Helpful home security tips - Australian Security Industry Association Ltd (ASIAL)

Helpful home security tips

• Things you can do at home to prevent crime

• Holding a party? Some security considerations

• Going away on holiday. Things you can do to protect your home

• Make sure your home and family are prepared for an emergency

Holding a party? Some security considerations

• Inform police that you are holding a party
• Think about how you will advertise the party – SMS, email distribution lists or online notice boards can lead to large numbers of uninvited guests turning up
• Control who you invite – think about keeping a guest list and consider numbering invitations
• Have a definite start and finish time
• Let your neighbours know that you are having a party
• Consider whether the venue will be able to cope with the number of guests expected.
• Store any valuables or breakable items in a safe place
• Ensure you have appropriate levels of supervision and security – a licensed security professional to turn away uninvited guests.
• Do you have any measures in place to ensure the responsible service of alcohol and that underage guests do not have access to alcohol?
• Have a crowd management plan in place in case there is an incident.

Going away on holiday. Things you can do to protect your home

• Tell your neighbours you are going away so they can keep an eye on your property
• Ask someone to collect your mail so it does not appear obvious you have gone away
• Well placed lighting can act as a deterrent for intruders. Sensor lights are an effective method of deterring intruders as they don’t need to be on all the time but are activated by movement. Lighting should be mounted well out of reach of tampering and, if possible, placed on all sides of your home.
• Internal lighting can be set to a timer to switch on at given intervals to give the impression that someone is home
• Leave a key with a trusted friend or neighbour rather than a ‘secret’ place around your home and get them to open and close curtains, arrange for the garden to be kept tidy or put out the garbage bins and take them back the next day.
• Don’t leave ladders or wheelie bins outside for extended periods as they can be used to gain entry to your home. Place them in a garage or shed if possible.
• Install a home alarm system. This can be monitored by a certified monitoring centre or sound a loud siren.
• Lock your power box so electronic lighting and alarm systems can’t be cut off from the power supply. Make sure the lock is approved by your power supply company
• Security doors and grilles offer good protection from forced entry. Doors should be able to withstand brute force and provide a secure mounting for locks and hinges. Bars and grilles have moved on from the functional to decorative but ensure they meet Australian standards for security purposes.

Make sure your home and family are prepared for an emergency

• Torch (with spare batteries)
• First aid kit and manual
• Telephone which doesn’t require mains power to operate (e.g. mobile phone)
• List of contact details for family members and emergency services
• Supply of medications and hygiene products
• Copies of important family documents (birth certificates, passports and licences)
• Battery operated radio (with spare batteries)

• Mobile phone, spare batteries (if available) and charger
• Supplies of prescribed medications (including prescriptions)
• Spare home and car keys
• Cash and credit cards
• Spare clothes and blankets
• Food/medications for your pets

• Turn off electricity, gas and water supplies, unplug appliances and lock all doors and windows
• Check on any elderly or disabled neighbours – do they need assistance to evacuate?
• If you leave by car, take bottled water and blankets and listen to local radio for safety advice and instructions
• Make sure you have made arrangements for your pets