A Comprehensive Guide to Staying Safe for the Carnival Season

Carnival Time is a season for fun and fetes but also a time to be even more vigilant about your safety. To maximize your Carnival experience please see our tips below.

 For safety during Carnival activities:

• Do not leave your food or drinks unattended or accept drinks from strangers.
• Do not leave your personal items (phones, bags, wallets, purses etc.) unattended and avoid setting them down, especially while under the influence. if necessary, entrust your item(s) to a trusted person to safeguard.
• Wear minimal jewelry and avoid wearing expensive accessories.
• Avoid carrying around or displaying large amounts of cash. Secure your wallets or purses and keep them hidden from view.
• Try to stay with your group and let them know where you are going whenever you intend to stray from the group i.e. to go to the bar/bathroom, to talk to someone outside of the group or to leave or move to another area without them.
• When leaving a Carnival event ensure that your group walks you to your vehicle especially if the vehicle is parked in an unlit area. Have your keys in your hand since these can be used as a weapon if you need to defend yourself.
• If you find yourself in a dangerous situation your first choice should be to escape if possible as this is your best option.
• Keep some form of identification on your person at all times including emergency contacts if possible.

When organizing transportation:

• Travel in groups to and from activities.
• Designate a driver who will not be consuming alcohol or prearrange transportation to and from events.
• Take public transportation with “H” being the first letter on the number plate.
• Verify the cost of transportation before boarding hired vehicles.
• Do not accept lifts from strangers.

For parents:

• Ensure that your children are adequately supervised by a responsible adult at all times. Do not allow them to go to public washrooms or other places unaccompanied.
• Do not leave children unattended in vehicles, at home or in any public space.
• Even if a child is in your company, attach proper identification in the event that they become separated from you.
• Reinforce who are the best people to ask for help. Make it clear to your child that he/she is not to approach persons who look suspicious within their environment. Ensure they are able to recognize uniforms and name badges, e.g. security guards and police officers.
• Give your child two cards or notes to keep on their person at all times listing the names and contact information of yourself and other trusted individuals to contact in case they get separated from you. Instruct your child to present one of the lists to responsible persons (identified previously) for help and ensure that they always keep a list for themselves.
• Play the “What Am I Wearing?” game. Tell your child to take a good look at you, then close his/her eyes and tell you what you are wearing. If you get separated, it can help them locate you in a crowd or describe you to a helpful adult.
• Take a digital picture of each child. If one of them gets lost, you can show the authorities a current picture of your child wearing that day’s clothes.
• Tell children younger than 10 to stay put if you are separated. Young children should never exit the venue but should remain where they are so you can find them.
• Agree on a designated meeting place in case you get separated. Never choose the entrance to a venue or the parking lot. The ideal meeting place is an information centre, ticket booth or a clearly noticeable landmark.
• Report your child missing as soon as you realize it.

For useful tips on how to protect yourself and your vehicle on the road, see our post titled General Safety Tips for Drivers in Grenada here.