Home and Personal Security
In Bermuda, the majority of crimes are “crimes of convenience”. In other words, criminals seek easy targets and do not necessarily research a crime first but see an opportunity and take it. In order to limit your chances of such a crime happening, follow these simple tips:
- Do not carry large amounts of cash;
- Consider having pension checks and dividends deposited directly into your bank account;
- Store valuables in a safety deposit box;
- Never provide anyone with a credit card unless you initiate the transaction;
- Install good locks and always use them, even if you are home or leave your house for a few minutes;
- Give your house a “lived-in” appearance when you are out by leaving on the radio, tv or lights;
- Install motion-sensor lights to illuminate the exterior of your house and yard;
- Keep the hedges next to your house trimmed at a level no higher than the windowsill;
- Never leave your spare key in a flowerpot or under a welcome mat. These are the places a burglar will look first;
- Do lot leave bills and bank statements out in the open.
Hurricane Tips for Seniors
We can help our seniors have peace of mind and feel safe and secure with some practical assistance for hurricane season.
Ideally, seniors should not be alone during a hurricane. However, if they decide to stay at home alone, they should have a hurricane plan, an appropriate emergency kit (I will detail the essentials for this in next week’s article), and assistance from friends, family and neighbours.
Having a solid hurricane plan is the first step. This plan should clearly outline what to do before, during and after a hurricane.
First, home owners should make sure that all insurance policies are current and adequate for their property and contents.
Next, make copies of important documents such as passports, insurance policies and medical information. A safe deposit box at the bank is the safest place for these, however if they are keeping copies of important documents at home, have them in a waterproof container or a vacuum-sealed storage bag and store in a safe and secure location in your home.
Have a written list of emergency contact numbers – laminated if possible - next to all phones. Include phone numbers of next of kin, close friends, doctors, local emergency shelters, and neighbours.
Another essential hurricane tip is to identify in advance, what outdoor preparation is needed prior to a storm and where outdoor plants, furniture and yard equipment will be stored. Seniors may need physical help to bring these items indoors as well as to board up windows with plywood, trimming dangerous tree branches or limbs and making sure all shutters are in working order. This part of the plan should be organized well in advance of any pending storm or hurricane.
Many of our seniors who live alone live in older Bermuda homes with wooden shutters. Nothing is more unnerving during high winds then the sound of rattling blinds. A friend suggested using those flat wooden popsicle sticks and wedging them between the blinds. Additionally, tie the blinds shut. This helps with rattling and also will hopefully stop them from blowing open.
One of the things we tend to overlook during a hurricane is communication - this is vital - especially for seniors. In the event we lose access to land lines, cellular phones are our next option.
Not all seniors have cell phones so for those who don’t it’s a good idea to purchase an inexpensive pre-paid phone with enough credit to last at least 5 days. Obviously if they have never used a cell phone they will need instructions and your assistance here will give them that extra sense of security required during stressful times.
Prior to a hurricanes arrival, be sure to charge the cell phone and if possible have extra charged batteries on hand and invest in a car charger.
Here’s another practical tip. Make your own block ice, which lasts longer than ice cubes should your electricity go out. Fill plastic containers with water and freeze in advance. You can use these later in your refrigerator and or freezer to keep foods cold.
And finally, in the event seniors experience damage to their home, offer to assist them so that they don’t fall prey to dishonest individuals. It’s probably a good idea in this instance for seniors to give would be repairmen the contact number of someone they trust.
Seniors may not be able to put together or action an emergency plan without our help. Take the time to get to know the seniors in your neighbourhood who live alone and offer to assist.
Once a good plan has been established the next step is to assemble a hurricane emergency kit.
A Hurricane Emergency Kit
Let’s remember that seniors have different needs and hurricanes present additional challenges based on their age, health, physical ability and psychological condition.
An emergency hurricane kit for seniors is very important and must take into consideration their ability to comfortably use these necessities.
Ideally seniors should not be alone during a hurricane, but if they are plan for the worst and hope for the best.
A good hurricane kit should be assembled and include the following;
- Non-perishable food; pop up tops are the best but in the event you can’t get these remember to have a manual can opener and canned food that doesn’t need to be cooked, energy bars, canned fruit, Vienna sausages, corned beef, tuna, powdered milk, juice boxes, dry cereals, etc.
- Bottled water (it is recommended to have a 3 day supply of food and water per person, including pets).
- First aid supplies
- Prescription medications
- Extra, up-to-date eyeglasses, hearing-aids, oxygen
- Personal hygiene products including disposable body wipes
- Incontinence undergarments, or adult diapers, may also be necessary
- Limacol – a soothing astringent that cools the skin
- Hand held battery operated fan – another way to keep cool
- Flashlights and extra batteries
- A battery operated radio and extra batteries
- Hand sanitizer
- A bucket and rope for dipping water
- Light weight plastic table cloth – a quick fix to protect furniture from leaky ceilings and not as heavy as tarpaulin. Have some masking tape or clothes pegs to hold the plastic in place.
- Cash - in the event that banks are not open and you don’t have access to an ATM.
- A supply of plastic garbage bags (including deodorized bags) with ties
- Disposable plates, cups and utensils
- A disposable camera to take pictures of damage for insurance purposes
- Work gloves and some basic tools – nails, a hammer and a screwdriver
- Emergency contact list (laminated if possible)
- Portable camping lanterns instead of candles. Candles can be knocked over in the dark and cause a fire.
Some seniors will require assistance with shopping for hurricane essentials; this is where we can help. Based on their budget they may have to accumulate items over a period of time. However, having the necessary hurricane supplies in advance helps to avoid long lines and empty shelves that can occur just before a pending hurricane.
And what about storing your emergency supplies? A good sized waterproof box or a cooler on wheels with a long handle are ideal for storing some of your hurricane emergency essentials. However, it is unlikely that everything will fit into one container that can be easily managed by a senior.
Determine a safe and convenient place in the home and remember to store items in waterproof containers that are easily accessible. If possible clearly label these containers so that the contents are easy to locate in a hurry.