• 24 Nov 2020
• opticom

After a yearlong, many of us always look up-to December and what it brings. Before you unwind and put on your festive hat, remember to plan for a safe and secure holiday season. Nothing beats a relaxing, peaceful holiday with your loved ones.

Although the festive holiday brings joy and excitement, it unfortunately also sees a rise in criminal activities, accidents and deaths. However, you and your family can experience a lot more joy by simply preparing and being cautious. Here are our most effective tips for holiday safety and security:

Are you traveling?

One question that might be lingering in your mind is that; is it safe to travel for the holidays this year? And perhaps even more critical, should I travel during COVID, even if I technically can? We understand that you may have been in a confined region throughout the year due to the pandemic and have been thinking of traveling.

We highly recommend that you follow guidelines and advice set forth in order to protect yourself and those around you. Simply practice safety measures no matter where you go, including wearing a mask, washing your hands or sanitizing and maintaining social distancing. You should also consider whether you’re leaving or traveling to a hotspot area, so as not to contribute to infection spikes.

In addition; the last thing you want to worry about when going away on vacation this holiday season is whether or not your home is safe and secure while you are gone.

Before traveling ensure that;

• Security system maintenance

Don’t leave it all to fate, some of the security system might be faulty if not checked or tested; hence by carrying out a security system maintenance you’re guaranteed that it functions optimally. This involves inspecting the individual components, changing the batteries when needed and ensuring that all the individual parts communicate effectively with one another.

• Check alarm backup batteries and replace if necessary.
• Your CCTV system is working and that the hard drive is working sufficiently.
• Your access control is fully operational – with emergency over rides tested.
• Repair and check all motion lights, change globes where needed and test timers on lights.
• Replace all the padlocks that you were intending to do.
• Repair all leaks from all pipes that may be dripping.
• Alert your security company that you’re going away and if a family member or friend will be staying over.
• Ask your neighbour to be on the lookout for any suspicious activity. This way you can let them know when you are planning to leave, and they can help you watch over your home. You can also arrange to do the same for them when they decide to leave their home, making both parties happy in your arrangement
• Don’t advertise to the world that you’re going away, especially on social media.

Social media can negatively affect you at times, thieves are getting smart and sharing to them that you are not home, can lead to them accessing your premises while you’re away.

• Have your car checked before leaving on a long road trip. This will help you avoid any unnecessary accidents or breakdowns when travelling.
• Observe the rules of the road; most accidents tend to occur during the holiday season.

Better safe than sorry. Avoid disappointments and heartaches when you get back from your holiday. Adhere to these simple tips and you’ll enjoy greater peace of mind when you’re on vacation with your family.

Remember that life goes on after the festive holiday and do not drink and drive.

At Opticom Kenya Limited, we can come to your home and work premises to do a full check on your security system. We can also upgrade and repair your system proper functionality. For more information, contact us; 020 2686857 / 020 7909011 info@opticom.co.ke because we care about your safety, security and peace-of-mind.