Shirts and shoes, tablets and pens - the back-to-school shopping list keeps growing. As families head to the mall to prepare for school days, it's important to keep safety in mind.
Escalators transport more than 245 million people in North America daily, with some 33,000 escalators filling busy shopping malls and office buildings. From big cities to suburban commercial centers, passengers busily ride up and down these mechanical wonders – often without even knowing that unsafe behavior puts them at risk of injury.
Young children riding escalators unattended. Strollers balancing on the steps. Suitcases with straps dangling. Passengers sitting on steps, running, or walking in the wrong direction. Joy-riders sitting atop or surfing handrails. These are just some of the examples of common unsafe practices on escalators.
Because riding on escalators has become so routine, we sometimes take rules and safety recommendations for granted. With shoppers filling the malls, parents, children and all passengers should be aware of safety precautions they can take on escalators to prevent injuries.
Adults can help by setting a good example.
Teach children that escalators are not toys. Explain to them that an escalator is a moving staircase. Escalators are a continuous chain of moving steps powered by a motor and are to be respected, as any large moving machinery should be. Slips, trips, and falls can occur on escalators and most can be prevented with safe riding habits.
Here are some safety tips that every escalator rider should follow:
* Upon entering an escalator, hold children firmly by the hand, while grasping the handrail with your other hand.
* Never take baby strollers on escalators. Take the elevator instead.
* Wear shoes at all times and make sure shoelaces are securely tied to prevent them from becoming caught. In addition, remember to secure loose items such as toys and outerwear prior to getting on.
* Keep children’s fingers away from any spaces between the steps and the skirt of the elevator (the panels located on either side of the escalator steps).
* Do not lean against or place handbags or packages on the handrail and never sit on the escalator steps or handrails.
* As you exit, do so quickly to avoid blocking the path of riders behind you. If there is an emergency, push one of the “Stop†buttons located at the top or bottom landings of the escalator near the handrail or floor level.
* Lift children who are under five years old on and off an escalator. They may not yet possess the motor skills necessary to time getting on and off safely.
* Most of all, stress to children and teens that they should never play on an escalator!
By abiding by these rules, and teaching them to your children, you can reduce the risk of injury dramatically. If you take your safety seriously, others will follow your example.
For more information about escalator safety, visit the National Elevator Industry (NEII) Web site at www.neii.org , or the Elevator and Escalator Safety Foundation Web site at www.eesf.org .
Courtesy of ARA Content
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Great article! You have no idea the number of people who are injured each year on elevators and escalators. While both are safe they are machines that require respect. The Elevator Escalator Safety Foundation has two great programs for educating both adults and children the safe and proper use of elevators. If we teach our little ones these valuable lessons, when they grow up they will be less likely to make the mistakes of others that have caused them to loose their lives. Visit http://www.eesf.org for more information. Thanks again for writing about this important topic!
Multiple Departments Respond to Lanesborough Structure Fire
By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Multiple fire departments responded to a structure fire off Narragansett Avenue on Wednesday afternoon.
The Fire Department received a call from the owner of 6 Bangor St. reporting a smoke and flames at around 1:44 p.m.
Firefighters arriving on scene reported heavy smoke emanating from the the 1940s single-family ranch home in the thickly settle neighborhood.
The blaze was brought under control in less than an hour and there were no civilian or firefighter injuries.
"The homeowner was outside doing some work, evidently, opened the door when she came back in the house, and there were flames and smoke, so she backed out and called us, and that's all we know right now," Deputy Fire Chief Glen Storie said around 2:35 p.m.
The fire was out at that time, and first responders observed "quite a bit of damage" to the home. The cause is still under investigation.
Lanesborough, Cheshire, and Pittsfield departments responded to the scene, and Hancock covered the station during the call.
"The first crew in knocked the fire right down with the first engine," Storie said.
Smoke could be seen coming from the back of the home. Part of Narragansett Avenue and Bangor Avenue were blocked off while firefighters battled the blaze.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and General Electric last week held a public hearing at Herberg Middle School for the Reach 5A Final Design and Restoration Plan, which details remediation efforts for the Pittsfield stretch of the Housatonic River.
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Town meeting on Tuesday approved an almost $14 million fiscal 2027 budget, and approved bylaws for short-term rentals and signage, and for public safety vehicles.
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On Tuesday, the School Building Needs Commission heard an update from the owner's project manager, Skanska, and endorsed a draft schedule that runs from 2026 to 2032.
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Late last month, the Conservation Commission greenlit some tree pruning on the property. New windows and a new door can be seen in the front of the building.
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