Safety tips for living by yourself

Living alone is liberating! You’ll always know that the only dishes in the sink are yours, everything is exactly top your taste and the fridge is full of your favourite foods only… But, sometimes it can be a bit stressful, especially when you think of how dangerous it can be. Well, it doesn’t have to be any more dangerous than any other types of living situations! With a few simple precautions, you can make sure that you are always safe.

Get a Pet – Dogs are proven to deter burglars from targeting your home, but the advantage of having either a dog or a cat also means that you will feel more comfortable in your house. How comfortable you are in your home generally can determine your panic levels and how you respond when you have to make quick, emergency decision.

Remember to Lock Up – this applies all the time, not just when you are out or a sleep. Some break-ins even occur as “walk-ins” because a lot of people are so relaxed about locking their doors. This is also an advantage of living alone, because you can stick the chain in without having to worry about anyone else having to get into the house. You should also get into the habit of using the peephole.

Fix Maintenance Issues right away – The thing about living alone is that no one else isn't going to take care of this for you, so get yourself a good toolbox for small fixes and ask the landlord or call in a professional for major ones. Some maintenance issues, like a broken or stuck window, can make a burglary easy.

Close the Curtains – Closing the blinds or curtains means that potential burglars can’t see your stuff, but it also means that they can’t see that you’re alone – which can be a factor when they choose targets. Closing the curtains also gives you more privacy so the entire street can’t see what you’re doing.

Turn off Location Services – When you’re living alone you might be on social media a lot, whether you’re Facebooking constantly or instagramming your delicious dinner you just made. But also remember that when you do, just make sure that you’re not broadcasting your location to the world! This is especially important if you can in fact see that you are alone from your social media posts.

Know your Neighbours – No, you don’t have to be the best of friends, but knowing your neighbours is one of the best and easiest security systems in the world. If your neighbours know you live alone, they will be likely to alert the authorities if they see anything suspicious around your home.

Keep Your Cellphone Charged – It may be easy for a burglar to cut a phone line, but majority of us have a cellphone anyway. Make sure to always keep your cellphone charged so that if there is an emergency you can always make a phone call – after all, you live alone so it’s all up to you.

Get a Home Security System – Getting a monitored home security system means you can be alone without being alone, alone! It’s just like having a roommate that doesn't eat food and take up space, but they will always be there for you. Make sure you contact SIS – Security & Investigation Services for all your home security needs.

Advice for children about family safety

Many families are protected with a home security system from SIS – Security & Investigation Services. However, the equipment will only provide alerts about the intruders who have broken into your home. Homeowners must assume a responsibility for not attracting thieves and for informing children about the dangers from burglary. Children may want playmates to come to their house to play games or climb trees. But remember that friends are a source of risks because children may not know about methods for concealing information about personal possessions.

> Confidentiality
Children may choose to make themselves more popular by talking about the new electronics their father bought or the valuable jewelry their mother wears. The information about personal possessions should be protected because thieves will cruise through neighbourhoods and look for open windows and doors such as patio and garage doors. The thieves may enter through an open garage door and steal tools from a work bench or an unlocked vehicle.

> Electronic Devices
A burglar will break a window and enter a home to steal video games, TVs, computers and music systems. Because of this children should always be advised about not speaking to anyone about any expensive or new electronic devices in their home. All information about new purchases should be protected because a thief could easily enter a home and steal something.

> Weapons and Jewelry
Thieves can easily sell stolen weapons, jewelry, antiques and family heirlooms – all these cannot be replaced! Therefore, parents should protect themselves and their children by speaking with their children about the potential threats from strangers. Family members may be frightened after a burglary, but you will all have protection with a home security system from SIS – Security & Investigation Services.

Written By: Christine Romans