TIPS

Get Informed

Source: Kabalikat.com

Crime Prevention Tips

1. Get to know your neighbors and all those residing in your street. They will be your partners in watching the activities in your block.
2. Organize a Street Watch composed of neighbors as members. Be concerned and cooperate in watching activities on the block and reporting unusual or suspicious behavior to the police and the Street Watch Officer.
3. Exchange names, home and work telephone numbers among members. Prepare diagram of the block or neighborhood where you belong for easy identification of households in case an emergency or crime incident occurs. The diagram should contain the house number, telephone numbers and occupants' names. The emergency and police department telephone numbers should be included in the diagram.
4. Look after you neighbor’s house when he is away and ask him to look after yours. This includes collecting your mail, newspapers and other deliveries which would indicate at a glance that no one is home.
5. Attend meetings called by your Street Watch Officer. Find out about the crime situation in your area and what you can do about them. Share information and experiences with your neighbors.
6. Get to know your police chief and members of the police station in your area. Write down the station’s emergency hotline number in a place you can easily see in case you will need police advise or assistance. Use your police force – they are ready, willing and able to keep you, your family and your neighborhood safe and sound.

Reporting a Crime

Emergency Call
An emergency call is defined as a situation where a person’s life or property is in danger or threatened. In-progress calls are where crimes are being committed at the time of your report.

Examples of Emergency Calls
1. Accidents with injuries
2. Attempted suicides
3. Rescue calls
4. Ambulance calls
5. Persons injured or bleeding
6. All fire calls
7. Strangers forcibly entering a house
8. Strangers carrying household articles, appliances from neighbor’s house
9. Someone trying to gain entrance to your home
10. Group of persons with weapons preparing to fight
11. Automobiles stopping to pick up a person walking along the street and it looks that the person doesn’t want to go, especially young children.
12. Shootings
13. Stabbings
14. Armed robberies
15. Rape

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Non-Emergency Call
A non-emergency call is a situation where a person’s life and property is not in immediate danger. Included under this definition are crimes against property, crimes against persons where the victim is not injured and offenders are not at or near the scene. However, a police officer is needed to respond, investigate and take a report.

Examples of Non-Emergency Calls
1. Smashed doors or windows in unoccupied homes or stores
2. Abandoned car on the street.
3. Persons loitering near school.
4. Information and rumors of impending crimes.
5. Persistent anonymous calls.
6. Suspicious looking persons following your moves while shopping or on your way home.
7. Late discovery of crimes against persons or property.

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Information the emergency operator will want to know:

1. A description of the emergency you are reporting. (What did you observe?)
2. The address or location of the emergency you are reporting.
3. Your name, address and telephone number.
4. Number of persons involved.
5. Descriptions of the persons involved.
6. Direction taken by the escaping suspects.
7. Is suspect in a vehicle or on foot?
8. Plate number and description of vehicle.
9. Other details and circumstances.

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Keeping the family Safe

1. Make sure you and members of your family know the whereabouts of everyone for the day. Place a “whereabouts” board in the kitchen or family room where family members can post their schedules or destinations for the day.
2. Instruct all family members and household help not to entertain strangers at the gate or on the phone. Children should be especially trained not to converse with strangers on the phone. Transactions, if any, should be done outside the gate. This will prevent closer observation of your premises or the household layout.
3. Teach your family and household helps to verify the identity of phone callers before identifying themselves.
4. Never give out information on the whereabouts of family members to just anyone on the phone. Friends or relatives should be politely asked to call again so they can personally talk to the person they are looking for. Should the unknown caller insist on asking to speak to each and every family member, ask for his name and politely say the message will be relayed and that he should call back again. Call the police for assistance if you
   repeatedly receive anonymous phone calls.
5. Instruct family members and your house help that designated family member must be contacted in an emergency or if there are dubious characters at your door or on your phone. List the important phone numbers in the front or back page of your directory for easy access.
6. Be aware of phone swindlers who call in and report that one family member has been in an accident and is asking for the family member or household help to bring cash or other valuable to a certain place. Verify with another family member before acting on this.
7. Verify the identity of callers at your gate before opening the door. Use peepholes provided on gates and doors for this purpose. Should the stranger be a repairman, electrician or the like, verify his identity by calling the service office.
8. Advise your children to refrain from playing/loitering on streets outside your residence where they are highly vulnerable to abduction. Advice your children never to leave home without telling you of their destination and expected time of arrival.

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Keeping the Children Safe

1. Do a background check of anyone you intend to employ i.e. baby-sitter, gardener, domestic helper, driver or security guard. It is possible that the kidnappers would be utilizing such persons to infiltrate your residence to acquire vital information on household valuable, routines, layout and patterns.
2. Teach your children not to talk to strangers or accept anything from strangers, especially in school. Should they be approached, tell them to report the incident to school authorities.
3. Ask your children’s school not to give out any information regarding your children to anybody. Insist that strict guidelines be followed regarding persons authorized to pick-up your children. Other than those duly authorized by you, your children should not be allowed to leave with any other person without prior authorization from you. For security, children should be asked to talk to the parent authorizing their release. This will help ensure protection against kidnappers who call and claim to be the child’s parents.

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Crime Prevention Starts With You And Your Family

More often than not, crimes occur because we open ourselves and our families to criminal opportunities. Talking to strangers, absence of security procedures for anonymous callers, taking for granted one’s safety outside the home, etc. make us easy prey to criminals. In the fight against crime, knowing that the worst can happen makes you less prone to be a victim and more confident of avoiding disasters.

Protecting yourself, your family and your home is a matter of responsibility that cannot be taken on by anyone else. You can make the difference.

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Securing your Home and your Belongings

There are three things you can do to help reduce burglary:

1. Make your home burglar-proof.
2. Mark your belongings that burglars are most likely to steal.
3. Be alert to report suspicious persons and unusual activities to the police before a crime may occur.

What can you do?

1. Ensure all doors and windows have locks in working condition. Keep only that is used to enter the house open, all other entry points to your household should be securely locked to prevent unnoticed entry into your home.
2. Make it a habit to check that all doors and windows are locked at night before going to sleep. The dark of night is a most ready camouflage for robbers and other criminals.
3. Outside your home: Prune lower tree limbs – don’t provide the thief with a natural ladder into second floor windows. Keep the view to your house open – criminals love to hide behind tall fences or overgrown bushes while breaking into your home.
4. Keeps porches, yards, and all entrances to your house and garage well lighted. Leave lights on inside your house when you go out for the evening.
5. Keep a record of the important information (especially make, model number, serial number) of all household facilities and equipment, such as TV, radio, video cassette recorder, refrigerator, VCR, washing machine. Have an inventory of your jewelry and other precious items and documents like birth, baptismal and marriage certificates.
6. Store cash and other valuable in the bank. Hiding them inside locked drawers does not guarantee that they will be safe from the knowing eyes and practiced moves of robbers.
7. Bring in all outdoor equipment (bicycles, garden hose, mower, etc.) at night. Leaving these valuables out in the garden or street is an open invitation to robbers and thieves.
8. Protect your house from prying eyes by using curtains or drapes.
9. Provide family members with their own keys to the house. This is safer than leaving the key in a “secret” place, one that can be discovered by any person who takes the time to watch your movements when you leave your home and come back at night.
10. If you and your family are going on a vacation, ask a neighbor to watch your home, or ask a relative to stay in your home while you are away. An empty house is a prime target for criminal elements.

If you are under threat…
If there are suspicious sounds or shadows in your home, try to contract the police quietly so as not to let the intruders know that you are aware of their presence. Most robbers are after the property inside your home, and are more prone to working swiftly and quietly to avoid any physical or violent encounters.

If you awake to the sound of an intruder, you have several options:

1. Lie quietly to avoid attracting attention to yourself, hoping that they will leave you undisturbed.
2. You may choose to open lights and make noise by moving around thereby warning them that you are awake, and scaring them into leaving your home. Even if you are alone in the house, you may speak loudly to an imaginary companion.
3. If you see signs of a break-in or suspicious persons inside your home, do not attempt to go in as the robbers may still be inside. Go to your nearest neighbor and call the police for immediate assistance.
4. Remain calm and do not panic. Although a robber would prefer to avoid confrontation, they are easily agitated and more prone to uncalled for abuse or violence.
5. Try to talk it out with the robbers. If you are up to it. This will delay them, and allow for alternative action on your part, if the situation allows.
6. Note all peculiarities and mannerisms of the robbers, if you come face-to-face with them. Tattoo marks, physical defects, moles and speech mannerisms will help in giving the police a more solid description of the robbers.

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Safety Tips on the Streets

1. Day or night, do not walk in dark streets, alleys and unsafe shortcuts.
2. Stay away from dark isolated places or vacant lots at night. These areas are hangouts of criminals. Do not take chances.
3. Do not walk between parked cars in parking lots. Avoid walking alone in unlit and uncertain places. At night, wait for buses, taxicabs or jeepneys in well-lighted areas.
4. When going to economically depressed areas (slums/squatter’s area) communities, do not wear expensive jewelry and carry substantial cash. If you decide to go to such places, remove your jewelry; this may save your life or limbs.
5. Do not flash a lot of cash around when travelling. Money attracts the “bad eggs.”

Commuter Safety

1. When in a bus or jeepney, do not extend your hand out the window; your watch/jewelry could be snatched or your hand injured by another vehicle.
2. When you ride a cab, take the habit of getting the name of the cab, its plate number, and the cab driver’s name. This will be handy in case you leave something in the cab or if the driver tries to hurt or rob you.
3. Be careful with what you carry when riding on a crowded bus. If you are to carry so many things, take a cab home and check the cab well before alighting.
4. If you are to visit someone, call him/her for your expected time of arrival. This will be helpful in case an accident happens on the way. It is also advisable to always inform your relatives or neighbors where you are going and for how long you will be away.

Safety in Commercial Centers

1. Never try to buy something from the sidewalks; instead, go to a department store. The goods may be a little more expensive there but it is safer since you avoid thieves, pickpockets and sidewalk hawkers.
2. Never grab a bargain sold gold watch, diamond ring or anything from the sidewalk. You are likely to be gypped with a stolen good and could be later on charged with theft.
3. Never exchange your wrist watch, expensive pen or gold ring for “a found diamond ring”. Never bargain or argue with strangers in the streets. Ignore them and just leave.
4. Never go with a stranger to get a bargain article. You may be robbed or gypped at the
   back street.

Tips for Women

1. If someone is talking you, seek the help of security guards (when inside a building) and then call or go to the nearest police block/station in your area.
2. Do not ride a jeepney if there are no female passengers inside, wait for the next vehicles. It is safer to take a bus if you are commuting alone at night. Sit near the driver if passengers are predominantly male.
3. Do not hitch a ride with a person you do not know very well. It is always safer to take the bus, jeepney or taxicab.
4. Avoid watching movies alone; always take someone with you – a relative or trusted friend.
5. Ask somebody to accompany you when traveling, especially if night will overtake you.
6. Always carry in your bag a whistle or anything that may be used to sound alarm when in danger. Scream or shout for help when you are in danger of being attacked.

Tips in giving relief to disaster victims

1. Do the groundwork first and foremost. Get the data or number of individuals/families affected, dead, injured/ill, number of houses partially/totally damaged, crop damage, condition of critical facilities and estimated cost of damage. Identify the worst hit, least-served communities. Coordinate with the Department of Social Work and Development and the National Disaster Coordination Council.

2. Identify target and prepare assistance on immediate needs, usually medicine and rescue. Consult with other NGOs so that efforts don't overlap and don't over serve certain communities.

3. In preparing food assistance, try to give the affected families what can cover their basic caloric needs for one week. Avoid giving food stuff that have no caloric value like noodles. A standard package that can sustain a family of five for a week includes: 8 kilos of rice, half a kilo of fish (or dried fish), half a kilo of mongo, 3 cans of sardines or corned beef (or any food containing protein), some salt and sugar and water.

4. The best way to help is still by giving cash donations. Old clothes may help but they are usually not the immediate requirements. Calamity victims have no use for high-heeled shoes or ball gowns.

5. In extending relief to urban poor communities, don't rush into the middle of the community. Go to the community church and enlist the help of the parish priest for the orderly distribution of relief goods.

6. Don't destroy the local economy by flooding the disaster-stricken area with consumer goods that are readily available within the same community. To avoid crowding out businesses from local entrepreneurs and avoid transportation costs, bring from the outside only the goods that local people don't sell.

7. For large-scale purchases of relief goods, bid out the procurement to get the best pricing deal and make more efficient use of scarce resources but do it as swiftly as possible.

8. To ensure transparency and accountability to beneficiaries and to the donors as well, document the disaster response from all stages.

FIRE 101

MGA KAUKULANG GAGAWIN KAPAG TINUTUPOK NG APOY

A. TINITIRAHAN / TINUTULUYAN:

Huwag magkukulong sa banyo sa paniniwalang di malalamon ng apoy kapag may tubig dahil maaari pa rin na pasukin ng usok ang loob ng banyo at ma-suffocate sa babalot na usok.

Magtakip sa bibig at ilong ng basang tela panlaban sa malalanghap na usok.

Subukin at sikaping apulahin ang maliit na sunog kung maaagapan gaya ng pagkuha ng kagamitang pang apula ng apoy. Kapag walang kagamitan, maaring i-isolate ang apoy sa pagputol ng oxygen na nagpapaliyab sa apoy tulad ng pagtakip sa apoy.

Unang iligtas ang sarili at ng mga kasamahan hindi ang pagsalba sa mga kagamitan.

Karaniwang magtatago at magkukulong ang bata mula sa apoy sa halip na takasan ng bata, kaya marapat na tignan ang mga lugar na pagsuusotan o pagtataguan gaya ng ilalim ng kama at loob ng aparador.  

Dahil ang usok ay dumadaloy papaitaas, gumapang papaiwas at papalayo mula sa sunog at lumabas sa pinakamalapit na lagusan.

Huwag agad tatakbo sa kung saan direksyon. Alertohin ang iba sa pagsigaw o pagpihit ng fire alarm. Alamin muna ang lugar na kinapaparoonan ng apoy nang sa gayon ay maiwasan ang direksyong kinapaparoonan. Pagaralan mabuti kung paano at kung saan lalabas.

Huwag magpadalos tumalon mula sa mataas na lugar. Huwag gamitin ang elevator. Hanggat maaari, magintay ng saklolo kung hindi makalabas.

Sumigaw ng saklolo sa mga kapit-bahay at tumawag sa pinakamalapit na bumbero o barangay kung may paraan ng pagtawag.

Tanggalin ang anumang harang na sagabal sa darating na pagsasaklolo.

B. KASUOTAN:

1. STOP (Huminto)

      Huwag matatakot at tatakbo dahil mas lalo pa na liliyab at kakalat ang apoy.

         2. DROP (Dumapa)

               Takpang pareho ang mata ng mga kamay at dumapa sa sahig.

          3. ROLL (Gumulong)

                Magpagulong-gulong ang katawan sa sahig.

EARTHQUAKE 101

SEISMIC INTENSITY SCALE
Mercalli	Richter	Description
I	0 - 4.3 MILD	Vibrations are recorded by instruments. People do not feel any Earth movement.
II		People at rest upstairs notice shaking. A few people might notice movement if they are at rest and/or on the upper floors of tall buildings.
III		Shaking felt indoors; hanging objects swing. Many people indoors feel movement. Hanging objects swing back and forth. People outdoors might not realize that an earthquake is occurring.
IV	4.3 - 4.8 MODERATE	Dishes rattle; standing cars rock; trees shake. Most people indoors feel movement. Hanging objects swing. Dishes, windows, and doors rattle. The earthquake feels like a heavy truck hitting the walls. A few people outdoors may feel movement. Parked cars rock.
V		Doors swing; liquid spills from glasses; sleepers awake. Almost everyone feels movement. Sleeping people are awakened. Doors swing open or close. Dishes are broken. Pictures on the wall move. Small objects move or are turned over. Trees might shake. Liquids might spill out of open containers.
VI	4.8 - 6.2 INTERMEDIATE	People walk unsteadily; windows break (Lumayo sa mga bintana lalo na kung nasa mataas na palapag na maaring ikahulog mo sa pagkabasag); pictures fall off walls. Everyone feels movement. People have trouble walking. Objects fall from shelves. Pictures fall off walls. Furniture moves. (Lumayo sa mga mabibigat na bagay na maaaring malaglag , dumulas, o bumagsak sa pagyanig.) Plaster in walls might crack. Trees and bushes shake. Damage is slight in poorly built buildings. No structural damage.
VII		Difficult to stand; plaster, bricks, and tiles fall; large bells ring. People have difficulty standing. Drivers feel their cars shaking. Some furniture breaks. (Patayin ang anumang pinaglulutuang nakasalang o kagamitang pagpapainitan at isarado ang gaas.) Loose bricks fall from buildings. (Huwag sandalan ang pader na maaring gumuho).  Damage is slight to moderate in well-built buildings; considerable in poorly built buildings.
VIII	6.2 - 7.3 SEVERE	Car steering affected; chimneys fall; branches break; cracks in wet ground. Drivers have trouble steering. (Umiwas sa pwedeng gumuho na overpass at tulay. Huwag manatili sa loob ng sasakyan. Kapag nagmamaneho, iwan ang sasakyan sa tabi, ngunit huwag sa tabi ng gusali o anumang mataas gaya ng poste o puno na maaring bumagsak.) Houses that are not bolted down might shift on their foundations. Tall structures such as towers and chimneys might twist and fall. Well-built buildings suffer slight damage. Poorly built structures suffer severe damage. Tree branches break. Hillsides might crack if the ground is wet. Water levels in wells might change.

TYPHOON

PSWS #	METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS	IMPACT OF THE WINDS	PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES
1	1.  A tropical cyclone will affect the locality. 2.  Winds of 30-60 kph may be expected in at least36 hours or intermittent rains may be expected within 36 hours.  (When the tropical cyclone develops very close to the locality a shorter lead time of the occurrence of the winds will be specified in the warning bulletin.)	1.  Twigs and branches of small trees may be broken. 2 . Some banana plants may be tilted or downed. 3.  Some houses of very light materials (nipa and cogon) may be partially unroofed. 4.  Unless this warning signal is upgraded during the entire existence of the tropical cyclone, only very light or no damage at all may be sustained by the exposed communities. 5.  Rice crop, however, may suffer significant damage when it is in its flowering stage	1.  When the tropical cyclone is strong or is intensifying and is moving closer, this signal may be upgraded to the next higher level. 2.  The waves on coastal waters may gradually develop and become bigger and higher. 3.  The people are advised to listen to the latest severe weather bulletinissued by PAGASA  every six hours.  In the meantime, business may be carried out as usual except when flood occur. 4.  Disaster preparedness is activated to alert status
2	1.  A tropical cyclone will affect the the locality. 2.  Winds of greater than 60 kph and up to 100 kph may be expected in at least 24 hours.	1.  Some coconut trees may be tilted with few others broken. 2.  Few big trees may be uprooted. 3.  Many banana plants may be downed. 4.  Rice and corn may beadversely affected. 5.  Large number of nipa and cogon houses may be partially or totally unroofed. 6.  Some old galvanized iron roofings may be peeled off. 7.  In general, the winds may bring light to moderate damage to the exposed communities.	1.  The sea and coastal waters are dangerous to small seacrafts 2.  Special attention should be given to the latest position, the direction and speed of movement and the intensity of the storm as it may intensify and move towards the locality. 3.  The general public especially people travelling by sea and air are cautioned to avoid unnecessary risks. 4.  Outdoor activities of children should be postponed. 5.  Secure properties before the signal is upgraded. 6.  Disaster preparedness agencies / organizations are in action to alert their communities.
3	1.  A tropical cyclone will affect the locality. 2.  Winds of greater than 100 kph up to 185 kph may be expected in at least 18 hours.	1.  Many coconut trees may be broken or destroyed. 2.  Almost all banana plants may be downed and a largenumber of trees may be uprooted. 3.  Rice and corn crops may suffer heavy losses. 4.  Majority of all nipa and cogon houses may be unroofed or destroyed and there may be considerable damage to structures of light to medium construction. 5.  There may be widespread disruption of electrical power and communication services. 6.  In general, moderate to heavy damage may be experienced, particularly in the agricultural and industrial sectors.	1.  The disturbance is dangerous to the communities threatened/affected. 2.  The sea and coastal waters will be very dangerous to all seacrafts. 3.  Travel is very risky especially by sea and air. 4.  People are advised to seek shelter in strong buildings, evacuate low-lying areas and to stay away from the coasts and river banks. 5.  Watch out for the passage of the "eye" of the typhoon indicated by a sudden occurrence of fair weatherimmediately after very bad weather with very strong winds coming generally from the north. 6.  When the "eye" of the typhoon hit the community do not venture away from the safe shelter because after one to two hours the worst weather will resume with the very strong winds coming from the south. 7.  Classes in all levels should be suspended and children should stay in the safety of strong buildings. 8.  Disaster preparedness and response agencies/organizations are in action with appropriate response to actual emergency.
4	1.  A very intense typhoon will affect the locality. 2.  Very strong winds of more than 185 kph may be expected in at least 12  hours. .	1.  Coconut plantation may suffer  extensive damage. 2.  Many large trees may be uprooted. 3.  Rice and corn plantation may suffer severe losses. 4.  Most residential and institutional buildings of mixed construction may be severely damaged. 5.  Electrical power distribution and communication services may be severely disrupted. 6.  In the overall, damage to  affected communities can be  very heavy.	1.  The situation is potentially very destructive to the community. 2.  All travels and outdoor activities should be cancelled. 3.  Evacuation to safer shelters should have been completed since it may be too late under this situation. 4.  With PSWS #4, the locality is very likely to be hit directly by the eye of the typhoon.  As the eye of the typhoon approaches, the weather will continuously worsen with the winds increasing to its strongest coming generally from the north. Then a sudden improvement of the weather with light winds (a lull) will be experienced.  This means that the eye of the typhoon is over the locality.  This improved weather may last for one to two hours depending on the diameter of the eye and the speed of movement.As the eye moves out of the locality, the worst weather experienced before the lull will suddenly commence.  This time the very strong winds will come generally from the south. 5. The disaster coordinating councils concerned and other disaster response organizations are now fully responding to emergencies and in full readiness to immediately respond to possible calamity.