| WHAT TO DO IF YOUR WALLET IS STOLEN Folks, we live in a changing world, crime and criminals encroach on our safety and security from all directions. Here is some practical advice on fighting back: Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place. A corporate attorney sent this out to the employees in his company. I pass it along, for your information. We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed us in your name, address, SS#, credit, etc. Unfortunately I (the author of this piece who happens to be an attorney) have first hand knowledge, because my wallet was stolen last month and within a week the thieve(s) ordered a expensive monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving record information on line, and more. But here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you know. As everyone always advises, cancel your credit cards immediately, but the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them easily. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where it was stolen, this proves to credit providers you were diligent, and is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one). But here's what is perhaps most important (I never ever thought to do this): Call the three national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and SS#. I had never heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an application for credit was made over the Internet in my name. The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit. By the time I was advised to do this, almost 2 weeks after the theft, all the damage had been done. There are records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves' purchases, none of which I knew about before placing the alert. Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my wallet away this weekend (someone turned it in). It seems to have stopped them in their tracks. The numbers are: Equifax 1-800-525-6285 Experian (formerly TRW) 1-888-397-3742 Trans Union 1-800-680-7289 Social Security Administration (fraud line) 1-800-269-0271 Provided by JB Williams |
| HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK ALONE Let's say it's 6:15 p.m. and you're driving home (alone of course), after an unusually hard day on the job. (OK, make it a lousy round of golf.) You're really tired, upset and frustrated. Suddenly, you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to radiate out into your arm and up into your jaw. You are only about five miles from the hospital nearest your home; unfortunately you don't know if you'll be able to make it that far. What can you do? You've been trained in CPR but the guy that taught the course neglected to tell you how to perform it on yourself. Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, this article seemed to be in order. Without help, the person whose heart stops beating properly and who begins to feel faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness. However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously. A deep breath should be taken before each cough. The cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest. And a cough must be repeated about every 2 seconds without let up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again. Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm. In this way, heart attack victims can get to a hospital. Provided by Carol Clark |
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| ORANGE ALERT ADVICE As part of its Safe Chicago initiative, the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago is urging local families to take steps to prepare in response to the High "Orange" alert issued by the Department of Homeland Security. The Red Cross encourages individuals and families to take three important steps: 1. Make a plan for the safety of your family inside and outside the home 2. Create an Emergency Supply Kit 3. Learn a life-saving skill, such as first aid and CPR Preparedness information specifically tailored for each color-coded threat level is available at www.chicagoredcross.org, offering practical guidelines for home, school and workplace safety. This includes information on "sheltering in place," which you may be required to do by local authorities should a chemical, biological or radiological contaminant be released accidentally or intentionally into the environment. Brochures and information on upcoming community disaster education and preparedness presentations are available by calling 312-729-610! 0. Additionally, now is a good time to register for one of the many lifesaving courses offered by your local Red Cross. Course information is available at the Chapter web site and you can register for a class by calling 1-800-33 SAFETY. The American Red Cross has also launched a national preparedness information hotline 1-866-GET INFO to provide callers with easy-to-understand disaster safety and preparedness information. The call center will be open from 8 a.m. to midnight (Eastern Standard Time) seven days each week to answer questions from the public. Bi-lingual operators (English-Spanish) will also be available. The Red Cross is committed to making communities safer and healthier places to live and work and has been a leader in the filed for nearly 90 years. Please feel free to forward this information to friends, family and co-workers. Provided by Pat Ames, Clara Abbott Foundation |
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