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Household
Hints & HELP!
Home
Safety
submitted
by Lorene Bartos, Extension Educator
This article appears in the June 12,
2005 Lincoln Journal Star Newspaper.
June is Home Safety month. Have you stopped to think, how
safe your home is when you are away? Many families will
be taking vacations and will be gone for a week or more
at a time.
There
are precautions you should take to make sure your home is
safe while you are away. Before leaving on vacation:
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Inform your neighbors you will be gone and for how long.
Let them know if you have a housesitter or ask them
to keep an eye on your house.
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Leave a key with family or a neighbor, in case of emergency.
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Leave your vacation address and telephone number with
a neighbor and/or family member so you can be reached,
in case of emergency.
-
Ask a neighbor, friend or family to check on things
around the house, such as the freezer. A freezer that
goes on the blink can cause damage and expense if it’s
not running for a couple days.
-
Unplug small appliances.
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Have a friend or neighbor pick up mail, newspapers and/or
deliveries.
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Make arrangements to have the lawn mowed.
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Make your house appear lived in. Use timers for lights
and maybe even a radio.
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Have good locks on all doors and windows - and USE them.
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Leave your blinds, shades and curtains in normal positions.
Don’t close them unless you usually do when you are
home.
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Don't announce your absence on your answering machine
message. Leave your normal message on the machine.
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Close and lock garage doors and windows. If you leave
a car at home, park it as you normally would. Vehicles
parked outside should be moved occasionally, to appear
they are being used.
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Have a neighbor place garbage cans at the curb on your
normal pickup days and return them after the garbage
has been picked up.
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Make sure all bicycles, toys, etc. are put away and
not left where they can easily be taken.
Make
your home safe and not a place for burglars to have a good
time while you are away enjoying yourself.
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