Essential Tips for Holiday Home Safety
The holiday season is a time for celebration, travel, and relaxation. Whether you’re leaving your home for a family gathering or vacation, ensuring your home is safe from potential risks is essential. Here are practical tips to help keep your house secure during the holidays.
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Secure Doors and Windows Before you leave, double-check that all doors and windows are locked and secured. Consider installing deadbolts on exterior doors and reinforcing window locks. For added security, install a smart lock system that allows you to monitor and control entry points remotely.
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Use Timers for Lights Set timers for indoor and outdoor lights to give the appearance that someone is home. This simple step can deter potential burglars by making your property look occupied, even when you’re away.
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Avoid Social Media Announcements Refrain from posting your travel plans or holiday photos on social media until you return. Publicly sharing your absence from home can make your house a target for break-ins.4.
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Arrange for Mail and Package Pick-Up Ask a trusted neighbor or friend to collect your mail, packages, and newspapers. An overflowing mailbox or packages left on the porch are signals to burglars that no one is home.
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Install a Security System Consider investing in a home security system with motion detectors, cameras, and alarms. Many modern systems allow you to monitor your property from your smartphone, providing peace of mind while you’re away
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Protect Valuables Store jewelry, important documents, and other valuables in a safe or a secure location. Avoid leaving expensive items visible through windows.
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Maintain Your Yard Keep your yard tidy before leaving. Overgrown lawns or uncollected leaves can signal an empty home. If you’ll be gone for an extended period, arrange for someone to maintain your property.
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Be Careful with Holiday Decorations If you use lights or decorations, ensure they are in good condition and do not overload electrical outlets. Turn off all holiday lights before leaving your home or going to bed to reduce fire risks.
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Inform Trusted Neighbors Let a trusted neighbor know about your plans and provide them with a way to contact you in case of emergencies. They can keep an eye on your property and alert you if something seems amiss.
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Check Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they are working properly before you leave. Replace batteries if needed to ensure your home is protected from fire and gas hazards.
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Conclusion Taking proactive steps to secure your home will help you enjoy the holidays with peace of mind. By following these tips, you can reduce the risk of burglary, accidents, and other safety hazards while you’re away. Wishing you a safe and happy holiday season!
Community Preparedness
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Mark Schlegel, from our Robles Firewise Board, demonstrates genista removal
How to remove Genista... Pulling out the genista with the roots intact is the only way to permanently remove it These plants have long roots and can be difficult to pull Do not cut the plants, they will resprout Many genista plants may be old or late and too hard to pull by hand. Teams of 2 or more people should be formed for the tougher plan removal. Safety while pulling plants is essential: -Use legs rather than bending over to gain purchase on the plant. -Kneeling and pulling is another method using kneeling epads or kneeling pads. Genista pulling tools can be used. There will be a tool demo at the March 1 event. Please call Mark Schlegel to borrow 831-238-2180
Genista Disposal & Pick up Bundles Plants should be bundled together using twine & should be tied at both ends Choose a natural fiber twine such as cotton or jute; the rougher the texture, the better, as it grips itself & makes knot tying easier. Twine will be distributed at the March 1st kick off, but if you need more please call or text Mark at 831-238-2180 Bundles should be approximately 1-2 feel in diameter. Bundle similar lengths together. Plants should be arranged in the bundles according to their lengths in order to make loading more efficient (bundles may vary from 2 to 6 feet in length. Place all bundles at street/driveway locations for safe pickup. Piles should all be a stack of bundles. Bundles will be picked up on March 8 or March 22. To schedule a pick up sign up on our registration page.
Carmel Valley
Preparedness Meeting
Jan 17, 2025
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