In When Giants Fall: An Economic Roadmap for the End of the American Era, I make the case that the world is set to become a darker, more dangerous place.
For economic and other reasons, we can expect to see crime, social unrest, and geopolitical conflict increase, which means businesses, families, and individuals will have to pay much greater attention to issues of safety and security than they have in the past.
One good place to start for ideas about protecting homes, businesses, and loved ones is the website of Maxidor Home Security, a security company based in South Africa, which, as the Surviving in Argentina blog points out, has certainly had more than its share of security-related troubles.
- If you look at your home like a criminal’s does, you will learn much that can help you identify weak areas in your family’s security setup.
- Try and break into your own home! What would be the easiest way to gain access to your premises/home?
- Walk past your house and look at it like a “casual passer-by” would.
- Inspect your garden for places that can conceal a criminal.
- Examine your current security measures (i.e. burglar bars, security doors, gates, fences, dogs, alarm systems, beams, anti-scaling devices, lighting, etc.). Are they adequate considering your neighbourhood and your lifestyle? How does it compare with the measures your neighbours have taken?
- Inspect the inside of your home for potentially weak areas, or have a professional assessment done.
- Carefully assess your family’s security disciplines (locking doors, assertiveness with strangers, awareness of dangers, alertness, key storage, etc.)
- Use this information to establish a security routine and train your family and others in the home to stick to it!
- Advertise the security measures you have taken (Alarm, Security doors, etc.) on your perimeter fence/wall with the 'protected by...' boards supplied (usually) by the company providing the service.
- If any of your exterior doors are hollow-core, replace them with solid wood, fibreglass or steel doors and fit a steel security gate.
- While you have the choice, make sure exterior door hinges are on the inside rather than the outside (intruders can remove the pins and pull the door out of the frame).
- To secure sliding glass doors, add a bolt lock or use a "charley bar" to block the door closed and install an expandable security barrier.
- Invest in high-quality, name-brand deadbolt locks on all exterior doors.
- If you have a double-cylinder deadbolt that is operated by a key both inside and out, keep the key in a safe place near the door where every family member can find it and exit quickly in case of fire.
- Install motion-detection floodlights around your home, high enough so that intruders can’t disable them.
- Some burglars scan newspapers for wedding and funeral announcements and special community and holiday events that might take you out of your home, so be especially careful on these occasions.
- Keep your garage door locked at all times, preferably with a deadbolt lock.
Physical Security Barriers
- Are all the openings in your home secured with barriers robust enough to deter a criminal? The best way of preventing a crime is to discourage the criminal from even considering breaking into your home in the first place. If a criminal has broken in once, he will more than likely try again.
- Have a look at the condition of the barriers. Poorly-maintained barriers will be easy to break through.
Alarm systems
- Establish procedures that the household will follow in the event of an alarm.
- Test the alarm system regularly to make sure that it is in good working order and your alarm company responds promptly.
Lighting
- Light up dark areas in the garden where intruders can hide.
- Motion detection lighting not only illuminates the intruder, but also alerts you to activity outside.
Plants and Obstructions
- Plants, shrubs or trees that block the view of entrances from the house must be trimmed or removed.
- Plants, shrubs or trees on the sidewalk that could shield a car hijacker must be trimmed or removed.
Perimeter Walls and Fences
- While walls and fences provide a small measure of security and degrees of privacy, they also shield intruders from outside observation and provide hiding places for an ambush or hijacker.
- Poorly constructed walls or fences could present an intruder with a 'ladder' into your property. Anti-scaling devices may be necessary. Any “landing and launching” feature on or near the wall or fence must also be removed!
Windows
- Ensure that all your window openings are protected even when your windows are open. Do this with a combination of expandable/retractable and fixed security grills.
- Ensure that certain identified windows have expandable/retractable security grills that can easily be opened in the event of a fire or other threat. Hide the keys nearby and educate the family in escape procedures.
Dealing with unknown persons
- Criminals use many guises to fool a household member into allowing them entry onto the premises and into the house. Some of these guises are: telephone company employees, removal employees, electrical meter readers, beggars (begging for food, money or “employment”), etc. Being alert to these ploys can ensure that you are not caught unawares. It is very important that you train all members of the household in how to deal with strangers, particularly those household members who are often alone on the premises while you are away.
- Keep household members and employees informed about deliveries, visits to your premises by repair personnel or other contractors and other comings and goings on your premises so that they are not easily misled by a smooth talker.
- Make sure that your household members and employees know exactly who is allowed access to the premises and that they are very firm in refusing access to anyone else, regardless of the circumstances, unless of course, you have specifically arranged with them beforehand.
- Should there be any queries, make sure that they know how to get hold of you to inform you of a potential situation or to query the validity of a caller.
- It is vital that you confirm the identity of anyone who approaches you in official guise. Remember, identity cards and books can be and often are forged. It may be necessary to telephone the relevant institutions to confirm not only employment, but also their business on your premises.
- Do not use the telephone number they provide. The "legitimacy" of their business would merely be confirmed by their accomplices. Look up the number in the directory or phone information, if you do not have it in your list of telephone numbers.
- As a matter of course, never trust anyone. It is better to err on the side of discretion. Most legitimate callers will fully understand and respect the precautions you are taking.
- When you feel it necessary to refuse entry to a caller, be firm. Do not allow them to manipulate you or play on your emotions. Allow them no space.
- Should callers become abusive, it may be necessary to call the police, especially if you suspect their business is not legitimate.
- Remember that by law certain people must be allowed access to your premises. One of these would be the meter reader. It may be a good idea to relocate the meter to a place where it is easily accessible, or failing that, have a specific routine for dealing with such people.
- Never open the door to a stranger. Install peepholes in all exterior doors so you can identify whoever is outside. Do not rely on a door safety chain, because these can easily be broken.
- All the measures you take to protect your family is as good as the security disciplines you and your family have e.g. a security gate is useless unless it is locked and the key removed and secured! A series of small, but useful routines, correctly and conscientiously followed, will ensure that your overall security is the best it can be.
- Design a set of rules for the family. They should include key disciplines, escape procedures and routes, Inscape Door disciplines, safe havens, etc.
- Have regular family security meetings at which these disciplines are re-enforced!
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