Hands On Safety

Show Description Meaghan, Leslie, and George welcome one of their favorite people, Amy Wilson, back to the show. On this episode, Amy returns to tell us about her newly formed organization, Safety Positive Foundation. She fills us in on the foundation's beginnings in March of this year, what they are doing now, and what they hope to accomplish in the future. Amy is the former director of the Safet...

Show Description Do you have a first aid kit in your home? At work? Do you carry one with you? On this episode, Meaghan, George, and Leslie talk about the importance of having a first aid kit, what to look for when purchasing one, how to make your own, and what items to consider for a variety of situations. And don't forget to include those pets or service animals. You can find a check list for ma...

Show Description On this episode, George, Leslie, and Meaghan are thrilled to introduce Aly Slaughter. Aly is an enterprising yoga instructor and world traveler. She has a great story and we can't wait for you to hear it. She also gave us some pretty fantastic travel tips. After listening to the show, check out Aly's blog Providing Feedback We want to hear from you, so please send an email to feed...

Show Description In part 2 of this 2 part series, Leslie, George, and Meaghan continue their conversation with Braden Flax and Christine Grassman about their rolls, as volunteers with the Arlington Community Emergency Response Team. Braden discusses his interest in web accessibility and their work with the Peaces of Me Foundation , so there can be better communication between the disability commun...

Show Description In part 1 of this 2 part series, George, Leslie, and Meaghan welcome Christine Grassman and Braden Flax to the show to learn about there rolls, as volunteers with the Arlington Community Emergency Response Team. They talk about the accessibility challenges they faced with websites and online trainings, advocating for themselves with the team and discussing how to include people wi...

Show Description On this episode, Meaghan and Leslie continue their discussion of privacy features and introduce some new tech. Meaghan elaborates on the privacy settings for Google Home and Leslie explains the new features of the compass app on the Apple Watch. To learn more about how to use the backtracking features of the compass app, check out Apple's support page on the subject. Providing Fee...

Show Description As smart phones and tablets become more advanced and we increase our ability to share not only our information but our location with apps and people, it can be hard to keep track of who has access. When Apple released iOS 16, their latest version, in September, they rolled out a new feature called Safety Check. This not only allows you to see the apps and people who have access to...

Show Description Over the past 25 episodes, we have shared some of our personal stories while bringing you information about safety on a variety of subjects. On this episode, Leslie, George, and Meaghan invited Chad Bouton and Jim Barbour to the show to tell some stories of their own about their experiences while traveling and going about their daily lives. Resources ADA Basics for Emergency Manag...

Show Description Sailing the seas on a cruise ship can be an enjoyable way to sped a vacation, but is it safe?. George, Leslie, and Meaghan look at the cruise line industry's methods for keeping their passenger's safe as well as the accomodations they have made for people with disabilities. Articles Nine Ways for Staying Safe on a Cruise Ship Accessible Cruising: What to Expect A Beginner's Guide...

Show Description Meaghan, Leslie, and George follow up on their last episode with information about what to do after a mass shooting. The Disaster Distress Helpline is a 24/7, 365-days-a-year, national hotline dedicated to providing immediate crisis counseling for people who are experiencing emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster. Call 1-800-985-5990. Articles: The Key...

Show Description Headlines about active shooters and mass killings have been prevalent in the media over the last few months. On this episode, George, Leslie, and Meaghan take a look at active shooter protocols for businesses and schools and how they affect people with disabilities. Resources for this episode: Active shooter resources from the FBI Run, Hide, Fight Article: “Schools Aren't Preparin...

Leslie, George, and Meaghan welcome Sergeant Matthew Floyd, of the Hultton Regional Police in Ontario. Matt joins the team to provide information and tips on how to know if someone claiming to be a police officer is legitimate,what kind of information emergency operators need in order to get the correct assistance to you as quickly as possible, and what kind of information you can give the police...

Show Description Meaghan, George, and Leslie welcome Amy Wilson back to the show. Amy is the director of the SEED program and stops by to give the team an update. SEED, which stands for, Safety Education and Empowering Defense, aims to bring safety education courses and self defense classes to the blind community through peer to peer training. Seed is one of three programs which will be offered by...

Show Description To kick off the new year, George and Leslie (yep, you read that right, Meaghan couldn't make it this time), recount their experiences with air travel, their thoughts about safety with each aspect of a trip, and the products they like to use to make flying easier and safer. PRODUCTS 511 Tactical cargo pants Scottevest jacket OTHER RESOURCES Delta Accessibility Services Article "The...

Show Description Following a webinar George gave to the Lighthouse for the Blind in San Fransisco on the same subject, Meaghan, George, and Leslie discuss the pros and cons of carrying personal safety devices. The team will not be recording in December, so look for the next episode on the first Saturday in February. From all of us at Hands on Safety, we hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday s...

Show Description On this episode, George, Leslie, and Meaghan were excited to welcome Steve Baskis to the show. Steve is, among other things, an adventurer, author, speaker, and the host of his own podcast, Baskis360 . Steve shared his adventures with the team and discussed some of the safety measures he employs while mountaineering, white water rafting, and participating in other sports. To learn...

Show Description There’s no place like home, so of course that’s where we want to feel safe. On this episode, Meaghan, George, and Leslie talk about home security from its most basic forms to more expensive options. Some of the products discussed on the show were: Video Doorbells Allow you to see and talk to people at your door and records any activity that triggers them. Ring Video Doorbell Ufy v...

Show Description We've enjoyed bringing this show to you over the last year and a half. In that time, we have all had episodes that meant more to us than others. On this episode, George, Leslie, and Meaghan recap their favorite episodes and tell us why those shows were special to them. All the episodes mentioned below are in order of how they were discussed in the show. All the links below are fro...

Show Description Do you own a gun? Can you own a gun if you are blind? Can you get a concealed carry permit? On this episode, Leslie, George, Meaghan, and Jim welcome TJ Meloy, to tell us about the processes and challenges he went through to buy a gun and get his concealed carry permit as some one who is blind. The team also provides information on how to find both open carry and concealed carry l...

Show Description We all want to have a good time when we go out for a night out on the town. We make plans with our friends, fix ourselves up, and maybe even make arrangements to get home when we've had to much to drink; but do we include steps for being safe when we make our pre-party plans? On this episode, Leslie, George, and Meaghan tell us how they stay safe while having a good time and discu...

Show Description Summer is fast approaching and we all know what that means… That’s right! Travel season is here. Leslie, George, and Meaghan discuss staying safe while traveling no matter what mode of transportation you choose. Some of the topics covered are planning your trip, navigating airports, safeguarding documents and identification, hotel rooms, and taking care of service animals. George...

Show Description Meaghan, George, and Leslie welcome Amy Wilson to the show. Amy is the director of the newly formed SEED program. SEED, which stands for, Safety Education and Empowering Defense, aims to bring safety education courses and self defense classes to the blind community through peer to peer training. Seed is one of three programs which will be offered by the STRIVE organization. For mo...

Show Description This month, George, Meaghan, and Leslie welcome Brad Martin, a tax preparer for United Way, to the show to discuss the best tips for finding a reputable tax preparer, what can happen if you don’t, and the pros and cons of doing your own taxes. Don’t feel comfortable doing your own taxes? Here are some resources for finding someone to help you for free. Check out VITA , a free tax...

Show Description In the last few months there has been a movement in the blindness community to bring sexual abuse and harassment to light and take steps to put an end to it. On this episode, Leslie, George and Meaghan welcome Laura Millar, a researcher and teacher of sexual health for people with disabilities, and Bobbi Pompey, a living skills instructor at the Lighthouse for the Blind in San Fra...

Show Description With the holidays fast approaching. Meaghan, George, and Leslie discuss methods for keeping yourself safe while shopping in stores and online. They discuss the added need to be aware of and practice safety protocols during COVID 19 as well as how to look out for such things as; porch pirates who try to steal your packages, online scams, and your social media exposure. For more inf...