Hello, and welcome to the Fairfax County Health and Safety Podcast for January 29, 2008. I’m Jim Person, Fairfax County emergency information officer. Coming up, learn about identity theft, winter driving and the National Response Framework. Links to topics mentioned in this podcast can be found online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov.
Identity theft is a growing national concern, and the Fairfax County government has taken steps to address it. The Fairfax County Web site does not list sensitive personal information, and Social Security numbers are not available on this site.Consumers can also protect themselves from identity theft in a variety of ways:
- Do not give personal information about yourself over the phone, the Internet or by mail unless you initiated the contact, or you are sure you know who you are dealing with.
- Do not put your address, telephone number or driver’s license number on a credit card sales receipt.
- Remove your Social Security number from your driver’s license. You can ask the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles for another number.
- Do not carry your Social Security card, Social Security number, birth certificate or passport with you unless necessary. These documents should be kept in a secured location.
- Shred financial or confidential information.
- And get a copy of your credit report from each of the major credit bureaus each year. Check your report for mistakes and immediately report any unauthorized information or accounts.
While Fairfax County residents enjoy occasional snowy scenes, winter also provides extra challenges while driving. In addition to snow, ice, salt and sand, there are also fewer hours of daylight. Here are a few important steps to stay safe on the road this winter:
- Make sure your vehicle is in good condition, especially the tires.
- Clear all ice and snow from your vehicle, including windows and windshield wipers.
- Fill your windshield washer reservoir with freeze resistant cleaning solution.
- Keep plenty of gas in the tank.
- Plan your route. Check weather reports and adjust your travel time if necessary.
- Remember to use your cellular phone wisely. Pull off the road to talk or report stranded motorists.
- Drive cautiously. During winter travel conditions, you should allow at least three times the distance it normally takes you to reach a full stop on dry pavement.
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And remember that bridges, ramps and overpasses are likely to freeze
first in the event of foul weather. They can still be slippery even
after road crews have treated them, so be careful.
For more driver safety tips, call the Fairfax County Police Department, Traffic Safety Service Unit, at 703-280-0500.
And finally, the Department of Homeland Security has released the National Response Framework, which helps define the roles, responsibilities and relationships critical to effective emergency planning, preparedness and response to any emergency or disaster. More info on the National Response Framework can be found at www.fema.gov/nrf.
That’s it for this edition of the Fairfax County Health and Safety Podcast, produced by the Fairfax County, Virginia government. Thanks for listening. Additional information about health and safety topics and emergency preparedness may be found online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov.