Keeping Your Family Safe (Part 1)
1. Have a list of emergency numbers (SAPS, Alarm Company, Emergency Medical Response) at hand, either in the form of a written list that is prominently displayed or saved in your phone under the title “Emergency”.
2. Try to be aware of your surroundings at all times, stay alert for anything that seems to be out of place and people loitering or acting suspiciously.
3. Don’t make it easy for people to attack or steal from you by leaving garage doors/house doors open while you’re in the house or working in the garden.
4. Get to know your neighbours, good neighbours look out for each other and extra eyes means extra safety. Make sure you have your neighbours phone number listed preferably under your “Emergency” listing in your phone. Should something happen to you and you’re unable to communicate clearly, a neighbour who receives a late night call from you will be more likely to make an effort to ensure that you are safe by calling for help on your behalf.
5. Secure your doors and windows and get into the habit of a nightly routine of making sure everything is secured before you go to bed. Start at one end of the house and work your way through to the other end checking everything as you go. Try opening the doors to make sure they’re locked and check that all that window catches are engaged. Pay attention to your garage doors, they are often overlooked and left open because you think you pressed the remote when you came into the house. Keep your keys safe where they are not easily accessible in other words not lying on a table next to a window that can easily be forced open.
