HAPPY NEW YEAR

TRICK or TREAT?

	Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.
	Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.
	Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you.
	Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat.
	Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you.
	Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent skin and eye irritation.
	Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks wherever possible.
	Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.
	Only walk on sidewalks or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.
	Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.
	Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats unless you know the cook well.
	Enter homes only if you’re with a trusted adult. Otherwise, stay outside.
	Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.

It all adds up for lots of potential fun and fellowship with friends and family. Don’t forget to keep safety in the forefront of your mind. Safety for yourself, family friends and others. Slow down, look twice, be patient, don’t drink and drive – all those terms come to mind!

Enjoy your weekend, be safe and here’s to another fun filled summer in the books. Best part about summer ending – football starts!!

www.harrellandharrell.com

www.harrellandharrell.com

Two of the more severe heat illnesses are heat stroke and heat exhaustion. I won’t bore you with my details on handling heat emergencies mostly because I’m not qualified. Here’s a great article I ran across that can explain the signs, symptoms and proper treatment of heat stroke and exhaustion.

Also, don’t forget to take precautions for your pets by ensuring they have shelter from the heat and a plentiful clean source of fresh water.

www.harrellandharrell.com

All women are at risk for cervical cancer, occurring mostly in women over age 30. According to CDC, most cases are “easily preventable with regular screening tests and follow-up”.

SCREENING : two tests can help find it early or prevent it altogether

1. Pap test or Pap Smear looks for precancerous cell changes

2. HPV test – detects the virus that can lead to the precancerous cell changes

HPV Vaccines: there are several vaccines available that protect against the types of HPV that most commonly cause cervical cancer. Two are approved by the USFDA – Cervarix and Gardasil.

Other prevention steps

1. Don’t smoke

2. Use condoms

3. Limit your sexual partners

For more information, read the CDC article and/or contact your gynecologist.

For those of you that supplement  your heat in your home with portable electric heaters, please be careful in their use.

Here’s some info from the CPSC on the setup and use of portable heaters thst should help in the prevention of injury or wrongful death.

Portable Electric Heaters

The Commission estimates that half the deaths and one-third of the injuries resulting from electric heater fires occurred at night when family members were asleep and the heater unattended. The Commission is also concerned about the use of power or extension cords which can be too small to supply the amount of current required by the typical portable electric heater.

You should be able to respond “yes” to the following safety statements.

Recommendations:

• Operate heater away from combustible materials. Do not place heaters where towels or the like could fall on the appliance and trigger a fire.
• Avoid using extension cords unless absolutely necessary. If you must use an extension cord with your electric heater, make sure it is marked with a power rating at least as high as that of the heater itself. Keep the cord stretched out. Do not permit the cord to become buried under carpeting or rugs. Do not place anything on top of the cord.
• Never place heaters on cabinets, tables, furniture or the like. Never use heaters to dry wearing apparel or shoes.

Stay warm tonight and stay safe. Don’t forget to check on neighbors, pets and plants.

www.harrellandharrell.com

JBA partners with local corporation to offer ‘Ask-A-Lawyer’ – The Jacksonville Bar Association and the Grace and Truth Community Development Corporation have teamed up to offer an “Ask-A-Lawyer” event from 9 a.m. – noon on Saturday, Nov. 6, at Gateway Town Center, 5000 Norwood Ave. Ask-A-Lawyer will be held in conjunction with the Grace and Truth CDC’s Empowerment and Health Fair. Ask-A-Lawyer is a relaxed, convenient place for people to come in and talk about their legal problems. In some cases, legal representation may not be required. In some cases, brief counsel and advice from a licensed attorney may be all the assistance a person needs. Herein lies the inspiration for the JBA Pro Bono Committee’s Ask-A-Lawyer event. During the event, attorneys will conduct individual, 10-to-15-minute consultations. People who participate in Ask-A-Lawyer must sign statements verifying that they understand that the interviewing attorney will not be opening a case. The interviewing attorneys are simply there to provide some legal guidance and information on additional community resources. For matters that may require full representation, persons may be referred to Jacksonville Area Legal Aid or to the Jacksonville Lawyer Referral Service. The participating attorneys have expertise in many areas of law and can provide direction regarding family law matters, employment, landlord/tenant, wills and estates, criminal law, bankruptcy, and foreclosures to name a few.