It's Get Ready Week!
This year the theme for Get Ready Week is Prepared Kids. We know that when kids are involved in preparing for emergencies and learning about natural hazards, they encourage their families to be more prepared and play a more active role in responding to and recovering from emergencies.
As part of Get Ready Week 2016, we are launching our redeveloped schools resource What’s the Plan, encouraging schools to update their emergency preparedness plans and use the new resource to build resilience as a life skill for their students.
Here are our top tips for Prepared Kids
1. Give the school or day care a list of three people who can pick the kids up if you can’t get there.
2. Talk to your kids in an honest (but not scary) way about what might happen in an emergency, what you can do to keep safe, and what your plan is for if you can’t get home. The more involved they are, the less scared they will be if an emergency does happen.
3. Make a plan with your kids. Sit down together and talk about the things you need every day and work out what you would do if you didn’t have them. Grab a piece of paper and write down what you agree, who you need to contact and things you need to do to get ready.
4. Get your kids involved in getting supplies and checking them regularly. In an emergency you could be stuck at home for three
days or more. You probably have most of these things already, and you don’t have to have them all in one place, but you might have to find them in a hurry and/or in the dark.
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What workplace change would you like to see most?
This coming Monday is Labour Day in New Zealand. This public holiday marks when the eight-hour workday and 48-hour workweek became law in 1899. The idea started with Samuel Parnell, a carpenter in Wellington, who in 1840 refused to work more than eight hours a day. Since skilled workers were in short supply, his employer had to agree.
As more skilled workers arrived, employers tried to change working conditions, but Parnell and others kept pushing for better rights. In 1890, Parnell led a Labour Day parade of 1,500 people to promote the eight-hour day. He passed away shortly after, and nine years later, Labour Day became an official public holiday.
Do you feel that we have reached the ideal in working environments yet? What rights are you passionate about relating to employment? Share your thoughts!
Six tips for improving security around your home
1) Improve outdoor lighting
Ensure that streets, driveways, and front yards are well-lit. Motion-sensor lights around homes deter trespassers by reducing hiding spots and illuminating their movements.
2) Trim your trees
Overgrown shrubs and trees provide cover for intruders. Keeping them well-trimmed around windows and doors improves visibility and reduces potential hiding spots.
3) Secure Entry Points
Ensure doors, windows, and gates are always closed when you are away from the house. Upgrade to more secure locks, deadbolts, or even smart locks for added protection.
4) Add a security camera
Place security cameras in the main entry points to your home. Doorbell cameras are also relatively cheap and a great way to keep track of who is visiting your home when you aren't there.
5) Start a Neighborhood Watch Program
You could reach out to members on Neighbourly to form a group of neighbors who can regularly keep an eye out for suspicious activity and report it. You could also check with Neighbourhood Support to see what is existing in your area.
6) Introduce yourself to your neighbours
The closer you are to your neighbors, the more likely they’ll notice when something unusual or suspicious is happening around your property
Feel free to share anything that you do around your area to deter crime.
What's your favourite recipe for gooseberry?
Love gooseberries? Share your favourite way to enjoy them. We're looking for our readers' favourite family recipes for this delicious crop. Send yours to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the magazine, you will receive a free copy of our December 2024 issue.
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