{"id":229211,"date":"2020-02-02T07:00:36","date_gmt":"2020-02-02T05:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/?p=229211"},"modified":"2020-02-03T08:25:05","modified_gmt":"2020-02-03T06:25:05","slug":"roses-red-violets-blue-make-safety-priority","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/news-headlines\/2020\/02\/02\/roses-red-violets-blue-make-safety-priority\/","title":{"rendered":"Roses are red, violets are blue, make safety a priority too"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s the month of love, and what better way to celebrate it than to prioritise your safety and of those loved ones around you.<\/p>\n

Charnel Hattingh, national marketing and communications manager for Fidelity ADT, said a good place to start is to make sure everyone in your household knows exactly what to do in case of an emergency.<\/p>

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\u201cPeople understandably panic when there\u2019s an emergency making it difficult to think rationally and clearly.<\/p>\n

\u201cSit down with your loved ones today, and talk to them about who they should contact.<\/p>

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\u201cMake sure they have the correct contact numbers for the police, your neighbourhood watch, your security company, or your closest hospital saved on their phones.\u201d<\/p>\n

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ALSO READ:<\/span><\/p>\n

Safety tips for the community from the Germiston Flying Squad<\/a><\/p>\n

Here is what you need to know when calling 10111<\/a><\/p>\n

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Assessing your property and doing a thorough check to rule out any vulnerable areas should also be on the to-do list.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe suggest talking a walk around the property to look for anything that could help an intruder access and exit the property easily.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre there low-hanging tree branches that can be used to climb over a fence or wall?<\/p>\n

\u201cInspect the locks on perimeter gates and garage doors \u2013 are they in good condition, or can they be broken with some force?<\/p>\n

\u201cBe on the lookout for anything that can be used to force entry.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd if you have an electric fence, when last did you test it,\u201d said Hattingh.<\/p>\n

Inside the house, she suggested that window and door locks must be checked regularly.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important that outward-leading doors, and windows, are locked from the inside when no-one is home and overnight.<\/p>\n

\u201cRegardless of the time of day, keep curtains or blinds drawn in a way that makes it difficult to see in from the outside.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd, never leave valuables \u2013 or keys \u2013 anywhere that they can be seen or reached from a window,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

If there is a home security system installed, she advises that it is regularly tested to ensure that it is in proper working condition when it\u2019s needed most.<\/p>\n

\u201cTest your alarms and beams at least once a month out of peak times. If you are unsure of how to do this, contact your security company,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Lastly, if there is any reason to believe that there is an intruder on the property, Hattingh\u2019s advice is to never go outside to investigate.<\/p>\n

\u201cMake sure that everyone in the household knows that they must immediately call the police or your security company.<\/p>\n

\u201cTry to remain on the line with them until officers arrive, and only venture outside once they indicate that it is safe to do so.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s enjoy this time of showing our love by being security conscious and getting our homes in order,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

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Hav<\/strong>e a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za,<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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