POLICE BEAT

Summer is here and school is out.  It’s time to get out and enjoy those beautiful Florida summer days.  You may have plans to spend the day at a park, catch a movie or leave town for a few days.  Whatever your plans, please remember a few simple steps that will help protect your personal property.

When leaving your house – Be sure to lock your doors and windows.  Indialantic enjoys the luxury of having a lower crime rate than some of her sister cities, but crime and criminals do exist.  More often than not, a burglar is an opportunistic criminal.  He looks for easy targets, such as houses with unlocked doors and windows, or garage doors that are left open over night. Whether leaving the house for an hour or leaving the house for the evening, take the extra minute to make sure your house is secure.  If you have an alarm on your house, don’t forget to arm it before leaving.  At the beginning of this year, Indialantic experienced a rash of residential burglaries, particularly in the area south of Fifth Avenue.  We did not take a single burglary report at residences that had activated alarms.

When leaving town for a while – The Indialantic Police Department has a house check program.  If you will be leaving town for a while and your house will be unattended, please stop by the police department and request a house check form.  It will only take you a few minutes to fill out and it will provide us important information, such as lights that may be left on, telephone numbers by which to contact you in case of an emergency, or people who may be on the property (lawn maintenance, friends, family members, etc.).  Police officers will periodically check your house while you are away.  Don’t forget to call the police department upon your return and let us know that you are back.

When parking your car at the beach – Vehicle burglaries at the beach usually increase during the summer.  If you  park at the beach, make sure that your vehicle is secure..  Roll your windows up and lock your doors.  Do not leave valuable items such as purses, wallets or cell phones in open view.  Conceal those items under seats or in trunks.  Take only as much money as you will need and leave the rest at home.  We have taken burglary reports in the past where several hundred dollars at a time have been stolen from wallets inside vehicles.  Do not hide keys in wheel wells or under bumpers.  Burglars prowl the beaches and watch people who do this.  In less than a minute they can retrieve your key, enter your vehicle, take what they want and walk away.

Taking a few minutes to ensure that your property is safe can save you hours of the frustration of having to deal with police and insurance reports.  Don’t forget to lock up and have a safe summer!

Detective Michael Connor

 EXOTICS REMOVAL

You can have your Brazilian Pepper trees removed free of charge by Jack Dearhammer.  He will cut the trees, stack them for pick up and herbicide the stumps to prevent regrowth at no cost to you.  Call Mr. Dearhammer at 726-6509 to schedule this important service. 

FIRE FACTS

Adults age 65 and older are twice as likely to die in fires as any other age group.  The death rate for those 85 and over is four times the national average.  Older people are also at higher risk of injury from fires.  The following tips can protect you and those you care about from fires and burns.

 Install and maintain smoke alarms, especially near sleeping areas. Test each alarm monthly and replace the batteries at least once a year.

 Use smoking materials safely – never smoke in bed and use large deep ashtrays.

 Pay attention to your cooking – keep pot handles turned inward, never lean over a hot burner and set a timer if you leave the kitchen with food cooking on the range top.

 Practice electrical safety – have a professional electrician inspect your home at least every 10 years; plug each appliance directly into its own outlet and avoid using extension cords.

Keep matches and lighters away from children – make sure lighters are child-resistant.

 Heat your home safely – have heating equipment checked annually and keep combustibles away from heaters, furnaces, fireplaces and water heaters.

 Know what to do in case of fire – practice two ways out of every room in your home.  Do not try to fight the fire; immediately call 9-1-1 preferably from a neighbor’s phone.

 Tom Barker, Fire Chief

ü       Town Hall will be closed July 4^th – Independence Day

ü       American Craft Endeavors is sponsoring its annual craft show July 27 and 28, 2002 in Nance Park

WALKWAY FINISHED

Sidewalk construction on S. Riverside Drive is nearing completion. 

Transportation impact fee funds have been provided to replace deteriorated sidewalk sections along the east side of S. Riverside Drive.  Originally the project consisted of the area between Fifth Avenue and Seventh Avenue.  However, the Council expanded the project on April 16 to include the section to Eighth Avenue. 

Don Bo, Inc. of Palm Bay removed the deteriorated sidewalk and installed the new walkway for $20,876.

 
Pathway construction on S. Riverside Drive
Between 7th and 8th Avenue

 PROJECT IMPACT HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS

June 1 marked the beginning of the 2002 hurricane season.  Brevard County Project Impact, designed to build disaster resistant communities, reminds you to trim trees and foliage to minimize damage in the event of a storm. Flying debris during high winds can break windows, puncture roofs or crush homes and vehicles.  Because live electrical wires are a common hazard in and around trees, it is recommended that a professional tree trimmer be used. Additional information will be provided in your utility bill and from your waste management provider regarding a pick up schedule.  Trim your trees today for a safer tomorrow!