New Year Security Resolutions

It’s a New Year and we all pride ourselves on a fresh start. Perhaps you made some New Year’s resolutions. If we may be so blunt…may we recommend some resolutions to increase your security…whether at home or work? Here are a few suggestions.

1. Mark January as the time to check on your Alarm System account. Make a point of doing a “test” of the alarm with the monitoring station to ensure signals are being received. Call the service office to review your emergency contact list. Are the people on your contact list still available? Are the phone #’s still accurate?

2. Take a moment to think about your keys. Have you given out keys to neighbours, contractors, employees and friends in the past, so they can check on your space in your absence? Did you get them back? How many years has it been since your locks were replaced or re-keyed? A lock re-key can render all old keys inoperative, giving you a fresh start. Or maybe it’s time to take it to the next level and upgrade to a higher-grade lock with key control?

3. Planning on going away for a week or two this winter? Make arrangements to have all mail and flyers picked up daily, and your driveway and walkway shovelled promptly. If your neighbour is willing to park a car in your driveway while you are away…even better.

4. Have you been procrastinating on updating your alarm system? Is it time to start monitoring for flood or low temperature? Are you planning on finally cancelling the landline? We can help. Make the call and book a new security review of your home or business.

5. Do you know all your neighbours? It’s important to not only know the neighbours beside you but also behind and across the street. The holidays are a great time to extend a welcoming hand to your neighbours. If somebody is new to the neighbourhood, stop and talk to them. It’s important to have the conversation about what to do when there is suspicious behaviour on your street. By exchanging phone #’s it’s easy to send a text… Safe neighbourhoods are those where everyone communicates.

6. Every winter we witness many homes and businesses devastated by fire, and inevitably lives are also lost. Many of these situations are preventable or could have been minimized. Working and up to date Smoke detectors, and Carbon Monoxide detectors are not only required by law, they are very affordable Life Safety tools. Every New Years’ day, check the date on your detectors. Smoke detectors should be replaced at least every 10 years, and CO detectors every 8 years. If in doubt…throw them out and replace them with new units. For the price of a few coffees at Starbucks, you could save lives.
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