The December holidays is a time to rest and recharge after a busy year. It is important not to neglect personal safety during this period, especially as it is also a busy time of year for opportunistic criminals.
The first and most important step to take is to regularly test your alarm and to ensure that it is in a good working condition. It is also a good idea to let us know what your holiday plans are, and how best to get in touch with you in the event of an emergency.
Additional security tips for holiday makers to make sure their residential property is protected and safe include:
• Cut back any bushes or trees that may offer easy access over walls or gates to your property, or provide places for criminals to hide.
• Inform your neighbours and Neighbourhood Watch of your holiday plans so that they can keep an eye on your property.
• If hiring a house-sitter, ensure that you teach him/ her how to use your alarm correctly.
• If you don’t have a house-sitter, ask a neighbour or a friend to turn on lights occasionally so that there is a sense that someone is around. If this is not possible, consider putting your outside lights on a timer.
• Double check that you have locked and secured all windows and doors before leaving home.
The key thing to remember is to make sure that everyone in your family is prepared and that they know exactly what to do in a case of an emergency.
It doesn’t matter if you are relaxing at home or next to the ocean these holidays. If something were to happen to you or a loved one, make sure you know who to contact for emergency assistance.
