In recognition of Lindenwood Park Neighborhood Association Safety Week —May 23-29— the Safety Committee offers a tip for each day to help keep you, your home, and our neighborhood safe.
Make sure all of your door and window locks are in good condition and work properly. Repair and replace locks as needed. Make sure you use them! Locks offer no benefit if they are not used. Seek the advice of a locksmith for recommendations regarding the best types of locks for various types of doors and windows. Consult a locksmith for assistance with achieving the degree of lock security you would like to attain. Consider giving an extra house key to a trusted relative or friend in case you lock yourself out Lighting is an integral part of an effective home security system. Outdoor security lighting discourages would-be intruders from targeting your home by increasing the risk of being caught. The best lighting design allows physical detection and facial recognition, plus helps minimize hiding spots and increase your sense of safety. You don’t have to light your home like a Christmas tree to feel safe. Over-illumination can draw unwanted attention to valuable items in your home or business and can cause light pollution. Below is an overview of security lighting and simple tips to help you identify potential safety and security risks, select the best security lights, and determine their placement to ensure your safety and security. The Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) further explains that good security lighting anticipates potential threats and predators, and increases the means necessary to commit a crime, discouraging would-be criminals from breaking into a home. This security approach is known as target hardening. In other words, the longer it takes to plan and execute a break-in, the less likely criminals are to target that home. According to the IES, home security lighting must have the following aims: Additional items to consider when it comes to exterior lighting. Lighting Location (In case the picture isn’t clear enough for you). Video doorbells offer a variety of safety benefits, listed below are the top 3 reasons to embrace this technology. Know your visitor. Keep your distance. Track your visitors. Video Doorbell brands include: Vivint (Special offer available for military) The Fire Department installs, free of charge, long-life smoke alarms with lithium power cells, which are designed to last a maximum of 10 years without battery changes. In addition, the St. Louis Fire Department offers free home fire safety surveys and assistance with designing home fire escape plans. To request a smoke detector for a residential home or apartment, St. Louis City residents can call the STLFD Smoke Detector Hotline at 314-533-3406. Click here For more information on Fire Safety Public Education Opportunities and Information. One way to get the most out of securing your home is through an alarm system. The security system marketplace is very robust and allows you to customize the level of protection you want to build. Here are some considerations and tips when considering the purchase of an alarm system: DIY vs Full-Service Systems: One newer development in home security is the subscription model for DIY systems. Companies like Simplisafe, Frontpoint, and Ring allow the consumer to purchase the elements of a system that is suitable for them with very economic monitoring packages. These systems can allow you to slowly build your system over time and have lower monthly monitoring costs. The drawbacks of these systems include the purchaser having to install the system and DIY doesn’t always offer the same customer service levels and perks of the full-service alarm companies. Full-service alarm companies like ADT and Vivint do typically come with a higher upfront cost and monthly fee, but also feature professional installation, dedicated customer service, and the ability to connect the systems to emergency services. Protect Entry Points: When installing an alarm system, it is important to know how a burglar may enter the home. Most alarm systems will feature door, window, and motion sensors. These should be attached or pointed to any potential entry point. Additional Value: Many systems will have capabilities beyond protecting the home from would-be intruders. When researching a system, check to see if it is possible to protect your home with Carbon Monoxide or Smoke detectors. In many cases, these systems can also sync up with the other smart devices in the home, such as your door and lights through Amazon Alexa or Google Nest. You can also monitor the system through an app to monitor the sensors or look at cameras. Hackers and hijackers are getting more technically savvy on ways to get into and steal your car. Listed below are four tips that may help you keep you and your car safe. There are various sizes, some with lids, some of which require assembling. Listed below are examples of lockboxes available at Lowe’s/Home Depot stores: Prices range from $50 to $400 Amazon Pickup locations offer package pickup at self-service Amazon Lockers and at staffed locations. Just enter your postal code or address, to pick up your packages from locations nearby like convenience stores and pharmacies. Examples: Packages can also be picked up at UPS stores. UPS Access Point locations are participating businesses in your neighborhood that offer a secure location to receive packages. They are an ideal delivery option for customers not at home to receive packages during standard delivery hours. Lindenwood Drug is a UPS Access Point. Below is an example of how extensive the technology has advanced. This item was seen recently on Shark Tank: In conclusion, your choice depends on your budget and your individual needs. Downloadable Resources
A video doorbell lets you view who is at (or approaching) the door from wherever you are so you have plenty of time to assess whether it is safe to open the door.
Being able to talk to visitors without having to open the door. Since you can talk to the visitor via a smartphone, you can answer the door from anywhere.
If a visitor knocks at the door instead of ringing the doorbell, the video camera captures the image for you to view later. You can always know who has come by your house.
Ring discounts available for first responders, teachers, medical, students, military
Some lockboxes do not lock, they are simply containers with a lid.
There are ones that require key access to obtain your package, which are obviously more expensive.
*5437 Southwest Ave, at Save a lot, St. Louis MO 63139
*8000 McKenzie Rd, at 7-Eleven, Affton MO 63123
*7077 Chippewa Street, at Value City Furniture St. Louis MO 63109
DynoSafe is the original climate-controlled, smart home-enabled delivery lockbox. It also can interact with delivery robots, electric AI vehicles and drones! A smart-home device, it can interact with all smart devices like phones, Alexa etc. DynoSafe can be used by any carrier for all incoming and outgoing deliveries. You can pre-cool, provide one-time use codes to your driver, and get date, time, and temperature controls.