PROTECT24™

It’s easy for bloggers to obtain a false sense of security. After all, most of the content you post online is difficult to trace back to you. That’s unless you actually talk about your personal life, that is. However, blogging usually comes with bloggers writing about their personal opinions – opinions on heated subjects which may not be popular with the blogger’s readers. Many bloggers have confessed to having been victims of harassment. To avoid these things (as most people, I imagine, want to) it’s good to keep a few things in mind when writing on your blog:

Decide up front how much personal information you will share on your blog – don’t post the name of your loved ones and don’t post any pictures. If you do post photos, make them anonymous.

Ask yourself – “How easy would it be for someone to find me in real life?” Don’t give your readers clues upon where you live and who you live with. You might think that this is going overboard, but stalkers really do exist!

Consider the way you are perceived online – If you’re generally perceived as a difficult person to get along with, you’re not going to be very popular with your readers. It’s good to come off as a sensible, honest, unbiased person – you don’t want to anger anyone for the wrong reasons.

The age-old proverb of "don't talk to strangers" is one that should be taken very seriously. Hundreds of children are abducted in Canada and the United States every year. I think we've all read of some of these abductions in the newspaper at one time or anther. The best way to prepare both yourself and your child(ren) is to learn of the potential dangers of interacting with complete strangers. If you do have children, we encourage you to go over these five simple rules with them. Taking 5 minutes to talk about something like this can potentially avoid a catastrophe.

1) Never tell strangers that you are home alone - If you answer your phone and a stranger asks if you are home alone, simply say no. Tell them that your parents simply can't come to the phone right now.

2) Never open the door for a stranger - If someone you don't know is at the door, either get your parents or don't open the door at all.

2) Never follow a stranger - If a stranger wants your help, simply say "no". Adults should ask adults for help, not children. Don't follow a stranger if they offer you chocolate or candy.

3) Use the buddy system - Always take a friend or a grown-up when you play or go somewhere.

4) Talk to your parents - Always check with your parents or brother/sister before you go anywhere or do anything. Make sure someone knows where you are.

Even if you’re not working directly under the hot sun during the summer months, there are certain precautions you should take while you work, just to be safe. Even if you’re working a desk job, you should be concerned for your health! Here are 5 quick tips to keep you healthy, right off the bat:

1. Drink as much as a cup of water every 15 minutes. Remember that water makes up for roughly 65% of an adult human body. You should seek to replenish that water as frequently possible.

2. Watch coworkers for signs of heat-related illness, such as headaches, dizziness or nausea. If you see anything suspicious, tell your direct superior immediately. A big incident may be prevented if you follow this tip.

3. Pace your work and take scheduled breaks. People aren’t machines. Have a snack and look away from the computer screen once in a while!

4. Wear lightweight clothing, if possible.

In the digital age, identity theft is a serious problem. If you're not careful, just about anybody can pretend to be you to access confidential resources or benefits. Even worse, they can commit fraud or other serious crimes in your name. Almost half of all reports of identity theft are discovered by the user first, although banks and credit card companies have methods to stay on top of it as well. There are many different ways that people can steal your identity. They could implement a virus on your computer to get your usernames and passwords or they could just simply steal your wallet right out of your pocket.

The best way to prevent identity theft through the Internet is to install a reliable anti-virus system on your computer. These programs will prevent hackers from getting personal information through suspicious files. You should also install the latest security updates for your computer as soon as they become available. Companies are working hard and identifying new viruses every day. Keep your computer updated. Also, you should change the passwords you use for the different websites you access more often. Finally, make sure to include uppercase letters, lowercase letters and numbers in these passwords to make it harder to guess.

If you lose your wallet, the first thing you should do is to contact your bank/credit card companies immediately. They will take the appropriate measure from that point on. The next thing you should do is to file a police report with details of where your identity was stolen. Keep your wallet in a safe place in crowded areas, especially if you're travelling.

Other things you can do to avoid having your identity stolen is to monitor your credit reports closely and to shred sensitive mail and documents before throwing them away. Make sure to destroy mail that contains credit card statements. You should also look into setting up a password for your smartphone.

It’s summer! And that means that we can finally take the grill out of the garage and re-familiarize ourselves with it. Many barbecue enthusiasts consider grilling burgers a form of art. And they have a good point; there are literally dozens of things to keep in mind when striving to reach that “perfect hamburger”. One of those most important things to consider, however, is to make sure that the burger is safe to eat.

A burger is done when its internal temperature reaches 71°C (160°F). The colour of the burger alone is not a reliable indicator that it is safe to eat. To make sure that it is safe to eat, follow these quick tips:

- If you are cooking more than one patty at the same time, take the temperature using a food thermometer in thickest looking patty on the grill.

- Remove the patty from the grill and insert the thermometer through the side.

- Remember to wash the thermometer between temperature measurements.

- Oven-safe meat thermometers designed for testing whole poultry and roasts during cooking are not suitable for measuring the temperature of patties.

- Reduce the heat or raise the height of the grill if food starts to burn during cooking.

- Use clean utensils and plates when removing cooked meats from the heat source.

It's pretty hot! For our neighbours down in the States looking at record-breaking temperatures, this is especially true! After a long day of work or school, nothing feels better than a dip into a cool outdoor pool on a hot summer day! Top that off with your favourite flavour of ice cream and you've got a seriously memorable day on your hands! I've always personally preferred outdoor pools to full-blown beaches. All the cool water and the hot sun, without any of the sandy mess. But that's just me. Regardless of where you are, remember that safety always comes first. Here are some tips to help you stay safe when you go swimming:

1) Test a pool's temperature before going in - A small dip with your toe should do it. Cold water can shock your body and make your blood pressure and heart rate go up.

2) Obey pool rules - If there is a sign around the pool that reads "No Diving", don't dive into the pool! It's common sense, people!

3) Walk - Don't run around the pool area. You might slip and get seriously hurt.

4) No horseplay - Don't push or jump on other people. You could accidentally hurt them or yourself.

5) Swim at the right depth - If the pool is too deep for you, move to a safer depth. Stay around a depth that you are comfortable with.

6) Wear a life jacket - If you're learning how to swim, make sure that you're wearing a life jacket, just in case.

7) Have a supervisor - Make sure that there is either a lifeguard or a parent near you when you swim. Just in case something happens.

8) Don't chew gum - You could choke!

It's almost July! And that means that Canada Day is fast approaching for Canadians on July 1st and Independence Day is on its way for Americans on July 4th. Many people associate these two holidays with one thing: fireworks. As beautiful as a good light show can be, it's important to remember how dangerous fireworks are if not handled with care. Newspapers are absolutely riddled with accidents related to fireworks during the summer holiday season. We, at Protect24, have come up with several guidelines to make sure that everyone has a good time with fireworks this summer.

  Follow the Laws. Different states and provinces have different laws with regards to the purchase and usage of fireworks. You must be at least 18 years of age to purchase fireworks.

  Store Fireworks Carefully. Keep fireworks in a cool, dry place away from children. Follow the special handling instructions that the fireworks come with.

  Transportation. Fireworks must be transported in a vehicle's trunk, not the passenger compartment. Do not smoke while loading, transporting or unloading fireworks. That's pretty much common sense.

  Choose a Good Space. The area should be away from buildings, grass, overhead obstructions and vehicles. Always set off ground-based fireworks from hard surfaces, such as concrete or asphalt. Do not set off fireworks if there are strong winds present. Always have a bucket of water with you.

  Keep Spectators Safe. Keep children and onlookers at least 20 metres away from the fireworks. Do not let young children touch the fireworks, not even the sparklers.

  Misfires. Never try to re-light fireworks that have been misfired. Wait 30 minutes, then dunk them in a bucket of water.

Bullying is a serious issue, whether it occurs in pre-school, kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, high school or even in post-secondary school. Bullying became even more rampant after the development and widespread usage of the Internet, which gave birth to cyber-bullying. If you find yourself getting bullied by anyone, in any way, shape or form, we urge you to follow these tips. The first step to making it stop is to reach out to someone who can help.

1) Tell a teacher - If you are getting bullied, telling a responsible adult or a school teacher is the first way to stop it. It may be hard, but it's the best thing to do.

2) Avoid the bully - If you can take a different hallway to avoid a bully, take it! Don't give a bully the chance to hurt you. If you see a bully, just walk away.

3) Get a friend - Two is better than one. Get a friend to walk with you to class or hang out with during recess. Bullies won't pick on you if there's someone there to back you up.

4) Don't bully back - Don't punch, kick or shove a bully just because he/she is bullying you! Fighting back just makes the bully happy. You might also get in trouble too.

It’s the sixth and final day of our Protect24 app coverage! Today, we’ll talk about the A/V Recorder, which is also known as the Audio/Video Recorder. With this feature, you can simultaneously record the audio and video of any given situation, which comes handy in hundreds of different scenarios. For example, let’s say that you witnessed an altercation between two individuals and the police needed to know who initiated the conflict. As long as you were using the A/V Recorder on your Protect24 app, you should be able to provide all the information and proof that anybody needs. You can access your saved audio/video files by going into the “Archives” section of this feature. I’m sure you can think of other scenarios in which the A/V Recorder would come in handy.

On the fifth day of our Protect24 app coverage, we’re going to review one of the most important features in our app: the Compass. Yes, our app comes with a basic compass. Now, you may be asking yourself, “Well, my smartphone comes with a built in compass on its own. What’s the big deal with this compass?” That’s a great question. What makes our app different is the Map that comes with the compass. Too many times, you know the direction you’re going, but you don’t know which direction you’re supposed to be going in. With a compass and a map side-by-side, you know exactly which way your destination is. You never have to switch between two separate apps! Navigation becomes all too easy. You’d be surprised at how big of a difference such a small added feature can make!

Check out our Protect24 app and try this feature out! Remember: it’s FREE for a limited time in the iTunes App Store, Google Play and the BlackBerry App World! There's no reason for you NOT to download it!

We’re at the fourth day of our Protect24 app coverage!

Today, we’ll be going over one of the more interesting features of the app: Fake Phone Calls. The purpose of this app is to receive a pre-conceived phone call whenever a specific situation would call for it. For example, let’s say that you needed an excuse to walk out of a potentially awkward/unwanted conversation with someone. Just set the fake phone call to when the conversation is expected to happen, pick up the phone and kindly excuse yourself. It’s as simple as that.

This feature is also useful when walking down a dark street/alley alone. Potential attackers may likely be dissuaded from offending if they think that you’re in a conversation with someone who could potentially alert the police. This feature may be just what you need to get home safely. You can access this feature by going to the “Other Features” section in the home screen of the Protect24 app.

The first feature of the Protect24 app is the Flashlight & Strobe, located at the top left of the home screen.

This feature should be straightforward enough. Using it, you can turn your phone’s camera flash component to either a flashlight or a strobe light. Both features are easy to access and use. The Flashlight feature can be used, obviously, to see things in the dark. There are hundreds of applications for a flashlight. Need to find something in the dark? A flashlight would probably come in handy. Most people nowadays take their smartphones camping with them, and this feature removes the need to take a heavy, battery-consuming flashlight.

The Strobe feature is a little more interesting. Let’s say that your car broke down in the middle of the night on the highway. The first thing you would want to do is to call AAA/CAA to come and help you out. The next thing you should do is to turn on the strobe light function and place your phone on top of your car. The blinking light will serve as an emergency signal. This will help whoever you called find you, even in the dead of the night.

For the next few days, Protect24 will be using this blog to talk about our new app! This app is FREE for a limited time and is available on Android, BlackBerry and iPhone! Just search "Protect24" on Google Play, BlackBerry App World or the iTunes App Store. Did we mention that it's completely FREE?

What's amazing about this app is the fact that it's the Swiss Army Knife of safety tools. Sure, some apps provide you with a flashlight and other provide GPS tracking for your family members, but you'd be hard pressed to find a SINGLE app that does everything for you. Well, long story short, this app does everything for you!

After you download the app, make sure to fill out the "My Info" section of the app. Doing this will unlock the more sophisticated features of our app!

Here are the links to the app download:

iPhone: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/protect-24/id454667117?mt=8

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=Protect24.newpkg&feature=nav_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDNd

It's the summer! And I'm sure everyone has parties and gatherings to go to every weekend. In most of these parties, it's pretty safe to assume that there will be alcoholic beverages readily available. With that being said, it's important to drink responsibly and practice safe measures to make sure that everyone gets home safe and sound. As always, here are some tips!

1) Always set a designated driver beforehand - Make sure that there is someone held responsible to get you home safe.

2) Call your parents - Your parents would rather pick you up themselves than risking you being driven by someone who is intoxicated. Don't be afraid to call them!

3) Call a friend - If your parents can't pick you up, then ask a reliable and sober friend to get you home.

4) Call a taxi - It may be expensive, but if there isn't a designated driver available, it's the safest choice.

Riding a bike is a great way to get to where you need to go! During the summer, it's also a great way to get some exercise. However, when you're riding your bicycle, safety is a MUST. Each year, more than 500,000 people in the United States are treated in emergency departments due to bicycle-related accidents. Here are some quick safety tips for riding your bicycle so that you can all enjoy a safe summer!

Wear a Helmet! A helmet that is approved by ANSI, ASTM or SNELL can do wonders for protection. Be sure to wear your helmet properly over your forehead and tighten up the chin-strap properly.

Adjust Your Bike. Adjust the bike seat to your height and make sure that you can stand over the bar with both feet flat on the ground. Make sure that your tires have enough air.

Check Your Brakes and Reflectors. Before going on a bike ride, make sure that your brakes are responsive. Also, if riding at night, make sure that your bike's reflectors properly reflect light back to oncoming vehicles.

Be Careful Where You Ride. Keep an eye out for obstructions on your path. Avoid glass, rocks and pieces of discarded garbage.