OFFICIALS

“You know what your neighbor's house is supposed to look like more than I do,” said SPD Public Information Officer Brandon Lovelady. “If any police officer from the SPD drives by your house and they see a vehicle that doesn't belong there parked in the driveway, unless we've been there frequently, we're most likely not going to recognize certain things like that. But your neighbors would.”

SPD has a free “Vacation Home Check” form on cityofstarkville.org/ starkvillepd, that residents can print, fill-out, and bring to the station before leaving town. The form gives the department their home address to frequently check for anything out of the ordinary while they are out of town.

It is still recommended that neighborhoods work together to report suspicious activity.

“We all have to work together," Lovelady said. "Law enforcement can't do it all by themselves and the community can't do it by themselves. We do it as a big system.”

Online shopping is also popular during the holidays.

SPD recommends adjusting your shipping address to a location where a trusted individual will be present to receive the package.

“Not just specific to Starkville, but there have been some folks in the past who will grab packages off the porch,” said Lovelady. “You see videos of them all holiday season.”

Suggested places to get packages

shipped would be your job or a neighbor's home.

If you prefer going to shopping centers instead of ordering online, don't travel alone and park in illuminated areas. Never leave any items that you've bought in your backseat as you go from store to store.

“Preferably at a shopping center, you would keep all of your bags with you until you go back to your car,” Lovelady said.

The trunk of a vehicle is also a safe place to store shopping bags. Don't leave anything in plain view. Even something as simple as leaving a car charger in sight will leave the impression that something valuable is in the vehicle.

Have your keys in hand when returning to your car. Be aware of your surroundings at the shopping centers. It is good practice to check in your backseat and underneath your car before getting inside.

Some cars allow you to choose whether all doors are unlocked when the switch is triggered. Newer cars will only unlock the door you are standing beside. This is convenient in uncomfortable situations.

Candles are one of the items commonly bought at shopping centers during the holidays. To prevent accidental fires, burn candles on top of some type of plate just in case it burns out. Doing this will protect the surface beneath from catching on fire. However, please remember to put candles out when they're not in use.

Food is easily left unattended cooking on the stove or in the oven as well.

“Most of our fires happen from unattended cooking," said Starkville Fire Chief Charles Yarbrough. "People may cook something, get distracted, and leave out. Next thing they know, their stove is on fire. So, if you're cooking, don't leave it unattended."

It's getting colder outside and heat sources are needed. But the chief emphasizes that space heaters are named space heaters for a reason – they need space.

“It's recommended that you keep everything 3-5 feet away from a space heater,” Yarbrough said.

Heaters are used during one season of the year and the most common mistake that people make is not getting their heaters checked by a professional before they use them.

“We get a lot of calls from people who haven't had their heater on in over a year – and they turn it on, and of course you have smoke and dust which can cause problems,” Yarbrough said.

Also, check your decorative lights before putting them up. If you see one that looks old or unusual, throw that set away and purchase new ones. Any defective lights can ignite a fire on a tree. In addition, it is recommended that Christmas trees are placed away from any heat sources such as candles, fireplaces, heat vents, lights, or radiators. If you prefer a real tree, keep the base filled with water to prevent it from drying out.

When New Year's approaches, it will be time to purchase fireworks. Don't leave children unattended when using them.

“You can't bring fireworks into the city anyway, but if you did have some make sure they're safe because you can get hurt pretty bad,” Yarbrough said.