Happy New Year

Vinson Guard Service, Incorporated would like to take this opportunity to wish all our clients, readers and friends a very happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year. As you commit to your new resolutions for 2009, it is with much sincerity we wish you success with these resolutions and hope the results make positive changes in your life.

Vinson Guard Service, Incorporate is now entering its 46th year of business in the security industry. Over the past 46 years Vinson has gone from a three employee company to now an estimated 1600. Besides having one of the finest reputations in the security industry because of the commitment we make to our clients, did you also know that Vinson:

• Is still Family Owned and Family Operated o Has 23 fully staffed branch offices in 6 states
• Is just a phone call away. You won’t be waiting hours to see a local supervisor or have to make several calls to eventually speak with the right person
• Has one of the best Employee Benefits Programs in the industry
• Offers the strongest Security Management in the industry at the most competitive price
• Recruitment, screening, hiring and training procedures exceed industry standards
• New Orleans office employees have over 200 years combined service for Vinson
• Logo is an impression of founder, Joseph D. Vinson, Sr’s right thumbprint

Medical and Natural Disaster Emergency Preparedness Tips

The following is a list of Medical and Natural Disaster Emergency Preparedness tips. We hope you never experience any type of medical or natural disaster emergency, but it’s better to be prepared.

• If you suspect your child swallowed poison:  Call Poison Control Center – the universal U.S. number is 1/800-222-1222.  If the child is having convulsions, stops breathing or loses consciousness, call 911.    Do not try to induce vomiting.  Most emergency rooms now use activated charcoal which binds to the poison in the stomach and prevents them from entering the bloodstream. American Academy of Pediatrics.
• If someone experiences an electric shock or electrocution:  Never touch the person directly. Find a way to stop the flow of electricity either through the main electric switch or breaking the contact between the source and the person by using a dry non-conductive object like a wooden or plastic stick (broom or mop handle). Call 911 immediately. If breathing has stopped, begin CPR. If unconscious, roll the person to their side and allow drainage of fluids.  American College of Emergency Physicians
• When you have a nose bleed:  Do not lean back; this could potentially lead to swallowing blood, which can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.  Holding your head above your heart will make your nose bleed less, lean forward so blood will flow out of your nose instead of down the back of your throat. American Academy of Family Practitioners.
• When someone is experiencing hypothermia or frost bite:  Immerse the affected area in warm water, cover it in warm blankets or give the person a warm beverage.  Rubbing the skin can actually cause more damage.  American College of Emergency Physicians
• If you or someone you know has a tick:  Use fine-point tweezers to grasp the tick at the place of attachment, as close to the skin as possible. It is not suggested to burn, crush, prick or smother (with petroleum jelly or nail polish) the tick. Lime Disease Foundation.
• The safest way to treat a minor burn:  Hold the burned area under cool running water for at least five minutes until the pain subsides.  Never apply ice, butter or other types of grease.  Once the burn cools wrap the area in a loose layer of sterile bandage - may need to seek medical attention. American College of Emergency Physicians.
• When caring for severe burns:  Never break blisters or pull off clothing stuck to the skin as they are filled with a sterile fluid that actually protects the burned layers of the skin.
• How often should adults get tetanus shots:  According to the CDC, every 10 years. Today, 2 out of 10 people who get tetanus, die from it. If you have a dirty cut or wound and at least 5 years have passed since your last tetanus, you’ll want to get updated.
• When caring for bee or wasp stings, the first thing you should do is: Scrape off the stinger using a flat edge of a credit card, nail file or similar object.  According to the National Library of Medicine, do not use tweezers. This may squeeze the venom sac and increase the amount of venom release.  Wrap ice in a towel and apply it to the site for about 10 minutes. If the person has an allergic reaction, call poison control, an emergency room for advice or 911.
• The most effective method of purifying water after contamination:  Boiling kills viruses and parasites that can cause illness.  First strain or filter the water through a coffee filter or cheese cloth, then boil for a full minute before storing in a disinfected drinking container.  Store in refrigeration or ice.  Center for Disease Control.

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FBI Shares Threat-Tips With Local Police Agencies

The FBI is launching a system to share tips about possible terror threats with local police agencies just in time for the presidential inauguration. The program aims to get more local police officers sharing data quickly about suspicious activity and people _ particularly in and around the nation's capital leading up the historic ceremony. Ahead of next week's inauguration, officials say they are getting as many as 1,000 tips a day from the public. Called e-Guardian, the information sharing program began New Year's Eve and is available to law enforcement agencies around the country.

Source: The Washington Post

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FACT:  
Car accidents rise 10% during the first week of daylight savings time.

What’s Being Uncovered In Background Checks Today?

Background checks can be a hassle for human resources, but a recent report shows why they are still important. Here are a few examples of what background checks have uncovered about candidates in the past year, according to a report by ADP Employer Services:

• Out of all background checks performed, 10% revealed some negative factor
• 44% of credit checks found at least one bad mark on a candidate’s credit (many companies perform credit checks for jobs that involve finance)
• More than 33% of applicants had violations on their driving records
• 8% of candidates had a prior workers’ compensation claim, and
• 6% of all applicants had a criminal conviction in the past seven years.

Given how often those record checks turn up negative information (and how quickly many candidates will supply false information on an application), screening applicants in appropriate categories is always a wise investment.

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QUOTE: "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power " - Abraham Lincoln