We can avoid the many dangers that come along with the exciting month of December

COMMENT | Samson Tinka |  As the year closes in, the public is occupied with many activities – some personal, work related, government or non-governmental. These activities are associated with huge numbers of people at same places, movements, shopping and merrymaking. Every person is rushing to close the year on a positive note.

Companies and institutions are looking forward to close the year in style of course by making sure they hit set targets but also celebrate achievements of the last 11 months. End-of-year parties started in November and are now everywhere across the city.  Hotels are booked to capacity, both for lodging, conference and gardens facilities.

Institutions with upcountry staff invite them for these end of year functions, most banks will be closed on one of the Saturdays of these remaining 30 days of the year to have end of an year party attended by its staff.

Schools ended the year at the beginning of December and this will stretch towards end of third week. Most universities will also close towards Christmas day. Therefore, in the last three weeks of December, movement of goods and people increase sharply putting pressure on the few available public means. Taxi and bus parks are jammed and fares automatically go up.

The airport traffic will double both in and out, hence increased traffic in cities and upcountry.

All these activities mentioned above have implications on safety and security for persons, and their valuables.

For one to get out of this season unhurt extra precautions are necessary to safe guard both lives, properties and households. Most of us are required to do what would ordinarily be usual but very important as far as safety and security safeguards are concerned.

By looking at police crime index, the last three months of the year contribute close to over 40% of the total number of crimes committed over the year. When it comes to traffic accidents, it becomes worse. Individually and collectively, we have a responsibility to change these trends. A life saved today can be a life changer to a family or society tomorrow.

As I have always done, I owe the nation a responsibility of sharing basic safety and secuirty tips that can save a life or secure a facility, home, and warehouse, shop, from fire thefts, break-ins, vandalism or even death.

Road safety tips

Ensure you wear seat belts always, however short the distance is. This rule applies to both driver and passengers and it should not be compromised. Subject your car to normal checks by a qualified mechanic. This service is almost free at every petrol station.

The “I know my car” syndrome doesn’t apply when it comes to either ones or family life. Take breaks every after two hours of driving as this freshens the mind of the driver and kills off the possibility of sleep while driving. Keep the speed below 100kmph and don’t overtake if you unable to see 200metres ahead of you. Follow road signs religiously, keep window glasses  more than half open to allow fresh air inside the car and keep checking dashboard signs. Any new sign especially indicating something wrong with temperature, oil and engine, immediately turn to a next petrol station and seek professional advice. When you avoid over speeding, you have complied with 60% of road safety demands. The major cause of accidents in Uganda is over speeding.

Air travel

This is the most challenging means of transport because it is highly regulated and time capped.  Quite often passengers forget necessary documents and missread departure time especially since Airlines use a 24 hour format. When you read your ticket and find your departure time as 02:30hrs, this means 02:30am in the night. I have seen over 30 cases where passengers show up at airport at 12:00hrs (Mid-day) for a 02:30hrs flight.

Secondly, most flights close their check in counters 1hr or 1hr 30 minutes before departure. This is to give airline, immigration and secuirty officials time to clear checked in passengers including boarding them.

On peak time at Entebbe airport- Between 12:00noon to 17:00hrs, five major flights take off from ebb airport, Emirates, Uganda Airlines, Qatar, KQ, Ethiopia, among others. Both departures and arrivals are busy and this clogs all activities at airport. Late comers always miss flights and become angry and frustrated at airport officials especially airlines and secuirty staff for no reason. When it comes to Christmas time, the trouble doubles. To avoid missing the flight together with necessary costs, arrive at airport at least three hours before departure time. Before you depart home ensure you have your travel documents-passport of national ID for regional destination, Yellow fever card, if possible. Google your destination country travel requirements to avoid stories at airport.

Home and work safety and security

Those that didn’t reap in the last 11 months are getting ready to harvest from us so that they can as well clebrate between 25^th-31^st Dec 2023. They can only harvest from our pockets, bank accounts, vandalize our cars, break into our houses, shops, and warehouses to have what to sell or eat. One could be unlucky to fall victim, but also we have the means to stop or minimize it. Do the following:

1. Improve security lights at home and at work. Criminals don’t relate with light. Darkness harbors criminals and facilitate their movement and activities.
2. Hire a private secuirty guard to take care of your house office or factory when you are not there. The cost is manageable compared to the cost of replacing what has been stolen, damaged or vandalized.
3. Install security systems that are alive and can be monitored remotely. CCTV, intruder alarms, these security systems communicate with you on real time and in case of any intrusion you can ask for police or private security intervention. These systems also scare away the would be criminals – scare craws.
4. Keep at least one or two people at home. This is critical for township dwellers. Criminals also know when to attack. They do their reconnaissance well and by the time you are back, you find a shell house.
5. Relate well with your neighbors. Our neighbors are our un-commissioned secuirty guards. They can effectively monitor the environment and even report effectively when they are not on our payroll. The opposite is true when you not in good terms.
6. Some organized estates in Kampala have contracted services of private security to improve on their security notwithstanding the availability of similar services offered by Uganda Police and sister security agencies.
7. At offices, switch off electrical equipment’s not in use like ACs, computers and others during long the Christmas break. These equipment are always sources of electric fires because they overheat. An office custodian should be on site all time to attend to emergencies especially giving access to responders like plumbers, electricians, AC experts.

Finally, the ultimate safety and security measure is to seek the expertize of a professional. Ugandans want to try it first then only after heavy failure and losses, seek a professional assistance.

Like the way you walk to a doctors room, lawyers offices,  to ccountants, it is same way you should get to safety and security experts. The consequences of unsafe and un-secure practices are detrimental. The effects of unsafe and unsecure acts are so costly that sometimes lives are lost. If you want me and you to catch up next year, follow the tips above.

Happy Christmas and New Year to you all.