 Hello, this is Demetrius Rum, the Director of Safety and Risk Management for the City of Columbia. This is your monthly safety message for the City of Columbia employees and the public. Today I will be discussing several ways on how to stay safe and healthy during the holiday season. Wash your hands thoroughly. By thoroughly washing your hands, you prevent the spread of germs. It is flu season. It is recommended that you wash your hands with running water and soap at least 20 seconds. Bundle up and stay dry. Whenever you're outdoors, make sure you wear the appropriate clothing for outdoors such as gloves, hats, scarfs, water boots, and any other boots that will keep you warm. Drinking and driving. It is recommended that you don't drink and drive. Anytime a person drives drunk, they put everyone on the road in danger. If you choose to drink, make sure you have a designated driver or use a cab over a lift as a driver for safe travels. Buckling up and wearing your seat belt. Always buckle your children up in the appropriate childcare seat and you should always buckle up too no matter how short the trip or drive and ensure that everyone riding with you buckle their seat belts. Managing stress. Sometimes we all get stressed out during the holiday season. One of the best ways to deal with stress is to make sure you get plenty of rest. Fire safety. Residential fires occur very often during the winter months and it is often that sometimes we leave Christmas trees, plug up at night, we leave food on the stove, fireplaces, and space heat is unattended. Make sure you do not leave these items unattended or it could be your worst case disaster. And last but not least, eat healthy and eat good nutrients. It is recommended that you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. The nutrients and fruits and vegetables can help you combat certain risk diseases and it just makes sure that you're eating healthy during the holiday season. It is also recommended that you be active for two and a half hours a week and ensure that your children and teens are being active at least one hour a day. Remember, safety starts with an S but it begins with you. Thank you. Hey there, Mayor Steve Benjamin here. Thanks for watching this video. Make sure you give it a like right below the video and don't forget to subscribe. Also, while you're here, be sure to check out one of our other videos or follow on our social media platforms. Thanks again and remember, we are Columbia.