Our Purpose:
The purpose of our plan is to protect lives, preserve Lake Avenue Church property, and provide for the resuming of our essential and normal services as soon as possible.
The essential services for Lake Avenue Church would be our ability to carry on our ministry efforts for the people and communities we have been called to serve.
Training the Plan:
An untested and untrained plan is little more than theory. After developing emergency plans, a training program should be designated to educate staff, students and crisis team members.
In our ongoing effort to maximize our staff's preparedness and ability to respond to a crisis situation, our Emergency Response Team has organized the following mandatory trainings.
News & Tips
DRIVE SAFELY TO AND FROM WORK!
The rainy season has returned, which can be bad news for all California drivers. Utilizing these simple tips can prove extremely helpful.
- Slow down.
- Keep both hands on the steering wheel at all times.
- Turn on your headlights.
- Keep a minimum of five car lengths behind the car in front of you.
- Drive at or below the speed limit so that you are comfortable and can see far enough in front of you to make prompt driving decisions.
- Be aware that the driving speed limit is directly related to the condition of your tires.
- Be aware of hydroplaning.
- Avoid flooded roads.
- Turn on the defroster should the window begin to fog.
- Be aware that brakes can be affected by water.
- Watch for splashing from potholes and pools of water that accumulate at clogged storm drains and low areas of the pavement.
- Leave early so that you do not feel the need to rush.
WINTER HOME SAFETY
Let’s face it, we don’t always think about the things that keep our home running safe and efficiently until they give us problems. Perhaps this checklist can serve as preventive maintenance.
- Replace the batteries in your programmable thermostat. If you do not have a programmable thermostat, consider getting one. They are more accurate and will cut down on heating and cooling expenses by automatically shutting off at the set temperature.
- Apply new weather stripping and caulk or use expandable foam to seal cracks, gaps and holes that will allow heat and air to escape through.
- Have a full inspection done on your fireplace before the first seasonal use to insure safety.
- Change the batteries in all smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms.
- Replace heating and air filters.
By completing these five easy tasks, your family will be much safer and you might just be surprised at the money you keep in your wallet.
CANDY CANE COCOA
Who doesn’t love a sweet treat during the holiday season? Here’s a tasty spin on hot chocolate.
PREP TIME: 5 MINUTESREADY IN: 15 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 10 MINUTES
MAKES: 4 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS:
4 cups milk
3 (1 ounce) squares semisweet
chocolate, chopped
4 peppermint candy canes, crushed
1 cup whipped cream
4 small peppermint candy canes
DIRECTIONS:
In a saucepan, heat milk until hot, but not boiling. Whisk in the chocolate and the crushed peppermint candies until melted and smooth. Pour hot cocoa into four mugs, and garnish with whipped cream. Serve each with a candy cane stirring stick.
SAFE HOLIDAY SHOPPING TIPS
Holiday mall shopping can be an enjoyable experience. It can however, quickly turn into a nightmare. A person can have their credit information stolen without their notice, or can even be robbed by force. Here are some tips you can use for mall-wise Christmas Shopping.
- Guard your Money. Leave the oversized purse at home and put the cards and cash you need in a wallet close to your body, preferably under a Jacket or sweater. This will eliminate pick pocketing.
- Guard your PIN number. Stand between the next person in line and the debit card machine when entering your pin number. Do not worry about being rude, it is impolite to stand in view of a person’s personal banking information.
- Guard your Purchases. The bait and switch trick is popular during the holidays where someone will switch worthless bag for yours when you are not looking. Do not look away. Keep an eye or a hand on your bag at all times.
- Keep it light. Do not try to carry a ridiculous number of bags around. After collecting three or so bags, take them to your car, which of course, should be locked securely. This way you can shop in comfort and reduce the chances of losing your purchases to criminals.
- Be aware of your surroundings. More so than protecting your valuables, you should also protect your person. Do not walk in abandoned parking lots or halls alone. If you feel uncomfortable for any reason, find mall security and ask for an escort. If you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation, make loud noises and act as if you’re insane if you have to. Do whatever you must to draw attention to yourself.
- Monitor your children. Do not get so caught up in your shopping that you fail to watch your children. With more people in the malls at this time of the year, there is a greater chance of your child being in danger if left alone. If your child cannot be with you at all times while shopping, leave them at home, or bring another child with you to keep them company.
- Choose your shopping times wisely. You will get better store attention and have more space to shop if you choose your times wisely. Ideally, the best time to shop is weekday mornings.
- Have Fun. Once you are aware of your surroundings, your money, your safety and your children, you are free to have fun. Tense shopping is un-enjoyable shopping. If you do not enjoy holiday shopping, chances are your recipients will not enjoy their gift! At the end of the day, remember it is the thought that counts, and have safe and happy holidays.
