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Safety Tips for New Year's Eve

Anish Chandy
New Year's Eve is one of those nights that is ripe for the occurrence of any untoward event. Amongst all the fun and frolic, ensure that the proceedings are engulfed in a net of safety. If you are planning New Year's party, do not forget the safety aspect. Here are some tips.
Every year, the New Year's Eve bashes are becoming bigger and better. Organizers are innovating to the hilt to pull in the crowds to their respective venues. The crowds are getting increasingly eclectic because the travel is often included in the party charges.
People from all over the world converge onto places like New York, Australia and Bali for the New Year's Eve. Amongst all the fun and noise, it is very important to make sure that the eventful night has all the safety checks in place.
New Year's Eve is a night that is perfect for some untoward incident to take place. It should not only be left to the law enforcement or organizers of the event to take care and make sure that nothing bad happens. There are a host of safety measures that people can take for their own good on this big night.

Important Safety Tips for New Year's Eve

Decide Who's Driving

The common sense tactics include not drinking and driving. A driver has to be designated before having that first drink. Public transport is another safe option that can be thought of.
If traveling in the back of a cab sounds unappealing, then spend the night at a friend's place. If you are the host of a party, please ensure that non-alcoholic drinks are served too.
A close friend could become a drunken lout; so have the strength to refuse him a drink if he is finding it difficult to keep his emotions in check. And another important thing if traveling by yourself is, do not take a shortcut or lonely routes to any venue. Stick to regular routes where traffic is more, and be safe, rather than sorry.

Pet Check

A pet at home could be a problem too, because pets can easily get scared with the fireworks, noise and large crowd. If enough pre-planning is done, the pet can be desensitized to sound.
But if that is not possible, then the pet can be reassured by the tone of the owner's voice time and again. Make sure that your pet has an ID tag with current information on it, and that it is safely secured both before and through the holiday period. Candles, kids and pets don't mix. Keep them away from each other.

Liquor Check

The onus of a safe party lies with the host, though everyone else isn't any less responsible. The host should know a few things about the liquor that is being served.
Beer and wine are just as intoxicating as hard liquor. A 12-ounce can of beer, a five-ounce glass of wine, a 12-ounce wine cooler, and an ounce and a half of liquor, contain the same amount of alcohol. Mixers won't help dilute alcohol. Carbonated mixers like club soda or tonic water cause alcohol to be absorbed into a person's system more quickly.
Fruit juice and other sweet mixers mask the taste of alcohol and may cause people to drink more. Fatty food provided with the alcohol will help because it will create a lining around the stomach that will prevent the alcohol from getting inside. This will ensure that the drinker is not overly dehydrated.
There is a tendency to rely on someone's physical appearance to determine his or her state of drunkenness, and this must be avoided. Also, do not leave your drink unfinished and go off somewhere for a while. An unattended drink gives an opportunity for a prankster to slip in something into your drink. Accept drinks only from people you know well.

Fire Safety

Lighting fireworks can create the desired visual and psychological effect, but water must be kept at hand at all times. There is a temptation to ignore this because it will be snowing and a snowball can douse a firework gone awry.
But do remember that snow is not the same thing as water! Have your chimney checked each year. Install a carbon monoxide detector. Fireplace ashes should be disposed off in a metal container with a tight-fitting lid, instead of paper sacks, cardboard boxes or plastic trash cans.
Seventy percent of all home fire fatalities occur in homes where there are no smoke alarms or alarms that do not work. Nearly one-quarter of home smoke alarms are not working. Buy special smoke alarms for persons who are hearing impaired or hard of hearing. Develop an exit plan with the whole family.

Water Safety

If boating is the preferred mode of celebration on New Year's Eve, then enjoy the fire in the sky by keeping it safe. Make the most of your boating experience this New Year's Eve by being prepared and safe.
If you're on the water, ensure a life jacket is available for each and every person on board. Do a thorough check of the boat's safety gear. Switch on your navigation lights. If you are the master of the vessel, then drink very judiciously.
Don't set off flares for no reason. It's illegal and dangerous too. Be patient at the end of the midnight fireworks. Event organizers need to check that all fireworks have exploded before traffic can be allowed under the bridge.
If the new year is going to be spent with workplace colleagues, then hire a shuttle or limousine service to provide transportation for those that have been drinking. If you provide an open bar, be sure that the bartender has had server training, to prevent over-serving and serving guests under the legal drinking age.
Do not push drinks and don't let anyone else do so either. Make sure you fix up a network of people who will help you in case of an emergency. And lastly, stick together in groups. This way, everyone can watch out for each other and prevent anyone being alone and getting into any sort of trouble.