warning system
3. Have a battery powered radio at the ready
4. Have a torch and candles ready in case of a blackout

Incidentally, if you don’t receive Cr King’s newsletter, you can sign up at her website www.fionaking.org. It contains a lot of information about local events as well as Brisbane City Council news.

Everyone in the family should be aware of how to act during a storm. Stay inside and well clear of windows, doors and skylights. Shelter in the safest part of the house. If driving, turn on your hazard lights and pull over away from trees, power lines, drains and waterways. Stay tuned to the radio or other media for warnings, updates and advice. After the storm has passed check your house and property for damage and check that your neighbours are OK but be careful to stay clear of fallen power lines, trees, and any damaged buildings. 

For emergency help in storms or floods, call the SES on 132 500 or for life-threatening emergencies call 000. 

Further hints for storm preparation are also available at the new storm wise website www.stormwise.com.au.

Other good sources of information include the Brisbane City Council website www.brisbane.qld.gov.au and the Weather Bureau at www.bom.gov.au.

Particpants needed for a Drink Rite evening

Drink Rite is a Queensland Police Service program that aims to promote a responsible attitude towards alcohol consumption and drink driving. It involves participation in practical demonstrations on standard drinks followed by an opportunity for a number of participants to consume alcohol and be breath tested by a police officer.

Senior Constable Donna Burley from Carseldine Crime Prevention is looking for at least 5 more people to participate in a Drink Rite event at the Bonny View Tavern on Tuesday 11th December from 6pm to 8pm.

At this stage you will have to pay for the drinks you consume however there is a possibility that the Tavern may provide the alcohol. 

If you are interested but would like more information we can email you a brochure with details of the Drink Rite program – just send us an email at carseldine6NHW@gmail.com

If you would like to volunteer for this Drink Rite event, please contact Senior Constable Donna Burley at Carseldine Crime Prevention on Tel 3863 5114 or email Burley.DonnaL@police.qld.gov.au.

Drink Rite provides an opportunity to discuss the large range of factors that contribute to alcohol concentrations (including the differences between readings for men and women) to reinforce the message that attempting to estimate your breath alcohol concentration level is difficult and not recommended. Drink Rite also promotes the benefits of counting your drinks and drinking low versus high alcohol beverages.

At the conclusion of the Drink Rite event both participants and the audience should have an increased awareness of the link between the consumption of alcohol of different strengths and breath alcohol concentration, what constitutes a standard drink, how to use standard drinks to monitor your alcohol consumption, the range of factors that affect an individual's breath alcohol concentration and the links between alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harms, including violence and road crashes.

FREE disposal of green waste and storm-damaged materials

Cr Fiona King has advised that in response to last weekend's storms, Brisbane City Council's transfer stations will receive green waste and storm-damaged materials free of charge until 5.45pm Sunday, 25 November 2012.

While our area was not as hard-hit as some other parts of Brisbane, this is an opportunity for residents to take advantage of the free disposal to clear their homes and yards of green hazards.

Our closest transfer stations are located at:

· 1560 Nudgee Road, Nudgee

· 101 Upper Kedron Road, Ferny Grove

For more information on preparing for severe storms, visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/beprepared or phone the Council on 3403 8888.

The future of NHW - the 2012 NHWQ State Conference

NHW volunteers from around Queensland joined with police officers to discuss the future of Neighbourhood Watch at the 2012 Neighbourhood Watch Queensland (NHWQ) State Conference last Saturday.

NHW members shared their thoughts on the future of Neighbourhood Watch and other crime prevention measures for the coming years.

The Queensland Government has committed $1 million a year over the next four years to Neighbourhood Watch and Crimestoppers to enhance the relationship between the police and their communities.

The Police Minister, Jack Dempsey said at the conference that ensuring links between police officers and the community remain close is essential as police are only as good as the information they receive.

The new Police Commissioner, Ian Stewart said the Queensland Police Service (QPS) is committed to a successful future working-relationship with Neighbourhood Watch to build community cohesion and improve relationships between neighbours.

He said that the QPS will continue to support NHWQ groups in their efforts to strengthen and connect our communities to ensure a safe and secure Queensland for all” Commissioner Stewart said.

He recognised that traditionally NHW in Queensland had focused on improving home security, reducing the fear of crime and reporting suspicious activity to police, groups have also become involved in broader community safety issues - working together to identify and address local problems that may not involve crime.

The theme for the 2012 NHWQ Conference was the future direction of NHW and the use of social media - an interesting topic given the launch of our new blog. We hope you find this blog a useful additional way of keeping in touch with issues that affect the safety of our local community. Don’t forget that you can also receive email updates as soon as new items are posted to our blog. Just enter your email address in the ‘Follow by email’ box at the bottom of this page. You can also contact the Carseldine 6 NHW Committee by emailing us at carseldine6nhw@gmail.com.