It is hard to believe that it is New Year’s Eve again! The years really do go by faster and faster the older you get. Here are a few safety tips to consider for your New Year’s celebration.

Friends: Celebrations are much more fun if you are with friends or a group! Don’t go to parties and events alone. This is especially important for women that are going out. Please plan a fun group to hang out with if you plan on going anywhere for the New Year’s Eve holiday.

Events: New Years is full of festivities, parties, and public events. Always be aware of your surroundings, especially if you are drinking alcohol. You may be surrounded by people you don’t know or you may be in a place that you are not familiar with.

Drinking: Please be responsible about your drinking and do not over consume. Also be aware of your drinks. New Year’s eve can be a great party but it can also make you a victim of someone spiking your drink. Do not leave your drinks unattended. This is not a time to be trusting of people. Use your common sense. When popping open the champagne bottle, make sure you aren’t aiming it at someone’s face. Sadly, there are many eye injuries that occur because people don’t think.

Driving: DO NOT EVER DRINK AND DRIVE! Please arrange to have a taxi service or a designated driver to drive you around.  Driving with a buzz is a bad idea and it is risks your safety as well as the safety of others. Don’t be afraid to take the keys of someone who is impaired.

Pet Safety: Loud celebrations can be frightening for pets. Please make arrangements for your pets to be in a secure, safe environment. Please give extra attention to your animals; frightened animals can run and then be hit by cars, cause accidents, and become lost.

Party Host: Hosting a party comes with responsibility. If you are serving alcohol, please arrange a taxi service for your guests or allow them to stay over. It is also a good idea to serve non-alcoholic drinks as an option and to stop serving alcohol several hours before the party is over.

Fireworks & Firearms: When it comes to explosives, follow the same rules on New Year’s Eve that you would any other time of the year. It is best to leave it to the experts. Never allow children to handle or light any kind of fireworks. Please do not shoot any firearms, especially in populated areas! This is a bad idea. What goes up, must come down!

CPR: Hopefully, everyone will be safe and sound while you are ringing in the new year. Nevertheless, you should always be prepared for the unlikely events and be ready to help. As always, be on the lookout for anyone in distress. Make sure to follow the basic principles for dealing with the emergency that you learned in our CPR Class. Whether it be calling 911, beginning CPR, getting an AED, or performing the Heimlich maneuver, our classes will help you feel confident to perform life-saving techniques to properly respond to the situation.

Have a HAPPY & HEALTHY NEW YEAR!  Thank you so much for being great customers and friends.  May 2015 be filled with greatness!