A Lifestyle Safety Checklist for Crime Prevention
June 21st, 2009
The following is a list to help you measure how well you have eliminated the likelihood of being a victim of crime from your daily life during your work or leisure time.
Around the House
- Do you keep a list of emergency telephone numbers next to your home phone?
- Do you lock all your external doors at all times even when you are within your house?
- Does everybody in your house know they should ask for a picture ID before opening the door?
- Do you make it a point to check the references of persons who work in and outside your house?
- Do you know where the local police stations are in your city?
- Do you notify authorities when you will be absent from your house for an extended period of time?
- Are you present when workers or repairmen enter your home?
Among Your Neighbors
- Do your children know how to call 911 and get help from neighbors during an emergency?
- Do you talk with your neighbors at least two times a month?
- Do you have a buddy system established with one of your neighbors for keeping a watchful eye on your property? Have you told him to collect your mail and newspapers when you are not around?
- Do you keep a key with a neighbor you can trust rather than having one stashed under a rock outside your house?
- Do you partake in a Neighborhood Watch program?
Daily Personal Routine
- Do you on occasion carry more than $250 in cash?
- Do you practice boxing or any form of self defense?
- Do you keep personal safety on your mind regularly?
- Do you practice safety when handling power tools and other dangerous equipment?
- Is your personal history void of any accidents or injuries?
- Do you vary your daily activities every day?
- Do you carry a cell phone?
- Do you use ATM’s during the daytime or in well-secured public areas?
- Do you travel with other people on a regular basis or check in with somebody at home or the office when you travel?
Fire Safety Tips
- Do you have an escape plan in the event of a fire?
- Do you keep a fire extinguisher next to your oven or stove?
- Do you check the batteries in your smoke alarm on a regular basis?
- Do you keep matches and lighters out of reach from children?
Your Motor Vehicle
- Do you make it a point to lock up your car and close all the windows whenever you park?
- Do you look into the back seat before you unlock and enter your motor vehicle?
- When shopping, do you make an effort to park in well-lit areas of the parking lot and avoid shopping by yourself at night?
- Do you lock your doors while driving?
- Do you keep your car and house keys on separate key rings?
Sometimes our normal, everyday routines make us a target for criminal activity. Following these simple tips of home security and personal safety can provide you with more protection from crime than buying an expensive burglar alarm system.
