PROTECT-U-SERVICES
SAFETY TIPS:

Protecting Your Home from Fire and Theft:

Theft Prevention Tips

• Homes and Businesses without Security & Fire Alarm Systems have a 60% better chance of being burglarized or destroyed completely by fire. Let Protect-U-Services install a monitored Security and Fire alarm system

• Use timers for both interior and exterior lighting when your planning to be away, good lighting is an excellent way to deter an intruder

• Use timers to turn on televisions or sound systems at different times in order to give your home that “lived in” look

• Don’t leave any valuables in plain sight from a window or door, this may tempt an intruder

• Don’t keep spare keys in obvious places like under door mats or above doorways

• Disable your garage door openers while away, many burglars have openers with common codes in them

• Avoid obvious signs of a household on “vacation”, have someone mow your lawn, trim your hedges, or even park a car in your driveway

• Have the Post Office hold your mail while your gone, a full mailbox is a sign your not in

• Verify all your doors and windows are locked before leaving, most Burglaries occur during normal working hours

• For extra protection, add a cylinder bolt lock or a bar to your sliding glass doors to prevent it from opening. Also, wedge a metal bar or wood block in the track of your double hung windows

Causes of Fire

• Fact: Fires caused by smoking materials kill more people than fires ignited by any other cause

• Fact: 23% of all fires are incendiary or suspicious fires

• Fact: 10% of all fires are caused by problems with faulty electrical distribution systems. These fires typically do the most damage, and property losses can be in the millions of dollars

• Fact: Open flames, embers, campfires left unattended, and even torches also create a high risk

• Fact: Forgetting about something in the oven, or not shutting the oven burners off causes over 200 house fires per year

Fire Prevention Tips

• Make sure your home or business is well protected against fire by installing a fully integrated detection system by Protect-U-Services

• Practice a fire drill at least twice a year

• Store firewood, gasoline, kerosene or other combustibles away from your home if possible

• Have your natural gas or propane lines checked for leaks regularly, especially ones that run for longer distances inside your home or business

• Have a fire extinguisher stored on every floor of your home or business, and make sure everyone knows how to use it

• Store an emergency evacuation ladder on floors which do not contain multiple points of entry or floors that have only balconies or windows to escape

• Trim all tree limbs that are within ten feet of your chimney or that extend over your home, embers from your fireplace may cause them to ignite unexpectedly

• Make sure you install screens with openings no more than ½” over all of your chimney tops, roof vents, or any attic or foundation openings

• Clean your gutters regularly, dried leaves and evergreen needles can ignite fairly easily, especially during the summer months

• Most importantly, if a fire should occur, you must stay calm, this will greatly increase your chances of survival

Protecting Yourself and your Children while Traveling:

Before You Go

• Always test your Security System for proper functionality prior to leaving

• Make sure Protect –U –Services’ 24 hour monitoring station has up to date information on your account in case of any emergency

• Make sure that anyone allowed to enter your home while your away, has the proper account information . (Suggestion; Always put in a temporary system code for your guest to use, as well as a temporary system password for the Central Staion)

• If your Children are staying at home, be sure they know all the basic safety essentials; The correct numbers for emergencies, numbers for relatives or neighbors, what to do in case of fire, escape routes if necessary,

• Make sure your children are clear as to whom is allowed in the home while your away

• Make sure your children fully understand how your appliances work in the home, especially the stove, clothes dryer, or any other electrical appliance

At the Airport

• Be awake and “on the ball”, it is a common practice of would be thieves to accidentally bump in to you or your bags. This sets the stage for a robbery

• Be suspicious of anyone who accidentally spills something on you and then offers to watch your baggage while you go clean-up

• Only uniformed airport personnel should be handling your bags

• Keep your valuables with you at all times, never take off any jewelry and set it down, or leave a laptop unattended while at the water fountain

• Ladies; keep your pocketbook close to you preferably around your neck so it is not easy for anyone to just pull it off of your shoulders

• Gentlemen; always keep your wallet in a front pocket, this will make it more difficult for anyone to do the “ bump and run “pick pocket.

• Always keep cash in a money belt, don’t let anyone see the amount of dollars you have in the belt, try to get the cash in a private restroom

Your Hotel

• Never leave your luggage unattended, follow the Hotel Staff to your room

• Be discrete when checking in, try not to let a stranger to close to you where they may be able to hear your room number, or see your credit cards

• Verify the door to your room has a “peephole” for you to see anyone at the door, as well as a deadbolt lock

• Always verify with the front desk, when hotel personnel comes to the door

• Never leave your valuables out or even in your room dresser, put everything of value in your room safe, even overnight while your sleeping

• Always “check” on the neighborhood before venturing off

• In case of a Hotel Fire, never use the Elevators

• Before exiting your room upon a Fire Alarm, check the door, if it is hot don’t open it. Close all of the vents and airducts and stuff them with wet towels, also put wet towels around the door