The start of a new year is the perfect chance to think of all the things you can do to live a better life. These resolutions should include ways to live more safely and securely.
“Security and safety are topics we all should be thinking of throughout the year,” says Charnel Hattingh, Group Head of Communications and Marketing at Fidelity ADT. “The start of January is the perfect reminder of their importance.
There is always room for improvement in whatever measures you have implemented.
Hattingh recommends five easy steps when drawing up your security New Year’s resolutions:
• Join a suburb WhatsApp group. This is an easy way to stay on top of trends in your suburb and street and to get help in an emergency. All the area’s security companies and members of the Community Policing Forum (CPF) are in these groups and can quickly react to suspicious activity or emergencies.
• Get to know your neighbours. Safer suburbs start with communication between residents. Your neighbours can keep an eye on your property if you are away or at work, and vice versa. They can also easily spot something out of place if they know your daily routines.
• Invest in more outdoor security systems. Good home security starts with a secure perimeter, which then needs to be supported by proper security on the actual property (garden, entertainment areas, garden shed). Electric fencing, outdoor beams, CCTV, and sensor lights are proven deterrents.
• Be more vigilant. Talk to the family about things like leaving and arriving home, locking doors and security gates, being cautious of strangers at the gate, and knowing what to do in an emergency. Everyone should know how to reach their security company and the police quickly by phone or by using the alarm system and panic buttons.
• Have a security assessment done. Advice from a security expert can help you decide on security to suit your lifestyle and living spaces. Technology has evolved tremendously to complement modern homes and lifestyles while keeping criminals at bay and getting you the right help when you need it most. Options that might have been prohibitively expensive a few years ago are now entirely affordable.
“Start the year on a fresh new – and safe – slate,” says Hattingh. “Look for ways of living safer in 2023 and also consider things that can keep your loved ones more secure. It is exactly the kind of New Year’s resolution we should all think about.
