Protect Yourself From Carbon Monoxide

Here are some tips for carbon monoxide safety.

  It's a fairly common occurrence for the fire department to get called out to a home or business because of a carbon monoxide alarm. Sometimes, it is simply that the alarm was defective and there was no carbon monoxide detected. But it spotlights an often overlooked danger in the season of chimney fires and frostbite: carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas that typically comes from heating equipment, gas stoves, fireplaces and hot water heaters and generators, among other fuel-burning items. It's also found in automobile emissions. Winter is the peak month for carbon monoxide emergencies, and fire departments deal with thousands of such emergencies across Massachusetts each winter. Unlike other gasses, carbon …

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Traffic Enforcement Ramps Up During Holiday Season

Troopers from all over New England want to help local drivers stay safe and prevent crashes during the holiday season.

The holidays are upon us, and many residents will be traveling this weekend to see family and friends all across New England. State Police are doing their part to help ensure these visits don't end in tragedy because of impaired or distracted driving. The Massachusetts State Police joined forces with other New England State Police divisions at headquarters in Framingham to explain their C.A.R.E program. Increased patrols this week will be cracking down on impaired/drunk driving, texting while driving and seatbelt law violations, among other things. "We aren't trying to discourage people from going out and enjoying themselves," Massachusetts State Police Col. Timothy P. Alben said. "We just want to make sure they are being safe and …

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Free Coffee and Thanksgiving Travel Tips

Here are some tips from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to make your Thanksgiving travel a little easier.

Will you be driving on Thanksgiving night? If so, you can snag a free cup of joe courtesy of the state.   Free coffee will be served at all 18 Massachusetts Department of Tranportation (MassDOT) service plazas between 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving night until 5 a.m. on Friday, Nov 23, courtesy of McDonalds, Burger King and Gulf. Thanksgiving holiday traffic is expected to be at its peak on Tuesday, Nov. 20, Wednesday, Nov. 21 and Sunday, Nov. 25, according to MassDOT. To avoid delays on busy days, drivers should consider hitting the road during the early morning or after 8 p.m. The worst heavy traffic and busiest toll plazas are expected at I-90's Exit 9, which connects to I-84 on the way to Connecticut and New York, according to MassDOT. …

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VIDEO: Personal Protection Tip of the Week: Avoiding Dangerous Situations

Sometimes the best thing to do is follow your instincts.

Each week, Chris Rappold of Personal Best Karate will give tips on how to protect yourself and loved ones who aren't able to protect themselves. This week's tip is on following your gut and avoiding potentially dangerous situations. For more information on this and programs at Personal Best, call (508) 203-1777 or visit www.personalbestkarate.com/. Personal Best Karate is located at 38C Park St. in Medfield.

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VIDEO: Personal Best Protection Tip of the Week: Mindset

Personal Best Karate offers tips to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Every week, Chris Rappold of Personal Best Karate will give tips on how to protect yourself and loved ones who aren't able to protect themselves. This week's discussion is on controlling your mindset in conflicts. For more information on this and programs at Personal Best, call (508) 203-1777 or visit www.personalbestkarate.com/. Personal Best Karate is located at 38C Park St. in Medfield.

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The Parenting Corner

Just Put On The Helmet

Studies indicate that wearing a helmet reduced head injuries and death in bicycle and in-line skating accidents by at least 75 percent. A child only needs to fall a distance of two feet to incur a brain injury.

A parenting decision that could have gone either way. My family and I were on the Blackstone Valley bike path last summer. My then 7-year-old son took turns complaining about being tired and about wearing a helmet. He and I took a break and he spent a minute or two begging to take off his helmet.  “It feels tight. It feels heavy. I don’t need it!” For a quick, split second I considered just taking his helmet. I couldn’t take the whining anymore. Besides we were only two minutes from the car. Thankfully, I stuck to my guns and refused his request. One minute later he was cruising down a slight decline, lost control of his bike and rammed headfirst into a cement wall. You already can imagine how it could have easily gone the other way. …

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Medfield Police Chief Issues 'Word of Caution' to Residents After Latest Storm

Latest storm brings over 12 inches of snow to town.

The area's latest storm may be over, but not before it left 12.25 inches of snow on Medfield, according to Medfield Weather. The bulk of that accumulation piling up early Thursday morning, making for a difficult commute and the town to close its public schools. The Montrose School on North Street also closed its doors. Town Hall and the Public Library remained open and will operate under normal business hours.  Now that the storm has passed and the sun is out, it is time for the cleanup to begin.  "The plows, snowblowers and shovels are all at work," said Medfield Police Chief Robert E. Meaney Jr.  Meaney touched on a few issues residents should be aware of in the aftermath of the storm, issuing a "word of caution for the next several days…

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Medfield Police Chief, MEMA Advise Residents To Be Safe During Cold Weekend

Medfield receives seven inches of snow Friday but larger concern is cold weather this weekend.

Friday's snowstorm left seven inches on Medfield, according to Medfield Weather and the National Weather Service issued a special weather statement regarding the evening commute.  "Blowing snow may reduce visibilities at times this evening," the NWS said in its statement. Gusty winds of up to 35 to 40 mph are expected to have an affect on the evening commute as well. "These gusty winds will produce periods of blowing snow, reducing visibility this evening," NWS said.  But the real concern, according to Medfield Police Chief Robert E. Meaney Jr., is the extreme cold temperatures expected to hit the area this weekend. Meaney urged residents to pay attention to temperatures this weekend as the cold weather can bring potential problems. "…

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Storm Watch 2011

Medfield Police Chief: Heavy Snow Causes Wires Down and Trees In Roads

Medfield has been hit with 12.5 inches of snow already with more to come.

Medfield Chief of Police, Robert E. Meaney Jr., has advised town residents to stay off the roads if possible because the heavy snow is causing problems on the roads. "All roads are snow covered and some roads are not plowed from side to side and are more narrow than normal due to trees hanging over the road," Meaney said Wednesday morning. "Once the storm has ended, it will be several hours before the roads will be cleared." Medfield has already received 12.5 inches of snow as of 11 a.m. Wednesday, according to Medfield Weather with more expected to fall throughout the day. Meaney said the snow has a higher water content than originally thought "which in turn causes the tree branches to crack down and fall on the wires." The heavier snow …

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The Parenting Corner

Sledding Is A Thrill, Injuries Are Not

Advice on keeping your kids safe and having fun while out sledding.

One benefit of living in a flood zone: Our house sits alongside a decent size slope perfect for winter sledding. The blizzard last month was a welcomed gift for my children. Once I stuffed them into their snowsuits and ran through the list of sledding rules, they proceeded to build ramps and additional slopes for maximum speed. I sat at the top of hill, teeth gritted, praying they reached the end in one piece. Winter brings many fun-filled activities (most involve sliding across frozen ground) but its best to review safety tips before heading outdoors. The American Association of Neurological Surgeons estimates that nationally, every year injuries from winter sports send thousands to emergency rooms. Roughly 22,870 people are injured each …

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