When it comes to building a safe home for you and your family, the key is to ensure that safety measures are taken before something bad, such as a break-in, occurs. After all, feeling safe and comfortable in your home is what makes it a place worth unwinding and living in.
San Francisco Police Officer Giselle Linnane offered some tips for homeowners to keep in mind to protect their homes and families.
Keep it simple
While technological advances have afforded us ways to survey our homes efficiently and easily, there are also plenty of simple ways to keep your home safe.
“If you’re in an area where maybe you have some trees or bushes outside, a good thing would be to make sure that those are trimmed back, that they’re nice and tidy,” advises Linnane. “That way, it prevents people from having a place to lurk or hide and keep an eye on your home.”
Additionally, if you have walkways or paths around your home, keeping them well-lit will make it so people can’t hide in the shadows. Keeping all doors and windows locked may seem obvious, but in hot months when you have your windows open to let a breeze in, it’s easy to forget they’re open.
In addition to this, there are technological advances that can help, such as security cameras, voice activation and automated televisions or lights.
Security based on community
Having a strong community and good rapport with neighbors can also make a neighborhood a lot safer.
It’s crucial “to be able to work together as a community, keep an eye out on your block and neighborhood, get to know your neighbors, have those conversations with them,” Linnane says. “When the community is tight like that, it also deters people from coming in because they get a sense that someone’s watching because people are always there.”
Through developing a relationship with your neighbors where you can rely on one another, you can ultimately make your homes safer. There’s power in numbers when it comes to safeguarding your community.