Security on your front entrance is part of a layered security approach
The term layered security is so over-worked now that we’ve stopped listening to what it means and how it can keep you safe at home. Here is a novel military-inspired approach to buying yourself time to call for help when your home’s under attack by home-invaders.
Wikipedia has a fantastic definition of layered security that applies the term to a military tactic to resist rapid penetration by an attacker but in our opinion, works equally well at home. Here’s how to be just as systematic as the military about home security:
- Make the perimeter of your home the first line of defence with electric fencing, spikes on walls or electronic movement sensor beams and a good driveway gate.
- Install more layers of security from there on into your property to slow down the attacker’s progress. This makes the home-invader’s movement towards your home as difficult as possible, using up their precious time, increasing their risk of discovery, and hopefully forcing them to give up and turn back.
- Your next line of defence could be movement sensors around the exterior of the house. Don’t switch these off if they set off the alarm several nights in a row and appear to be faulty. It could be thieves testing the sensors on purpose, hoping you’ll switch the beams off.
- Physical security barriers on all doors and windows are an absolute must, because if your other layers are breached, security barriers make it difficult and noisy to break through and get inside.
- If your layered security is breached in spite of your best efforts, have a panic alarm handy to summon your armed response service, and/or have the armed response, SAPS or a family member on speed dial so you can call them quickly for help.
- And don’t forget man’s best friend: dogs inside the house are far more useful than dogs shut outside. They let you know when someone is getting near the house and will be close at hand to protect you (or at least act as a deterrent) if necessary.
Forward planning
Layered security isn’t just about the physical impediments you put in the way of criminals that want to get into your home and steal your possessions. Just like in the military, it’s also about planning and information management. Ask yourself questions like where will you keep security gate keys? Who has access to all door and gate keys? Do you have a system for locking up at night or when you leave the house so that you don’t forget anything?
Teach your children and their minders not to let strangers onto the property without checking their credentials with you first, and not to share information about your family with others.
Manage information about your family’s movements as far as possible. Use timers on your light switches when you’re not at home so that no-one is absolutely sure of your movements; cancel deliveries before going away so that you don’t advertise your absence with piles of newspapers on the driveway. Be aware of what’s going on around you and subscribe to your neighbourhood watch or service provider’s newsletter.
If you need help with applying these layered security ideas to your home, contact your nearest Trellidor franchise.
