{"id":83058,"date":"2015-03-10T08:12:49","date_gmt":"2015-03-10T06:12:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/?p=83058"},"modified":"2015-03-10T08:54:56","modified_gmt":"2015-03-10T06:54:56","slug":"make-your-home-safe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/news-headlines\/2015\/03\/10\/make-your-home-safe\/","title":{"rendered":"Make your home safe"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Alarm systems are a good deterrent, but what other steps can you take when such systems fail?<\/p>\n<p>Below are a number of home safety measures from the SAPS website, that you can put in place to augment your household\u2019s security.<\/p><div class=\"stream-item stream-item-in-post stream-item-inline-post aligncenter\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>Fences\/Walls<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>A high fence around the house with lockable gates is much safer than a high wall, due to the improved visibility it provides.<br \/>\nThe primary aim of the fence is to make access\/intrusion difficult and to allow dogs free movement around the property.<br \/>\nEnsure that your gates are locked at all times and that the keys cannot be easily reached and are not lying around uncontrolled.<br \/>\nSecurity gates with sturdy locks in front of each outer door, as well as burglar-proofing all windows, are recommended.<\/p><div class=\"stream-item stream-item-in-post stream-item-inline-post aligncenter\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>Alarm Systems<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>An alarm system, preferably connected to an armed response company, can act as an effective deterrent.<br \/>\nIn the rural environment a siren\/alarm on the roof that can be heard over a long distance and that can be activated by a switch\/panic button in the house, is recommended.<br \/>\nPreferably, a few switches\/panic buttons in different rooms of the house should be installed.<br \/>\nAn alarm must also have the capability of warning the occupants of any intrusion into the house.<\/p>\n<p>Examples of alarm systems:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Mechanical and\/or electrical (purchased types)<\/li>\n<li>Improvised systems<\/li>\n<li>Threaded tins<\/li>\n<li>Threaded pieces of iron<\/li>\n<li>Gravel on window ledges, pathways or around the home<\/li>\n<li>Obstacles that can make a noise when moved<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Biological Systems:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Dogs<\/li>\n<li>Geese<\/li>\n<li>Ostriches<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Security Lights<br \/>\n<\/strong>Security lights on the outside of a house improve the physical protection of a house, farm or smallholding.<br \/>\nThe lights must be directed away from the house and allow the occupants to use the windows without being observed from outside.<br \/>\nBe aware of possible shadows and blind spots.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><br \/>\nSafety Precautions<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ensure that all doors are locked at all times, and that windows are closed when you are not at home.<\/li>\n<li>Large dogs serve as a deterrent. At least one dog should be trained to sleep inside the house.<\/li>\n<li>If you leave your residence, inform your family\/neighbours of your intended destination, time you expect to return and the route you will be driving, especially if you reside in a rural area.<\/li>\n<li>Ensure that tools such as axes, spades, picks, ladders, etc. that could be used in an attack, are locked away when not in use.<\/li>\n<li>Vary your daily routine.<\/li>\n<li>Get into the habit of not immediately falling asleep after switching off the lights. Remain awake for a while.<\/li>\n<li>When you are asleep, you should not be visible in the bedroom from outside.<\/li>\n<li>Always keep a torch nearby at night and when you use it, ensure that you do not give away your position.<\/li>\n<li>If you are unsure about the security status of your home after returning from work\/a visit, e.g. your dogs do not come to the gate, do not enter your home.<\/li>\n<li>Contact your neighbour to assist you in securing your home.<\/li>\n<li>Identify relatively safe places of refuge, i.e. bathroom, toilet or storeroom.<\/li>\n<li>The fewer windows and doors these rooms have, the better.<\/li>\n<li>Involve employees as they are part of the family\/team.<\/li>\n<li>Employees must be involved in maintaining security on an equal footing.<\/li>\n<li>Report suspicious behaviour and information to the South African Police Service.<\/li>\n<li>Clear the areas around the gates of bushes and other hiding places.<\/li>\n<li>Take photographs of all employees. It could be to your advantage to identify them, if required.<\/li>\n<li>Remunerate your employees when useful information is provided that contributes to prevention of crime.<\/li>\n<li>Do not employ casual workers without a reference.<\/li>\n<li>Keep copies of all your employees\u2019 Identity Documents.<\/li>\n<li>Ensure that you have a good relationship with your neighbours so that you will be in a good position to support and help each other.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Access and Key Control<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Do not allow strangers on your premises or in your house without having properly identified the person, especially at night.<\/li>\n<li>Implement proper key control measures.<\/li>\n<li>Identify keys by means of codes instead of indicating in writing on labels to which gate\/door access can be gained.<\/li>\n<li>Keys to the safe must be kept on the person.<\/li>\n<li>Never hide any keys in traditional places, such as in pot plants or under doormats.<\/li>\n<li>Keys in the keyhole on the inside of the front or back door should be turned to prevent easy removal.<\/li>\n<li>Never allow strangers to handle keys or look at key numbers.<\/li>\n<li>Change locks when keys are lost.<\/li>\n<li>Insert barring devices in door locks.<\/li>\n<li>Remove keys from doors when leaving.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Communication<br \/>\n<\/strong>There should be two systems for alternative back up:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Telephone<\/li>\n<li>Cellular phone<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Have the telephone installed where it is easily accessible from anywhere in the house.<br \/>\nInform your children not to give any indication that adult supervision is not available when they answer the phone.<\/p>\n<p>Emergency numbers to remember:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>SAPS Crime Stop: 08600 10111<\/li>\n<li>SAPS Emergency Line: 10111<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For more safety tips visit:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.saps.gov.za\/\">www.saps.gov.za<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"stream-item stream-item-below-post-content\">\n<div class='tenancy_slot tenancy_slot_1 jannah_ad' style='display: none;' data-query-id='18a390d0b1841749ebdf4c0083de471c'><\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What other steps can you take to secure your home?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":557,"featured_media":83063,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"hasGravity":false,"cxt_article_byline":"","cxt_disable_google_ads":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,508,2],"tags":[8297,989,1012,1003,1106,979,969,2730,999,1000,1480,997,3036,998],"class_list":["post-83058","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-crime-news","category-editors-choice","category-news-headlines","tag-community-2","tag-crime","tag-east-rand","tag-ekurhuleni","tag-gcn","tag-germiston","tag-germiston-city-news","tag-leigh-hodgson","tag-police","tag-primrose","tag-primrose-police","tag-primrose-saps","tag-safety-tips","tag-saps"],"amp_enabled":true,"category_labels":{"Category":"News","SubCategory":"Crime News"},"tag_labels":["community","crime","East Rand","Ekurhuleni","GCN","germiston","germiston city news","Leigh Hodgson","police","primrose","Primrose police","Primrose SAPS","safety tips","SAPS"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83058","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/557"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=83058"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83058\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/83063"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=83058"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=83058"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=83058"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}