Seasonal Safety Tips - Summer

Seasonal factors can create profound changes in our home and driving environments.  This can result in increased risks and criminal opportunities. Adjust your daily routine, around yourself, your home and in your community, to the seasonal and daily weather factors.

Around the house.

• Regularly maintain shrubs and hedges around the property to prevent sight lines from being blocked.
• Keep your garage door closed unless you need to access the garage.
• When using the back yard, lock the front door.
• Keep your screen door locked and avoid leaving wallets or purses near the front door or in plain view.

At night.

• Keep readily accessible or easily accessed windows and sliding doors closed and locked. If the window is required for ventilation, install a stop that allows it to be opened no more than 4 inches.

While out.

• Close and lock all windows and doors.
• Lock all gates around the house.
• Never leave the garage door up while taking the car even for a short period of time. Always close and lock the garage when not at home.

While away on vacation.

• Cancel newspapers until further notice.
• Do not advertise your absence by posting your vacation plans or activities on social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter or Foursquare.
• Ask a trusted friend or neighbour to look in on the house daily. Request them to pick-up flyers and mail. Invite them to use your driveway.
• Let other trusted neighbours know that you will be away and tell them what visitors you might expect on the property. Ask them to call Police if they see anything unusual.
• Arrange for the lawn and garden to be regularly maintained.
• While away from your home or on vacation, remember to always give your home a lived-in look. Use and adjust your light timers.
• Manage phone calls with an answering machine that leaves the impression you’re at home. In the absence of an answering machine, turn down the ring volume.
• Disable the garage door opener.
• Make use of your safety deposit box.