Home strategies keep families safe from intruders

When was the last time you and your family discussed home security issues? I'm referring to a sit down meeting to discuss security and safe-keeping strategies. Strategies that will ultimately keep you and your family safe in the event of a break-in or home invasion.

Although we never really know how our family will react in an emergency situation, statistics show that reaction depends on many factors. Some of which are your sex, age, physical condition, culture and personality. It's imperative to exercise the importance of good home-security habits through planning. This will not only reduce the risk but will greatly reduce the chances of injury if trouble does come knocking.

This is where the old adage, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" fits so nicely. The first ingredient in the prevention recipe is making sure that all family members know how to operate the door and window locks properly. Once you have shown how to secure all the windows and doors, have your family members demonstrate what they have learned.

If you own an alarm system, make sure each and every family member uses it. If you're not sure how to operate your burglar alarm, call an alarm specialist and he or she will gladly walk you through the steps. Don't be one of those people who pays monitoring fees and doesn't take advantage of the service.

Make sure if your children answer the phone they do not reveal the fact that they are home alone. And it goes without saying, they should never talk to strangers, even on the phone.

The next step is a big one. Do not open the door to strangers. Paranoia aside, be suspicious of unscheduled visits from delivery or servicemen. If a forced entry is attempted, lock the door and phone 911. If you have a safe room in your home, make sure family members secure themselves there until help arrives. Every home should have an accessible cell phone for emergency situations.

If you walk in on an intruder, do not attempt to confront him or her. Make sure that your family gets out of the house as quickly as possible and phones for help. Try to keep a cool head and remember, keeping your wits about you could just make the difference whether your family gets harmed or not. Never follow a burglar once they leave your residence, try to get a good description and let the police deal with it.

Finally, once your family has worked out the do's and don'ts of your home-security strategies, make sure that nobody discusses them outside the home.