• Make sure Protection Networks has your vacation plans on file as well as the names of those people with access to your home while you are away. Call 214-428-2700, email us at Vacation@ProtectionNetworks.com, or mail in the attached form.
• Get a trusted friend or relative to house sit, or make sure your neighbors know your plans.
• Have a neighbor pick up your newspapers and mail for you, or stop service during the time you are away.
• Leave a car parked in the driveway, or ask a neighbor to park there.
• Use timers to turn lights on and off at certain times, altering lighting patterns.
• Arrange to have your lawn mowed.
• Replace any burned-out lights in your yard. Consider upgrading outdoor light fixtures with devices that have built-in motion detectors, which turn on the lights whenever anyone walks past.

Commercial Safety Tips:

• Check batteries in smoke detectors and flashlights on January 1st.
• Always ask for identification: verify service personnel; fake uniforms are easy to rent or steal.
• Keep your valuables and important papers in a home safe.

• Install window locks that cannot be reached and unlocked after breaking the glass.
• Install motion detectors to sense movement inside the building.
• Install entry protecting alarms to detect the breaking of windows and the opening of doors.
• Install point protectors (such as pressure-switch mats) to detect when someone enters a restricted area, such as by a cash register.
• Install a deadbolt lock/latch in each exterior door.

Get the latest information on tips and trends and information to keep your family safe in The ProtectionEdge. To view the latest issue of The ProtectionEdge newsletter, click here.