Making holiday security arrangements

It is just as important for businesses that have an extended shutdown over the Christmas period to do the same thing. Those whose houses or buildings are protected by an alarm system should have the system serviced to minimise the likelihood of it failing or going off accidentally. If the layout of your house has changed or the positions of furniture have been changed since the alarm system was first installed, the infrared motion detecting sensors may need to be repositioned to ensure optimum coverage of the rooms they are in.
If the battery has been weakened through persistent power cuts, it would be wise to replace it, lest it be set off by power cuts or ultimately fail altogether. It is strongly advised that everyone who has an alarm system or electric fence should have a second back up battery connected to ensure the alarm system does not fail. Power cuts often increase during the rainy season.
Make sure that someone you trust has the keys to your house, if you are leaving it unoccupied, so that he or she can gain access to the house in the event of an emergency. If you do not have an alarm system, enquire from a reputable security company about the possibility of installing a temporary alarm system.  The system can be installed just for the period you are away.
The best protection is to have your alarm system connected to a reliable rapid response service. If you already subscribe to a rapid response service, make sure you advise the service of the dates that you will be away and of who holds the keys for your house.
If you have an alarm system but do not subscribe to a rapid response service, arrange for a radio link to be temporarily installed and connected to an effective rapid response service. If there are staff members staying on the property while you are away, give them your panic button, so that they can summon assistance if they suspect there are intruders or if there is some other emergency.
Not every rapid response service provider necessarily offers a temporary service just for the holiday period but there are some that do. Safeguard is one of those that does. It is willing to be alerted for any emergency that might damage the property, even if it is a burst water pipe. One press of the panic button and a response team will be on its way.
The temporary service is well worth obtaining. It means that you can relax on your holiday confident in the knowledge that, if your alarm goes off while you are away, a rapid response team will be immediately dispatched to your premises to check that everything is in order and to deal with any intruder there might be.
If you do not have an alarm system but have an electric fence connected to an alarm siren, a rapid response radio link can be connected to it. It would be advisable, though, not only to connect the radio link to the electric fence alarm but arrange too for a temporary alarm for the house. Be selective in your choice of service provider. You need to be sure it is a rapid response service that has a well-established record of responding fast. Remember, it is not the speed with which a rapid response service telephones you when an alarm goes off that counts. It is the speed with which a rapid response team reaches you that is important. Consider also what value-added services the rapid response service can offer.

– This column is sponsored by Safeguard Security in the public interest. If you have security issues you would like advice on in this column, please e-mail your request to mail@mhpr.co.zw or telephone Jackie at Safeguard Security, Tel. 751395 9.