We talk a lot about ensuring your home is safe and secure, but what about your vehicles? How can you protect them and what’s inside? These days, most cars come with their own alarm system. Unless you have a particularly older vehicle, most are equipped with at least an alarm sensor. What can you do, though, to protect your car even further? Sometimes, these alarms are just not enough.
Read MoreSadly, we’ve already begun to see this season the devastating and destructive force of Mother Nature. There is not much that can stand up to the power behind these spring and summer storms, but staying alert and taking certain precautions may help to minimize the damage you personally sustain.
Depending on the area of the country where you live, your house may already be built with materials meant to withstand unusually high winds and water. Houses in known tornado and hurricane prone areas are hopefully built with their specific concerns in mind; but if you are not in those areas and want to ensure your house is as strong as possible, then consider special ordering certain provisions from your local building supply store.
Pay close attention to doorways and windows, as they are typically weaker areas of your home. Replace the glass in your windows or patio doors with impact resistant glass. Make sure your front door has at least 3 hinges and a dead bolt and your garage door has been reinforced.
Your roof is also critical to strengthening your home. Hire a qualified professional roofer to inspect and make any necessary repairs or improvements get your roof and supporting framework up to the highest standards.
The ability of your home to withstand intense storms is dependent on your landscaping and yard, as well. Keep all trees and shrubbery trimmed and well cared for, so as not to have extra long branches or weak trunks fall on your house or fly through your windows. Consider removing any loose objects such as statues or bird feeders that may end up as projectiles in high wind. Patio furniture and grills should always be tied down when you hear news of an impending storm with damaging winds.
Especially in areas that get hit with these storms regularly, you may need to build a secure room or cellar. If you are in the direct path of a tornado, you will need more than an interior bathroom to keep you safe. If a secure room is not an option, think through where you will go in case of a storm and ensure this room is reinforced and as strong as possible. Have a talk with your family and get everyone on the same page for your emergency plan. Once word of an impending storm comes out, communicate immediately with your family and follow your emergency plan. You may not have as long as the news is saying before you are hit. Now is not the time to save anything in your home – save your loved ones!
Mother Nature is not a force to be taken lightly. Tornadoes and hurricanes are deadly storms and the safety of your family is the highest priority when the time comes. The time it takes to properly secure your home against these storms is worth every minute and may just save your life. If you’d like more information on how to secure your home year round, please give us a call today at (703) 938-2400!
No matter what age, socioeconomic status, race, or gender, a home invasion can be a very scary experience. Any time your family’s physical safety is threatened, your protective instincts kick in and serve to fuel the courage you need to do all you can to get out of the situation safely. What happens, though, when you are at a particular physical disadvantage such as our senior citizens? If unarmed and physically threatened, the odds are against an elderly homeowner surviving an attacker unscathed. Even if immediate physical threats are not present, the fear and stress of the situation could induce a heart attack or stroke.
For our beloved senior friends and family, how can we ensure they are safe? If they are untrained or uncomfortable with a firearm, how can they best survive a home invasion?
The most certain method of protection is prevention. In our area in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., there are numerous retirement communities which offer a certain level of security and protection; but if your loved ones live on their own, there are many DIY projects you can help with to fortify their home. Be conscientious to give the appearance of a lived in, well cared for, and secured home so as to ward off any criminals scoping the neighborhood. Chances are, if you are able to take good care of your home and yard, you are able to put up a fight – and they know it!
Seniors should also be reminded not to open the door for strangers or to invite anyone they do not know into their homes. Even if they have company with them already in the home and it’s broad daylight, a potential thief may use this opportunity to scope out the inside of the home for valuables to see if it’s worth coming back to later. This could also be a chance for them to see if there is a home security system and to get a feel for the layout of the home to make their plan for entry faster and easier.
Unfortunately, though, sometimes this isn’t enough. If senior citizens do find themselves face to face with a home intruder, there are certain creative household items they can use to defend themselves. They should also have a fully charged cell phone by their bed so they can immediately phone the police at the first sound of something suspicious. If sirens come blaring through the neighborhood quickly, the intruder will most likely run before any further harm comes. Staying on the line with emergency personnel will also help should a medical concern arise such as a heart attack or stroke in order to send an ambulance, as well.
We here at Watch Guard highly recommend a complete home security system in order to most effectively prevent a home invasion. Simply seeing a home security system in place will oftentimes be enough to scare off your average intruder; but if not, it will automatically send authorities coming to your rescue more quickly than any other methods. Consider speaking with your elderly loved ones about this investment in their safety. Give us a call, and we will be happy to answer any questions they may have and help install a system designed uniquely for their home.
It’s the middle of the night, and you hear the rattle of a doorknob or the breaking of glass. You jump out of bed, your heart pounding out of your chest, and in that moment you have to begin the fight of your life. For many people, a gun is kept in their homes for moments such as this. It is oftentimes the most effective method of protection for those trained to use it. For those who do not own a gun, though, how can they protect themselves? What are their options when engaging in a 1v1 against an intruder?
Perhaps one of the better options is utilizing a spray to give you a chance to escape. Pepper sprays are effective in stopping an assailant while his eyes are burning and he is temporarily focused on that alone. This could be enough time for you to run out of the house and to your car or to a neighbor for help. However, you should be careful with this option because they are normally close-range, and there is a chance of the spray blowing back in your face. If you do not have pepper spray, some aerosol hairspray or deodorant may give you similar results.
For longer distance protection, wasp sprays or fire extinguishers can allow you to hit your attacker while keeping your distance and reducing the chances of you feeling the effects, as well.
Think creatively and you will find there are numerous items around your home that could be used as weapons. A baseball bat, golf club, crystal candlesticks, or broom handle could all be used to hit (aim for strategic locations) and should be kept near your bed and not in the garage if you intend to use them as self-defense. If you’re running through the kitchen, glass bottles, cans of food, skillets, or other heavy objects can be thrown to deliver a heavy blow. If you’re fortunate enough to have hot coffee brewing or soup cooking, you could also toss that to deliver burns that will enrage the intruder, but also give you a few moments to escape. Be very careful, though, if you choose to grab a knife for defense – these can easily be snatched and used against you.
If you find yourself running through your home, throw as many objects as you can into the path of your pursuer. The more he has to jump over or move out of his way, the slower he will be.
Your best method of self-defense, though, is prevention. Burglars are opportunists, taking advantage of an unlocked door or open window. Triple-check such things before going to bed to ensure you have not left an open invitation. Also, take care of any simple DIY solutions to secure your home and to create an environment unwelcoming to intruders. A reliable home security system is also a must for prevention. Thieves typically do not want attention drawn to them, so if an alarm is sounding and sirens are on their way, then they will be much more likely to turn and run than to continue entering your home.
If you would like to invest in a one of those reliable home security systems, please contact Watch Guard today. We will walk you through your needs and supply you with a system to protect you and greatly reduce any chances of you needing those candlesticks and wasp sprays.
There are many things that you can absolutely take on as Do It Yourself projects. If you’re brave, perhaps refinishing your kitchen cabinets is an appealing challenge. If you’re more of a newbie to the DIY world, maybe it’s best to start small with something more along the lines of a backyard bird feeder. Many people take it upon themselves to DIY their personal home security, but this is probably one of those times that DIY may not be the wisest choice. You want to trust your family’s safety and all your home’s valuables to a professional who knows what they’re doing and who only uses the most reliable equipment in the industry.
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