Message from The Area CoordinatorMany thanks to all those who supported us on October 5th at Bunnings for our fundraising sausage sizzle - what a hot and busy day, but through your support we are able to put some more funds towards our community events. Of course our next one is on October 20th at Waller Park Browns Plains between 10am and 4pm. It is the inaugural Road Safety Expo and we are hoping for a bumper crowd to take advantage of all the activities and entertainment we have arranged. AND IT IS FREE!!
At our September meeting we had a very inspiring talk from Tony South of the Paraplegic Benefit Fund - we all know that we are just a moment away from being in a wheelchair for life and Tony has such a positive attitude despite spending all but 9 years of his life in a wheelchair. He will be at the Road Safety Expo or you can get more information from www.pbf.org
Our October meeting has Melissa Messenger from Emergency Management Qld, who will give us very good advice on the upcoming storm season -
GET READY DISASTER PREPAREDNESS for storm, flood, bushfire & other natural disasters which can occur.
Our final meeting of the year is also our AGM and end of year social get together so I hope that you will come along to our expo and also come along and support your local neighbourhood watch group. We are all part of the community and can help each other in so many ways.
Take care Geoff
CRIME PREVENTION MONTHOctober is Crime Prevention Month and this is a timely reminder to you all to help yourselves prevent being a victim of crime. Many of the following are common sense suggestions but of course many of us think “IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN TO ME” - then the unthinkable does happen and you are left counting the cost or worse still grieving for what has been taken from you.
House break and enters are one of the most common crimes. In many instances house break-ins are crimes of opportunity with entry gained through an open or unlocked door or window. Good home security is as simple as following three basic steps:
- Make it as difficult as possible for an offender to gain entry i.e. install and use key operated locks on doors and windows, don’t place keys under door mats or in obvious places.
- Make it as difficult as possible for an offender to exit with your property i.e. use the keyoperated locks on doors and windows, make sure alarms are functioning.
- Make it as difficult as possible for an offender to want to steal your property i.e. engrave or microdot all items of value
- Property owners can greatly reduce the risk of becoming a victim of a burglary by implementing measures to improve the security of their home. These measures can be simple and don’t necessarily need to cost a lot of money. For example:
Get to know your neighbours. Exchange telephone numbers and keep and eye on each other’s homes. Observant neighbours can reduce prowling, loitering and burglary by reporting suspicious people or vehicles to police.
Join your local Neighbourhood Watch group.
Even when you are at home, be aware of your home security and ensure doors and windows are secured, particularly in areas that are unoccupied.
Secure your home when you leave by locking all doors and windows. Many burglars simply enter through an unlocked door or window.
Remove keys from internal doors and windows when you are not at home.
If you have a faulty alarm that frequently goes off, get it fixed immediately and tell your neighbours
that it's been repaired. Many people ignore an alarm that goes off regularly.
Ask for credentials from all salespeople who request entry to your home. If you're doubtful, check with the person's office before letting him or her in. Before you hire a professional house cleaner or gardener check all references thoroughly.
Give your home the “lived in” look when you’re out by leaving a light on and the radio playing. Timing devices are effective for this. When you are not at home, adjust the ringing volume down on your telephone so it is not obvious the home is unoccupied.
Keep cash, keys and valuables out of sight and out of easy reach.Don’t leave notes on the door as they suggest that no one is home.
Ensure you house/unit number is clearly visible so it can be located quickly in an emergency.
Know which doors and windows you can use as an exit in an emergency so you can leave quickly and safely.
Use the speed dial of your telephone to record important numbers.
If you come home and find your home broken into, report it to police and do not touch anything.
Forensic evidence can easily be destroyed and it is important for police to see your home exactly as it was left to obtain evidence .
PERSONAL SECURITY IS ALSO IMPORTANTDo not carry valuables with you if at all possible, keep handbags etc close to your body whilst in public and never leave them in shopping trolleys unattended. Do not show off your smart phone or I Pad in a public area - it can be snatched easily and you may get hurt in the process of trying to protect it or get it back.
