In just a
few days we’ll pause to celebrate one of the nation’s oldest holidays,
established 119 years ago as a federal day of observance to honor the economic
and social contributions of the American worker.
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Don't give home security a vacation! |
Today, Labor
Day is popularly celebrated as a farewell to summer, marked by picnics,
backyard barbecues, or last-minute getaways for families on the verge of a new
school year. For retailers it’s one of the biggest sale weekends of the year,
with many of their workers clocking in that day, and some even working longer
hours. Ironic, isn’t it?
If you’re
one of the millions planning to head out for a 3-day escape from the cares of
the work week, make sure you take some simple steps to protect your home and
property while you’re away.
1. Lock It Up: You might think it goes without saying, but many people forget to check that their windows and doors are locked before leaving home.
2. Tell Someone: Tell your next-door neighbor to be aware of unfamiliar people or vehicles parked at your house. Even better, ask a neighbor to park one of their cars in your driveway while you’re away to give the impression someone is home.
2. Tell Someone: Tell your next-door neighbor to be aware of unfamiliar people or vehicles parked at your house. Even better, ask a neighbor to park one of their cars in your driveway while you’re away to give the impression someone is home.
Another
important and often overlooked security measure is to notify your local law
enforcement agency that you will be away, as well as who is allowed to be on your
property during your absence. Many police departments will conduct free
vacation checks on households if advance notice is given. Check your local agency’s website for program
information.
3. Set Your
Alarm: Do you have a home security alarm? It’s useless unless it’s activated,
so be sure to set it before leaving! Also, notify the service provider that
you’ll be away, and give them a local emergency contact in your absence.
4. Leave a
Light On: Don’t broadcast the fact of your absence to intruders by leaving all your
lights off at night. Light timers are an inexpensive intruder deterrent. Some units
even come with multiple settings to turn on lights, radios, or televisions at
different intervals at night. You can find timers at your local home
improvement store.
5. Fido, STAY! Have
a dog? Consider leaving Fido home and ask a neighbor to look in on him morning
and evening while you’re away. Barking dogs are a big deterrent to burglars.
And so is the presence of a caretaker a couple times a day.
6. STOP the Presses: Stop delivery of your newspaper for the days you are gone, or ask a
neighbor to collect them promptly each morning. The same goes for your mail or
any other regular deliveries that may fall on a day you’re away, including
trash collection. Many of these services can be temporarily suspended via convenient
online request forms.
7. Avoid “Dead”
Giveaways: A brown, dried-out lawn or dying
outdoor potted plants are another sign that nobody is home to care for them. Make
sure your landscape sprinklers are hooked up to an automatic timer, or ask a
trusted neighbor or hired local teen to tend to your outdoor plants while
you’re gone.
Taking these
simple, inexpensive security precautions while you are away will give you one
less thing to worry about, and many more hours of relaxation and recreation on
your Labor Day weekend trip!
Nanette Shapiro
(714) 924-0781
nanette.shapiro4@gmail.com
