7-Steps To Proactively Protect Yourself Against A Home Invasion
Home Sweet Home - Or Is It? Ladies (and men), be alert and learn how to protect and defend yourself, your home, and your family. In our current economic condition, burglary and home invasion crimes are one the rise. Don’t become a victim of this senseless crime…install a home security system for your best protection!!
If you are a woman who lives alone, whether you are young or old, consider your security and safety as a top priority. There are too many predators who will take advantage of young women thinking they are easy prey. That’s not to say that older women aren’t attacked by predators - it may be that older women view life differently and are more aware of things that younger women blow off as not being that important or urgent. And that is your personal security and safety.
The first step to your protection is knowing you may be vulnerable to some kind of criminal attack. Your goal is to do whatever it takes to reduce that vulnerability and avoid becoming a victim of a home invasion or burglary crime.
Here Are 7-Steps To Proactively Protect Yourself Against A Home Invasion:
1. Install a quality security system in your home and include a panic button. Keep the panic button or a second keypad in your bedroom. Make sure all entry doors to your home are protected, windows that are especially vulnerable, and combine with interior motion detectors. Your alarm rep can make recommendations on the best protection. And always consider fire protection too. (As a security consultant for 20 years, I know how valuable fire protection is).
2. Make sure you have strong locks and updated deadbolts on your doors (with extra long bolts) and that the windows also have strong locks. You can add some extra strength to your windows by placing dowel rods into the track of the windows. Make sure you keep your doors and windows locked even while at home.
3. Your perimeter doors should be solid core doors with reinforced frames. Weak doorframes with high quality deadbolt locks can be kicked in with the frames giving way, but the door with the strong deadbolt is still intact.
4. Look at putting a door guard at the front and back doors to your home that open in. This again will add some extra strength to your doors. If someone is going to intrude upon your home, make them have to work hard at getting in. Most burglars don’t want to have to exert a lot of effort breaking into homes. If you have built a strong and hardened perimeter, chances are the intruder will give up and go away. HARDEN THE PERIMETER OF YOUR HOME.
5. Because the master bedroom is definately where the intruder is going (at least at some point), have a good quality lock on that door as well. Consider changing your door to a solid core door with reinforced frames. You may want to have your master bedroom become your "Safe Room" as you wait for the police to arrive.
6. Have a Safety Plan of Action on specifics you will do to maintain your safety and any family members’ safety. The plan should include your taking a self-defense class to learn techniques and tactics to defend and protect yourself and carrying some kind of personal protection products like pepper spray, mace spray, Taser C2, Stun Gun or Pepper Gun that can be used to fend off an intruder. These are all non-lethal devices only meant to throw off an attacker giving you a chance to escape to safety and call the police. Many women who have been stalked or previously attacked are resorting to firearms for personal protection. Lethal or non-lethal - make sure you follow the legal requirements and that you are properly trained in how to use the device.
7. Develop a safety and security awareness about things around you, the people around you, and any gut feelings about social situations you may be in. You will want to develop a more heightened sense of security and common sense about situations you may have ignored before. My daughter told me I am too paranoid about personal security and safety. I tell her it’s not being paranoid, it’s been realistic and using common sense about safety, being aware of what is going on and knowing how to protect yourself so you don’t become a victim of crime.
For women who have experienced an assault, a violent attack, or a rape, their whole outlook on life has totally changed forever. Please consider the above recommendations and make sure you place your security and safety high on your priority list.
Again, put a security system in your home! Check this link on how to get a high quality, affordable security system monitored 24-hours a day by the world’s #1 alarm company - ADT Security.
Always Stay Aware, Stay Alert, Stay Alive!!
October 27th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Thanks for the tips and advice. I think people forget about all the simple, common sense things they can do to increase home security. If anyone is considering a home security system, make sure you choose one that comes with a full guarantee that covers performance, equipment and labor, false alarm fines, emergency service and a six-month money back guarantee.
October 27th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
These are definitely some good tips. I totally agree with the idea for reinforcing doors because many homes are built cheaper nowadays and have weak door frames that can be kicked in. The site http://www.homesecurityadvice.com/doors-windows/ talks more in details of what is available to consumers.
July 7th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
I agree with the blog and with Jeremy York…that site has helped me thoroughly answering my questions about products, services, etc.