30 Days to Better Preparedness. Day 20. Security.
I hope you had a good weekend and are ready to increase your preparedness this week.
Firstly, I am no security expert. I am going to give you things to think about and work on. We all have unique circumstances to consider.
Lets get the first layer out of the way. Stupid things!
I was on FB today in a cleaning group. A woman posted her name and introduced herself saying she is a single Mum and this is her routine. Between the intro and the rest I knew wow she would be an easy target. STUPID!
You see people post on social media how they need someone to look after their cat as they are going to be away from the 15th to the 30th. STUPID.
You buy new technology and put the boxes out next to the bin for all to see. STUPID.
You have stick figure people on your car that tells everyone exactly who is in your household. I have seen this ... single woman, small children, pet cat. STUPID! If you want these kinds of stickers have gun club/martial arts and big dogs!
Other easy to remedy things like keeping your keys inside the front or back door where people can see them. Every trade, repair man, cleaner, friend and associate who ever came through your house now knows where they are. 😬
Lets go through three stages of security.
Level 1.
This is where we think about preventing yourself or your home from being a target. This is where I think effort is really worth it. A lot of people rely on video cameras and surveillance but all you really get is a nice video to watch of the crime. Not that helpful. You want to prevent it in the first place.
If you can possibly try to think like a thief and park out the front of your home and look at it objectively. What can a person conclude from looking only? Are there low windows that would be easy to climb in? Does your place look neat and tidy or unlived in? Are there places that someone could conceal themselves? Think about your side and back perimeters too.
Our house cannot be seen from the road. We try to keep the front gate area mowed and neat so it looks like someone lives here. On the driveway we then have a dog sign and we have a gate alarm.
Think what makes your place vulnerable? What can you do to make it too much of a problem for a thief?
There are a lot of options from security doors and windows and signs to "clues" that will be off putting. A ute, workbooks near the door let people know a man lives here. When I lived alone I had a big mans set of rubber boots at the back door. I also had a Beware of Dog sign for many years even though I didn't have a dog! So many people would not came in the gate because of that sign.
Level 2.
Early warning. Someone has decided they are going to give it a shot and try and break in. If you are working inside or asleep then an early warning is so important. First of all we have a gate alarm that has gone off if a car drove in our driveway. It would also go off if someone walked up the driveway. It is loud enough it wakes me up. On the sound of that at night I have time to get up and turn a whole bunch of lights on inside and out. So whoever it is knows 1. We are home. 2. We know they are there. If the alarm goes off during the day I watch out to see who is approaching. If no one comes to the house Andy goes to investigate.
Next we have motion sensor lights. As a vehicle or person goes past our shed (plus various other points) lights come on. They may think we have turned them on and they may think they have been seen. Anyone doing the wrong thing will not like light and will not want to be seen.
Next we have a dog. A police officer told me that even with modern security systems a dog is still the best measure. They are amazing. A barking dog is another layer that is going to make someone think again about coming any further. If you are going to have a Beware of Dog sign or similar, back it up with a huge dog bowl!
Level 3.
This is what you do if someone is in your home. You may have come home and suddenly realise someone has been inside. How do you know they have left?
Funnily it is human nature to retreat INTO our home... but at the slightest hint someone may be in your home you get the heck out! If your door has been messed with or any sign do not go into your house!!! Retreat fast, get away and call the police, go to the neighbours but do not go in.
If you can hear someone is breaking in or is in your home get out by the nearest exit.
I can only say so much on self defence inside the home. I believe you have to be able to protect yourself and your family. My Dad gave us all instructions on what to do. When the girls got married he told their husbands what he expected them to do to protect them.
So please consider in a crisis of any size most likely the police are not coming. Most likely they have hundreds of calls. You need a plan. In a crisis normally reasonable people can become desperate, irrational... fear causes people to do crazy things.
Some other odds and ends are to always look in your car before you get in. Practice situational awareness when you are out. Do not be distracted. Are you the only person entering a building when everyone else is leaving? Keep your wits about you. Do not be distracted by your phone, look up and look around. Take a really good look around before walking into a car park. Be alert!
Also trust your instincts and feelings. A very good book called The Gift of Fear goes into how most of us prefer to be murdered than be rude. Haha! Seriously! Detectives interviewed gave so many examples of violent crimes against women. They would ask the woman why did you let the guy in? Why did you give him a ride in your car? Why, why, why?!! Usually the answer was they felt bad, embarrassed, rude and so against their better judgement they opened the door/gave the ride/ wherever.
This book taught me things to watch for in behaviour. An example is "False Teaming." This is often used as a sales technique. The person will create a scenario that will give them the chance to say "what are We going to do?" "We sure find ourselves in a bind." "We" when there is no we and you don't know them but they manage to make it sound like you are on the same team. It creates a false sense of trust.... it is called False Teaming.
Another manipulative technique used often by salespeople but also by criminals is they frame questions carefully so you can not say NO.
Rather than ask you can they come to your place (which has a yes or no answer) they will ask "is it better if I come over in the morning or the afternoon?" So you feel you have two choices. Morning or afternoon!
A sales person might say "do you want to pay for that today or would you like to use our 90 days interest free deal?" Either answer means you're going to buy it. Dang! If this kind of thing interests you there is a lot of reading you can do to learn more!
The Gift of Fear gives a series of examples where people suspected they were in trouble but could not be impolite and they could not say no. If you feel uncomfortable then trust your instincts and get the heck out of there! It is better to look stupid than to take a serious risk.
Part of feeling something isn't right also comes from the fact we have all our senses and we might pick up information/observations that somehow don't quite make sense. The message is to always er on the side of caution and if you think something isn't right, then something isn't right.
In the current climate just about anything good is now considered bad. So saving is now called hoarding, so is having a decent pantry. Given most people are not prepared it might be wise to lay low in terms of people seeing what you have. Loose lips sink ships as they say.
Personal safety, situational awareness and security are really interesting areas. So important to think about. Please assess the security of your home. xxx
Great advice! Knowing how to defend yourself is vital. Pray you don't ever need to, but have the skill anyway. Our daughter was able to take down a man about twice her size with a 5 litre jerry can when she came home in the middle of the night and found him trying to break into one of the cars. She picked it up and swung at his head, then as he collapsed she brought it down on the back of his head, all the while screaming we have an intruder, we have an intruder. As he ran past her to get away she kicked out at his knees. I was taught to carry my car keys in my hand with a key between my fingers to use as a weapon, and it saved me in a carpark, in the middle of the day mind you, when a man tried to get my handbag. Instead he got a key to the back of his hand and some time in jail. For personal defense, remember SING - solar plexus, in-step, nose, groin. Use your elbows and feet, and fingers to the eyes and throat. If someone grabs you from behind, drop - it throws their balance off and you can turn and run. Always fight and yell and shout to draw attention to what is happening. Home security - sliding glass doors and great big picture windows are lovely but they are also great entry points for break-ins and being large means easier to get through - something to think about. And practice - self-defense, home defense, evacuation in case someone gets into your home. I know it sounds like living in fear, but if you are prepared then you aren't scared.
ReplyDeleteDear Cath,
DeleteRemind me not to mess with H! haha! Good for her!
Yes really this is just another area if we attend to it we dont have to be frightened. Just sensible.
I do the same thing with having my car keys ready and in my hand. Every time. With love Annabel.xxx
I always felt safe at home and for twenty years or so we weren’t too concerned if the cars were unlocked , or even the front door. Mind you, we did have a big dog!
ReplyDeleteBut three years ago my husband had door and window alarms installed, with video surveillance and plenty of exterior wall and window stickers applied. We no longer have a dog, so it certainly helps. Your advice about general alertness and most certainly awareness of not advertising vulnerability or absences is very wise. This also applies to not even writing your holiday dates on your calendar, hung on the kitchen wall.
Take a look at what others can see looking in your windows or coming into your house. Don't leave pricey electronics or a purse in plain sight. Our pantry/utility room is also the main entry to our home. Any repairman or delivery person can see what is on the shelves. I will be making curtains to hang over the shelves to hide our supplies. My neighbors have no idea the extent of our pantry. When my next door neighbor (who is totally unprepared and shops daily) asks if I need anything at the store, I just thank her and say not today. Lock your vehicles and don't keep valuables in them. So many thefts around here are from drug addicts stealing wallets and phones from unlocked vehicles. They also steal from unlocked sheds/garages when the owner is working in another part of the yard. Keep your doors locked even when you are at home. Don't answer the door if you don't know who is knocking and aren't expecting anyone. Keep an eye out for strange vehicles slowly cruising your street and strangers walking in the neighborhood. While they may be looking for an address or a lost dog, they may be casing houses looking for easy targets.
ReplyDelete'The Gift Of Fear'!!!!!! Haven't thought of that book, for too long. Need to introduce it, to my Dear Readers!!!!
ReplyDeleteAnd common sense. And listen to your "gut," as the old saying goes.
Sooooo much is common sense!!! But so many people, do not use it. Like don't be rude, ever!!! Yikes!!!!
And telling exactly when you will be away! On a blog! Which can be read by everyone in the world!!!!!! Eeeek! Eeeek! Eeeek!
Thank you for this post! Everyone should read it!
🍎🌻🍁🍂🍁🌻🍎
I feel pretty well prepared here but I would like to add a driveway alarm even though we can see the road and the driveway. Car break ins are huge here but most of the time when items are stolen from cars they are not locked. That is just crazy. One night I woke to hear our front storm door rattling like it does when someone is trying to open it but the motion lights did not come on. Later we realized that it was likely a bear trying to get in the door since it would have been below the lights. The next day we found our mailbox had been mauled and food had come in the mail the day before. Again, a bear. This is a whole other issue! We are armed here.
ReplyDeleteMy Dad taught us girls things to protect ourselves. He always said, 'You know where to put a knee or grab a man, right?'. And there are also the eyes. A finger in an eye will put someone down. Dad always said to just not be nice but to be mean and protect ourselves. He also told us that if we ever had someone in our car without our permission to drive right into the nearest tree or even bridge underpass.
I see posts on Nextdoor almost every day asking for help while people are out of town and the general address is right there with the post! I am amazed! If you want to say something about being out of town just say you had a great time when you are back home!
Outstanding topic and food for thought! Thank you! My husband is super aware but I am not, it is only fall projects list.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of great points there, Annabel. I am amazed by the number of houses around me where windows are left open during the day, even when there is nobody home. Crazy! My husband's great aunt had a large window, which she liked to have open during the daytime. It faced onto the street and she was worried that someone would climb in while she was in the kitchen, so she placed a table full of cactus plants infront of it. Any intruder would have got a very nasty shock!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great one, Annabel. I didn't get to check in on Friday because it was a grocery shopping day and time got away from me. I have read through all of last weeks and am keeping up. I was glad to see on the addictions one that I wouldn't be required to give up chocolate. :-)
ReplyDeleteWhen we have bought new technology I always cut the boxes open and fold them inside out before taking them to the curb and sandwich them between other recycling.
As far as walking to the car, yes, I am always acutely aware of my surroundings. I never park next to a van and if a van is on my driver's side when I come out of the store and is occupied, I will enter my car from the passenger's side and climb across. Also look under your car from a distance as you approach it. I also walk with keys laced between my fingers if it is dark. I live in a smaller town and have always felt safe though I do not do stupid things regardless.. Blessings, Laura
I also live in a rural area but our property is not gated. There is access from the road & only one way out. We are a dead end. And we live on a public lake. We have had people stop their boats on our bank & walk up through our back yard to ask for help.
ReplyDeleteI think dogs are the biggest defense. I have two, one outside & one inside. I am mixed about the motion lights & alarms. We have so much wildlife & some of it large animals that would set these off several times a day & night. We do have a large dusk to dawn light that goes on & off automatically.
So much wisdom in this post. Thank you! I also don't want to run into Cath's daughter on a dark night, LOL.
ReplyDeleteLiving in an apt. building in a very large city my security concerns are very different from yours. I've always been a city girl so here is what I've learned:
ReplyDeleteI live in a small building so people generally know who is supposed to be there and who doesn't. We don't open the main door to strangers and no sales people are allowed - if they try they are told to leave and if they don't the super is called immediately.
My keys are in my hand as I enter the lobby so that I don't have to stand at the main door and fish for them in my purse. When I get into my apt. I lock it - use the deadbolt and put the chain on - all done automatically. Always use the chain if someone comes to the door until I know who it is.
Always be aware of your surroundings in the city - walk with authority and don't put yourself into potentially dangerous situations. On the subway platform I stand with my back to the wall - never leaning over the edge of the platform.
Since I walk with a cane I use a cross-body bag so that I still have a hand free. I keep that bag close to my side - with the zipper always closed (never use an open bag for things like your wallet or phone). I keep change in my pocket for things like coffee or giving to someone on the street - I cannot believe the number of times I've seen women stand on the street opening their wallets and leaving themselves so vulnerable to a possible mugging!
I don't drive but there is one friend that I travel with a lot and I always make sure the doors are locked when we walk away - even if only for a quick trip into a shop - she can be a bit forgetful! I also check the backseat - although, since I always put my cane into the backseat - that is a good way to check.
And yes, I've had self-defence lessons - and I know the SiNG acronym. I have also used my cane on more than one occasion to keep some space between me and someone who raised my alarm and if need be I would use it as a weapon. Never take your personal safety for granted. Great post.
Thank you for the thoughtful post. And thanks Bluebirds, for your helpful comments.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Leslie
Do NOT put gun club stickers or the like on your car. This lets people know you may have weapons available and follow you to find them. Too much information is given away with those stickers.
ReplyDeleteI started keeping my car locked (and put on locking gas caps) when my brother's step sons began siphoning gasoline. I've also had this happen in town while working at a private residence so that was what started me.
ReplyDeleteWe live well off the road and we try to keep the drive mown so that anyone is aware that it's not just a dirt trail to run up but is actually a driveway. I'm lobbying for a gate. Supposedly we've been given the gate and posts but to date, no gate. I'll have to nag on this one I suspect, but I feel it's also a warning to anyone even if it's open.
We have dogs.
Because we do live off the road we've always kept shades drawn if we aren't home so no one can look into windows. If we're gone for an extended bit of time we will put on lights in the rooms where we normally have lights. I like the timer things that have them come on and go off at set hours. We stop mail coming to the house and my son or daughter stops by daily just to give the place a once over and to feed pets.
Since we have to take our trash to a dump, we've made it a habit to have NO address labels on anything we dump. It takes looking hard because Amazon for instance will post three or four different stickers and one might even describe contents of boxes so we'd shred that one as well if it was something expensive.
And we never post if we're going on vacation, nor while we're on vaca either. Those pictures might go up once we're home but never until we're in our house once again. I don't announce it on my blog either and I've learned if I have regular posts going out to have them pre-scheduled so even from a distance things appear to be usual routine.