Community and home safety event.

On Thursday 14 September we had the pleasure of hosting Victoria Police, Wollert Fire Brigade and Whittlesea SES at the Lyndarum North Sales and Information Centre for evening of community and home safety tips.

Both current and future Lyndarum North residents enjoyed some delicious food while listening to the valuable advice tips from our wonderful presenters including:

Sandra O’Connor from Victoria Police who spoke about Crime Prevention and Community Safety

Stuart McCombe from Wollert Fire Brigade who spoke about Home Fire Safety

Seb La Spina from Whittlesea SES who spoke about Flood and Storm Safety

Some of their Top Tips included:

• Keeping your home and landscaping well-presented acts as a deterrent for home invasions and robberies.

• Always collect your mail to prevent people stealing your details.

• Install a security door and use it to its full potential – there’s no point having one if you don’t lock it.

• Lock all windows and back doors if you’re out or at nighttime when everyone’s asleep.

• Install alarms and cameras. If you must choose just one, then go with alarms. Alarms will decrease the amount of time someone spends in your home if they break in

• Download the Vic Emergency App on your smart phone. It is a quick and easy tool to use in case of emergency with phone numbers and live, location specific information.

• Call the SES if your home has experienced damage from a storm / weather event or tree damage.

• Have a safety emergency plan and talk to your family about it.

• Prepare a home emergency kit including a torch, batteries, spare phone charger and any regular medications. Keep your passport, important documentation such as birth certificates, house title etc. and photographs in a water-tight box with the other items and place in a location that is easily accessible in the event you need to leave your home quickly.

• Keep your gutters clean to prevent overflowing / water ingress that can damage internal walls.

• Install an air vent in your roof to prevent heat build-up in your roof cavity.

• Use your home’s floorplan to mark-up where smoke alarms should be located. Remember, fire authorities recommend you use more than what the current regulations stipulate.

  In case of fire:

• Keep a fire blanket and fire extinguisher in an easy to access location within your home. Kitchen fires are one of the most common types of fires so keeping your fire blanket in the kitchen is a sensible idea.

• Leave keys in deadlocked doors. If there is a fire, you may struggle to see and find a key if it’s not in the door.

• Exit the building as quickly and safely as possible ensuring you can account for all family members.

• When safely away from the fire, call the CFA on 000.

Most importantly, introduce yourself to your neighbours and make yourself known to other people in the street. Passive surveillance is the best form of crime prevention and you might even make some new friends!

For more information about keeping your home safe, visit the following sites:

CFA: Plan and Prepare

SES: Get Ready at Home

Victoria Police: Prevention and Community Safety

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