According to the victim’s father, the girl had been abducted at from the back of their home, about 135 kilometers north of Calgary at approximately nine-thirty in the evening last Thursday. Their daughter had left to drive to a nearby store at the gas station to purchase treats.

Later on, the father found his daughter’s truck twenty minutes later, parked behind their home, the headlights still on, and with keys on the passenger seat. Items purchased from the said store as well as her purse was also found in the truck, but her mobile phone and wallet were missing. This prompted the family to report the girl missing.

Using the last signal picked up from the girl’s mobile phone the night before, search and rescue crews together with the RCMP mounted a massive search in a wooded area in Red Deer while volunteers numbering in the hundreds handed out flyers containing the girl’s picture door-to-door in the city.

Finally, almost two days after the girl had been reported missing, the family received a call at approximately 8:30 in the evening. The victim had managed to escape from her abductors and used a pay phone in a mall to contact her father for help. According to the dad, the girl had sounded “very, very scared” and that “she had to beg for her life”.

The victim was taken to the hospital following an interview with the Red Deer RCMP. Video surveillance from the gas station contributed considerable help to the investigation, leading to the arrest of a hereto unnamed suspect.

Stay Recorded, Stay Protected: Safety Tips with the Help of Video Surveillance
If you are travelling alone, it’s best to frequent establishments that you are aware of being equipped with video surveillance equipment.  Do your best to stay within its focus. If anything were to happen to you, authorities could use resulting footage in identifying and capturing your assailant.

Not all video surveillance equipment, however, are installed for the public to see. Some operate covertly so you’ll have to know where and how to look for them. On the other hand, some stores simply use dummy video cameras to deter wrongdoers for causing mischief.

dome dummy camera w/ led image

Be aware of exits and entrances
Always be aware of the location of doors, windows and emergency exits at your place of work, whether it’s an office building, a plant, a warehouse or a home office. Determine the viability of these areas as effective exits in case of an emergency.

Try to familiarize yourself with these areas so that you know exactly where to go even if there’s smoke, heavy traffic or absolute panic.  Make sure that these exits are accessible for everyone to use and that workers are aware of them.

Handle electric gadgets and appliances carefully
Don’t do anything at the office that you would consider unsafe at home.  Be especially careful with electric appliances at the office.  Check proper usage instructions and make sure you use the equipment as directed. Don’t try to repair equipment yourself.  If something malfunctions, call the attention of the right department instead.

Wear safety equipment
Some workplaces, by the nature of the industry they belong in, can be hazardous.  Floors in the office pantry, for example, can be slippery or construction areas can have falling debris.  Even ordinary office fixtures such as stairs, elevators, overhead cabinets and electrical outlets can pose a danger if you’re not careful. If you work in places where there are personal or physical hazards, follow safety protocols and regulations that are in place.

Regularly check your workplace for hazards
An important workplace safety tip to remember is to be always vigilant regarding your work area. Check for faulty office equipment, furniture or office appliances that may pose possible threats and other possible sources of physical harm.  Check your desk, chair, cabinets and gadgets as well.

Implement and/or participate in safety practices
Every workplace should have its own set of safety practice procedures.  Be aware of what these are at your place of work.  If you don’t have a safety procedure in place yet, consider having a team of workers to handle this.  Concerted efforts work best in this regard and the more employees are involved, the safer it will be for everyone.

image credits to sxc.hu

Pepper sprays are often called bear sprays since they can also keep away bears. Campers are sometimes advised to bring it, but camp rangers also recommend that making noise may also be a good form of prevention. Bears may often avoid humans because of the noise that humans make. However, pepper spray or not, it will never be advisable to approach a bear or put oneself at risk. Experts also warn people with pepper sprays never to take risks with bears simply because one has the spray to potentially protect oneself. Any approach by humans is seen by bears as aggression, and they will respond accordingly.

Moreover, bears will usually approach humans and other animals when they are looking for food. It is in these moments of foraging that humans and bears may be placed at their closest proximity, and it is these moments where people must be extra careful and exercise preventive measures. For instance, campers are cautioned to keep their camping spot free from trash and food in order to keep bears from wandering in. If a bear is found already going through food stores, ice chests, and other places where food is stored, campers are always advised never to approach the bear or try to save the food – food, after all, can be replaced.

As mentioned earlier, noise is a good way to keep out bears, and campers are advised to make noise whenever they go out of their tents or trailers. This can also be applicable especially where bears hide behind trees, waiting to get food. Bear spray may find its use in a sudden attack, or when a bear is suddenly in the area and the camper is unable to find anything in sight that may help him or her.

bear pepper spray image