Campfires & Safety

The following is an excerpt taken from the article, “Camping Safety Tips.” For more information please visit www.macecanada.com.

·	Inspect the site. Look for a level site with enough room to spread out all your gear. Also, a site that has trees or shrubs on the side of prevailing winds will help block strong, unexpected gusts. emergency preparedness first aid
·	Build fires in a safe area. Your open fires and fuel-burning appliances must be far enough away from the tent to prevent ignition from sparks, flames, and heat. Never use a flame or any other heating device inside a tent. Use a flashlight or battery-powered light instead.
·	Make sure your fires are always attended. Be sure you have an area for a fire that cannot spread laterally or vertically – a grill or stone surface is ideal. When putting the fire out, drown it with water, making sure all embers, coals and sticks are wet. Embers buried deep within the pile have a tendency to re-unite later.
·	Pitch your tent in a safe spot. Make sure your tent is made of a flame-retardant fabric, and set up far enough away from the campfire. Keep insects out of your tent by closing the entrance quickly when entering or leaving.
·	Dispose of trash properly. Remember to recycle – use the proper recycling bins if available.
·	Be cautious when using a propane stove. Read the instructions that come with the stove and propane cylinder. Use the stove as a cooking appliance only – never leave it unattended while it’s burning.

Energy Efficiency for Retail Stores

The following is an excerpt taken from the article, “Energy Efficiency for Retail Stores.” For more information please visit www.sba.gov.

Make strong energy performance your competitive advantage.

• Retail companies spend nearly $20 billion on energy each year
• A 10 percent reduction in energy costs for the average full-line discount retailer can boost net profit margins by as much as 1.55 percent and sales per square foot by $25.
• A 10 percent reduction in energy costs for the average limited service restaurant can boost net profit margins by as much as 4 percent and sales per square foot by $17.
• A 10 percent reduction in energy costs for the average supermarket can boost net profit margins by as much as 16 percent and sales per square foot by $44.

What You Can Do

• Join ENERGY STAR.
• Evaluate your retail building’s energy performance with Portfolio Manager or learn about Service Providers that Offer Automatic Benchmarking.
• Establish a comprehensive energy management program using the Guidelines for Energy Management.
• Learn to manage your energy more effectively with Online Training Sessions.
• Purchase ENERGY STAR qualified products to save energy throughout your building.
• Communicate your energy management efforts to customers, shareholders, and peers.
• Prepare an Energy Strategy for the Future
• Find more resources through National Retail Associations.

What Others Are Doing

• ENERGY STAR Retail Partners
• ENERGY STAR Labeled Retail Buildings
• ENERGY STAR Labeled Supermarkets and Grocery Stores
• What Partners are Saying
  

  

ENERGY STAR Success Stories

• Food Lion – An ENERGY STAR award winner five years in a row, is committing to energy management company-wide and seeing real financial results – nearly $105 million in savings over the years.
• Giant Eagle – A three-time ENERGY STAR partner of the year, developed an Energy Management Plan to guide its energy strategies to improve energy performance year after year.

Additional Resources

• Building Technologies Program : Retail Buildings
  Learn about energy saving upgrades you can make to your retail building.
• Energy Design Resources’ Building Types: Retail Stores
  Tools and resources to help you make energy efficient improvements to your retail store.
• Flex Your Power’s Small Retailers and Offices
  Read about how to cut your electricity costs permanently through energy efficiency improvements.
• EPA’s Retail Industry Portal
  Find out about sustainability opportunities to help business in the retail industry go beyond regulations to protect the environment.

Camping Safety Tips – First Things First

The following is an excerpt taken from the article, “Camping Safety Tips.” For more information please visit www.macecanada.com.

Whether you’re roughing it in a tent or planning a family outing to a national park, there are many ways to make sure your experience is fun and safe. Consider the following safety tips: emergency preparedness first aid
·	Pack a first aid kit. Your kit can prove invaluable if you or a member of your group suffers a cut, bee sting or allergic reaction. Pack antiseptics for cuts and scrapes, tweezers, insect repellent, bug spray, a snake bite kit, pain relievers, and sunscreen.
·	Bring emergency supplies. In addition to a first aid kit, this includes: a map, compass, flashlight, knife, waterproof fire starter, personal shelter, whistle, warm clothing, high energy food, water, and insect protection. safety tips
·	Learn the ABC’s of treating emergencies. Recognizing serious injuries will enable you to attend to a victim until medical help arrives. safety tips
·	Before you leave, find out the weather report. When you arrive at the site, watch the skies for changes and carry a compact weather radio. In inclement weather, find shelter until the worse passes. Stay dry – wet clothes contribute to heat loss. Also, keep sleeping bags and important gear, dry at all times. safety tips
·	Arrive early. Plan your trip so that you arrive at your actual campsite with enough daylight to check over the entire site and to set-up camp.
·	Check for potential hazards. Be sure to check the site thoroughly for glass, sharp objects, branches, large ant beds, poison ivy, bees, and hazardous terrain.
·	Avoid areas of natural hazards. Check the contour of the land and look for potential trouble due to rain. Areas that could flood or become extremely muddy can pose a problem. e

Energy Saving Calculators

Energy Saving Calculators from ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR qualified products are equal to or better than standard products of the same type, but the good news is they use less energy! And since they use less energy, ENERGY STAR qualified products save you money on your utility bills while helping to protect the environment by causing fewer harmful greenhouse gas emissions. The following links provides access to calculators of various types of ENERGY STAR qualified products. These calculators estimate the annual dollar and energy savings you can expect by installing an ENERGY STAR qualified version.

Appliances and Commercial Kitchen Equipment

• Commercial Kitchen Equipment Savings Calculator
• Appliance Savings Calculator

Heating, Air Conditioning and Ventilation (HVAC)

• Air Conditioning, Room – Savings Calculator
• Central Air Conditioning – Savings Calculator
• Dehumidifiers  – Savings Calculator
• Air Source Heat Pump Savings Calculator
• Furnaces – Savings Calculator

Lighting Products

• Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs – Savings Calculator
• Exit Signs – Savings Calculator

The following is an excerpt taken from the article, “Energy Saving Calculators from ENERGY STAR.” For more information please visit www.sba.gov.

Easy Energy Efficiency Improvements

The following is an excerpt taken from the article, “Easy Energy Efficiency Improvements.” For more information please visit www.sba.gov.

Lighting

• Turn off lights when not in use.
• Remove or disconnect unnecessary light fixtures.
• Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs.
• Replace or retrofit non-energy efficient light fixtures.
• Install “occupant sensors” to automatically turn lights off and on.
• Take advantage of “day lighting”.
• Lower light levels where appropriate such as around computer monitors.
• Install LED (light-emitting diode) exit signs.
• Install timers or photocells on outside lights.

Water Heating

• Use hot water wisely.
• Insulate hot water holding tanks and hot and cold water pipes.
• Set your water heater at the lowest required temperature.
• Use less. Install faucet aerators and efficient showerheads.
• Find and fix leaks.

Refrigeration

• Perform routine maintenance, such as vacuuming, to remove dust.
• Turn off the lights in walk-in refrigerators.
• Add strip curtains to refrigerated spaces without doors.
• Defrost regularly.
• Retrofit or replace old refrigerators and freezers.

Equipment

• Turn off office equipment when not in use.
• Maintain your equipment to ensure efficient performance.
• Use energy efficient computers and office equipment.
• Make sure your motors and motor systems are running at optimum efficiency.
• Buy Energy Star Qualified Products: Locate a Store; Find Special Offers.

Heating and Cooling (HVAC) Systems

• Make sure your HVAC system is operating efficiently.
• Inspect and clean or replace air filters on a regular basis.
• Repair leaks in system components such as pipes, steam traps or couplings.
• Adjust the thermostat during unoccupied times or install a programmable thermostat.
• Reduce air conditioning hours.
• Make sure radiators, air intake vents, etc., are not obstructed so that air can flow freely.
• Use the Energy Star Building Checklist to cut down on winter heating costs.
• Use the Energy Star Building Checklist to cut down on summer cooling costs.

Buildings

• Block direct sunlight shining through windows in the summer.
• Let the sun in during the day in the winter, but cover the windows at night.
• Keep external doors closed.
• Use fans to help delay or reduce the need for air-conditioning in the summer.
• Use fans to pull warm air down from the ceiling in the winter.
• Improve the insulation in the climate-controlled portions of your facility.
• Plug leaks around windows, doors, outlets, etc., with weather-stripping or caulk.

Lawn Mower Safety

The following is an excerpt taken from the article, “Lawn Mower Safety.” For more information please visit www.homeservicesengine.com.

1. Always read the instruction manual before operating your lawnmower. I know it sounds boring but there is a very good reason you are supposed to read it (didn’t you ever wonder why you were never able to set the time on your vcr?).

2. Always pick up all foreign objects before you start mowing. Types of items that can adversely affect your mower are rocks, branches (even small twigs sometimes), kids toys, hoses.

3. Don’t allow children or pets to play in the yard while you are mowing the lawn.

4. Take note of what the instruction manual says about handling your lawn mower. If it says to push it then don’t pull it. Sounds obvious, but some mowers are built to go in a specific direction.

5. Don’t fill the tank of the lawn mower with gas in an enclosed area such as under the house, in a garage or in a shed. This can lead to a buildup of combustible fumes.

6. Don’t smoke anything and keep any other kind of open flame far away while filling your gas tank.

7. Avoid storing oil, gas and petrol in unmarked containers, especially containers that have been previously used for something edible.

8. Don’t add fuel to your lawnmower while the engine is running or the mower is still hot.

9. Fill your gas tank before starting your mowing each time you use your mower.

10. Young kids should not be allowed to operate your lawn mower. If you are going to let your child operate your lawn mower make sure you give them clear instructions and a full safety briefing before they begin and, depending on their age, never leave them alone.

11. Remove the spark plug before doing any maintenance work on your lawn mower.

12. Do not start the engine while you are inside any type of enclosed area (shed, building etc). This could lead to a toxic build up of fumes.

13. Don’t walk away from the lawn mower while the engine is running. If you do have to walk away a short distance (such as to carry mulch) make sure you keep a good eye on the lawn mower at all times.

14. If you need to make some types of adjustments to the lawn mower mechanics then always make sure that the engine is switched off.

15. Always wear closed shoes and long pants while mowing.

16. Keep well clear of the discharge chute during lawn mowing as dangerous objects can be hurled at quite a velocity from the chute.

Passwords, Communications Plan, and Regulations

The following is an excerpt taken from the article, “Developing a Mobile App? Follow These 12 Tips for Protecting and Securing User Data .” For more information please visit www.sba.gov.

Developing a Mobile App?

Don’t store passwords in plain text

Protect user passwords by avoiding plain text storage on your server. Use an iterated cryptographic hash function to hash users’ passwords and then verify against these hash values. (Your users can simply reset their passwords if they forget.)

You’re not done once you release your app.  Stay aware and communicate with your users

Once your app is out there and available for download, stay involved with its security. Update security libraries, push updates out to users, and use user feedback to help you spot and fix vulnerabilities.

If you’re dealing with financial data, health data, or kids’ data, make sure you understand applicable standards and regulations

If your app deals with kids’ data, health data, or financial data, ensure you’re complying with relevant rules and regulations, which are more complex. The FTC offers details on the regulations that your business needs to be aware of in the following guides:

• Children’s Privacy
• Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability
  Act (HIPAA) Security Rule
• Health Breach Notification Rule

The Bottom Line: One Size Doesn’t Fit All

There are no hard and fast rules for app security. The FTC clearly states that it expects app developers to shoot for reasonable data security practices and doesn’t prescribe a one-size-fits-all approach. For example, if you are developing a basic app such as an alarm clock or flashlight that collects little or no data, then this is going to raise fewer security considerations than a location-based social network or, let’s say, a health-monitoring app. These apps may use remote servers to store user data, and as a developer you’ll need to secure your app from end-to-end. This includes the software, as well as data transmission and servers.

Rules of the Road for Bikes

The following is an excerpt taken from the article, “Bike Safety.” For more information please visit www.kidshealth.org.

Road Rules

If you’re allowed to ride on the street, follow these road rules:

• Always ride with your hands on the handlebars.
• Always stop and check for traffic in both directions when leaving your driveway, an alley, or a curb.
• Cross at intersections. When you pull out between parked cars, drivers can’t see you coming.
• Walk your bike across busy intersections using the crosswalk and following traffic signals.
• Ride on the right-hand side of the street, so you travel in the same direction as cars do. Never ride against traffic.
• Use bike lanes or designated bike routes wherever you can.
• Don’t ride too close to parked cars. Doors can open suddenly.
• Stop at all stop signs and obey traffic (red) lights just as cars do.
• Ride single-file on the street with friends.
• When passing other bikers or people on the street, always pass to their left side, and call out “On your left!” so they know that you are coming.

Hand Signals

It will also help to learn some hand signals. These are like turn signals and brake lights for bikers. It helps cars and trucks know what you will do next, so they don’t run into you.

Now that you’ve learned those hand signals, we’d like to give you a big thumbs-up for finding out more about bike safety!

Third-Party Code, and Storing Data

The following is an excerpt taken from the article, “Developing a Mobile App? Follow These 12 Tips for Protecting and Securing User Data .” For more information please visit www.sba.gov.

Developing a Mobile App?

Exercise caution and use due diligence on libraries and other third-party code

Third-party libraries can save time, but keep your ear to the ground. Does the library or SDK have known security vulnerabilities?

Consider protecting data you store on a user’s device

If a user’s device becomes infected by a virus or malware, or they lose their device, think of ways you can help them protect any personal information that your app handles. Encryption is one option. Some platforms have their own storage schemes for protecting sensitive user data such as passwords and keys – use them.

Protect your servers, too

If you maintain a server that communicates with your app, take appropriate security measures to protect it. If you rely on a commercial cloud provider, understand the divisions of responsibility for securing and updating software on the server.

 

 

 

 

Where to Ride

The following is an excerpt taken from the article, “Bike Safety.” For more information please visit www.kidshealth.org.

You need to check with your mom and dad about where you’re allowed to ride your bike. You need to know how far you’re allowed to go and whether you should ride on the sidewalk or in the street. Kids younger than 10 years should ride on the sidewalk and avoid the street.

No matter where you ride, you need to keep an eye out for cars and trucks. Even if you’re just riding on sidewalk, a car may pull out of its driveway into the path of your bike. If you’re crossing a busy road, it’s best to walk your bike across the street.

A bike path free of cars is a great choice if there’s one in your area. Just remember to share the path with the other riders, walkers, and strollers who also might be using it! And if you’re going on a long ride, bring some water along with you.

Keep an eye on the road ahead so you can be prepared for big hills and road obstacles. Some common ones that can cause falls include:

• wet leaves
• big puddles
• changes in the road or sidewalk surface
• storm grates
• gravel or rocks
• curbs
• little kids in your way!