Fidelity ADT offers useful safety tips

Your alarm has your back, arm your alarm even when you are at home.

This is according to Fidelity ADT, which urged residents to remain vigilant and arm their alarms when going out for their daily walk or run or just out to the shops.

Michelle Pelser of Fidelity ADT stressed residents need to know this presents an opportunity for criminals.

“What concerns us is many people don’t arm their alarm systems when they leave home and we sometimes even come across properties where gates are left open. Perimeter security is the first layer of defence. Homeowners need to ensure their gates are secure at all times and can’t be lifted off the rails,” she said.

She advised the entire perimeter of the property should be checked regularly for weaknesses.

Security tips from Fidelity ADT:

• Arm your alarm whenever you leave your home and when you go to bed

• Close windows and check all doors are locked when you leave home

• Secure your perimeter at all times

• Activate outdoor detection

• Lock all garden, leisure and other equipment away when not in use

• Be extra vigilant when leaving and arriving home. If you notice anything or anyone suspicious, don’t turn into your driveway

• Never allow strangers onto your property, no matter what they say their business is. Ensure your domestic staff knows this rule

• Carry a remote panic at all times when you’re at home and equip your domestic staff with panics

• Report anything suspicious to local SAPS or your security provider immediately

Moving to a new area:

If you have moved to a new area, according to Pelser, you are likely in foreign territory when it comes to the ins and outs of security in your new neighbourhood.

She said the pace of life may be quieter and the view better, but crime remains a reality in South Africa regardless of how picturesque one’s new address is.

“Regardless of whether you are buying into a gated community, townhouse complex, cluster or normal residential area, it is wise to research the suburb to find out what the crime statistics and trends are before taking the leap. Local security companies are one avenue for good advice. Another is to talk to neighbours,” Pelser said.

Fidelity ADT urges established residents to share security information with families that have just moved into the area.

“Moving into a home can be chaotic and overwhelming. All the activities and distractions could create a gap for criminals to pounce. “So go across the street and introduce yourself and offer to keep an eye out from your home while your new neighbours settle in,” she said.

In a couple of days, one can reportedly have a more formal sit-down and chat about the neighbourhood and the security concerns or protocols.

“New residents will more than likely be looking for a security company. It would make sense for them to sign up to the same security provider as the clients in a street or suburb. The more resources can ultimately be dedicated to patrolling and armed reaction,” said Pelser.

Five points to discuss with new neighbours:

• Crime trends and what is being done about them

• CPF and neighbourhood watch – when they meet, who to contact

• Community WhatsApp groups

• Crime hotspots and what is being done about them

• Community initiatives, like grass-clearing, removing of illegal dumping, information sessions for domestic workers

She also said it is crucial that homeowners equip their staff with the knowledge and tools they need to protect themselves and those in their care.

“Security is not the sole responsibility of the police and private security companies. Residents are a vital link in the chain and the more we all invest in our own streets and suburbs to keep them safe, the greater the impact on crime-fighting efforts,” Pelser said.

Emergency numbers

She advised locals to make sure that the most important emergency contact numbers are pre-programmed on their phones or listed on a piece of paper where anyone in the house can easily see it.

These numbers can also include people they trust to know they will come to their aid when they need them.

Recommended numbers to be saved:

• The closest police station. Ask them if they have specific contact numbers allocated for certain clusters, especially when you are living in relatively big policing districts

• The closest fire station and hospital

• Your neighbourhood watch organisation

• If your town or city has a law enforcement or municipal policing service, add their contact details to the list

• The contact details for your armed response company’s monitoring centre. This is helpful where you need to cancel a possible false alarm

• Fidelity ADT Johannesburg and outlying areas is 086 12 12 401 for emergencies and Fidelity ADT Pretoria is 086 12 12 501 for emergencies.

• The names and numbers of your neighbours

“Putting this list of numbers together can give you a great sense of certainty, knowing that you have the correct contact details available when something goes wrong. Parents can also help their children be a lot safer and security conscious by teaching them how to remember these important numbers,” said Pelser.