PlanetMace Blog

9 IMPORTANT safety tips for 2009.

The following is a good reminder and I suggest you forward it on to
your loved ones and friends and make a copy for your kids to see.
When under stress, often our mind freezes up. These reminders, if
read more than once, will imprint on your brain and hopefully help
you create some GOOD SAFETY HABITS FOR 2009!

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your
body. If you are close enough to use it, use it!

2. Learned this from a tourist guide in New Orleans: If a robber
asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it
away from you…. chances are that he is more interested in your
wallet and/or purse than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse.
RUN IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the
back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving
like crazy. The driver won’t see you, but everybody else will.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping,
eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or
making a list, etc.) DON’T DO THIS! This is the perfect opportunity
for a predator to get in on the passenger side. As soon as you get
into your car, lock the doors and leave.
A.) If someone is in your car with a gun DO NOT DRIVE OFF. Instead,
gun the engine and speed into anything, wrecking the car. As soon
as the car crashes bail out and run.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or
parking garage:
A.) Be aware: look around you. Look in your car, at the passenger
side floor, and in the back seat.
B.) If you are parked next to a large van, enter your car from the
passenger door. Most attackers attack their victims by pulling them
into their vans while the victim tries to get into their car.
C.) Look at the car parked on the driver’s side of your vehicle,
and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat
nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work,
and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out.

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are
horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot. This is
especially true at NIGHT!)

7. If a predator has a gun and you are not under his control,
ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in
100 times; And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ.
RUN, Preferably in a zig -zag pattern.

8. Women often times try to be sympathetic. Don’t. It may put you
in harm’s way. Ted Bundy was a good-looking, well-educated man, who
ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked
with a cane or a limp, and often asked “for help” into his vehicle
or with his vehicle, which is when his victims were abducted.

9. If you are home alone at night and hear strange noises, do not
answer/open the door. Instead, call the police and Wait for them to
arrive. There have been recent reports of women hearing a baby’s
cry outside when they are home alone at night, which is suspected
to be linked to recent serial killings.
One more reminder: we are all 100% responsible to our well being
and safety. MAKE SMART THINKING CHOICES.

Be Safe!

Cheap Basic Home Security Solutions

Home security is an important issue that many people ignore because they feel alarms are simply too costly. It is possible, however, to create a home defense system that is effective and yet inexpensive.
Reinforce Your Home
To get started, examine your house closely to see if it is secure, or if there are easy points of access where a burglar could break in. Look at the doors to see if they are made out of a flimsy material, or sturdy wood or even metal. Doors that would be easy to kick in or knock over should be replaced, and installed with durable locks and deadbolts. Most homes also have sliding glass doors that would be better supported by a cheap security bar or even a strong piece of wood wedged in between the door handle and the ground rail.
Consider purchasing shatterproof windows if they fit within your budget. Try placing cacti or other thorn filled plants on window sills to act as a deterrent from using the window as a point of entry.
Is Your House A Target?
Walk around the perimeter of your home to determine if it appears to be an easy house to sneak up to without being seen. A home without proper lighting in the front is a prime location for criminals because it offers them the cover of darkness. Make sure you have lights that can be left on outside to discourage criminals, and use motion sensor lights if possible.
Watch out for large bushes or trees that might offer a hiding spot for burglars. Keep them trimmed back so they do not inadvertently provide cover for someone who is attempting to break into your home. Put away any equipment that could be used to break in, such as a ladder to climb up to the second floor or anything heavy that could be thrown through a window. Don’t leave any large boxes from major purchases on the premises that will alert someone that you have a new television or other desirable product inside.
Find Low Cost Security Systems
It’s possible to find home security products that are inexpensive and feature an easy install format. These DIY devices range in price, so you can find one that fits within your budget constraints.
A fake wireless camera will give your home the appearance of having a surveillance system that is monitoring the premises. These battery operated cameras do nothing more than rotate while a red light blinks, but they look real enough to make a criminal think twice about trying to break in to your home.
You can also self install a basic battery powered alarm system that is triggered by motion. These alarms include all the hardware and components you need to create a working security system, but they are easy to install so you can do it yourself and save money.
A defense technique that some people use is to simply stick home security stickers or signs on windows and in front of the house. These security accessories cost almost nothing to buy, and will make criminals believe your house is well protected.
While Away From Home
Criminals look for homes in residential neighborhoods that appear to be empty, so if you leave on vacation it is essential to make it appear that someone is at still there. This can be done with by turning on lights that operate on timers, making sure mail delivery service is stopped while you are away and leaving a car in the driveway. Do anything you can to cause others to believe the house is still occupied.

When you do leave for an extended trip, protect your most valuable items by placing them in a safe that can not be removed from the premises, or hiding them in diversion safes which are made to look like regular products instead of an actual safe. They will be ignored by burglars and protected your most cherished possessions.

Follow these tips and make home security a priority regardless of what size budget you have.