5 Safety Precautions to Take Before Your Next Vacation

Protect Your Home
and Family With These 5 Critical Safety Measures Before Even Leaving The House!

With summer weather on the
way, many people may be planning for a vacation away from home. Spending time
with family and friends on vacation is exciting, however the stress of
traveling and staying aware of the most recent safety precautions surrounding
COVID-19 can make safety
planning for vacation a challenge. We know that your home and family’s safety
is of the utmost importance, so we’ve put together a list of our top five
safety precautions to take before your next vacation.

Protect Yourself
and Others

No matter what kind of vacation you are planning to take, if you are
leaving your home we highly recommend that you review the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website for the
latest COVID-19 and travel
updates before taking off. You can find information specifically
regarding travel recommendations and COVID-19 by following this link.

Research Your
Destination

Whether you are traveling somewhere you’ve never been or somewhere
you’ve been one hundred times, it’s always a good idea to research
your destination. You’ll want to have some basic knowledge when it
comes to the layout of the location,
weather, crime rates, and areas to stay away from. The more details you know
about where you are going, the better. Having that information is going to make
it easier for you to make all kinds of decisions. For example, it can help you
know what to pack for your  trip, where
you might want to eat or even where you might want to go exploring.
Most importantly, you’ll have a heads up on the areas that you should
avoid.

Secure Your Home

You can help prevent your home from becoming a target for burglary and avoid other
safety hazards by thoroughly securing it before you leave. It may sound obvious
but it’s important to check and make sure that all
windows and doors to your home and any other structure on your property are
locked. A locked entrance is enough to deter many burglars as they often want
to avoid causing a scene when trying to enter. If you don’t already have an
alarm or security
system installed, we highly recommend making the investment. If you do have
a professionally monitored alarm system, you’ll want to alert the alarm company
prior to your departure. You might also consider installing remote controlled
lights inside your home as they give you the option to turn lights on from
anywhere, creating the illusion that someone is
home. Installing motion-detection lights on the exterior of your home can
act as another form of deterrent for burglary and theft.

You’ll want to make sure that your TV, computer, and any other electronics as
well as lamps and appliances are unplugged in the event of a
power surge. Be sure that your air conditioning and heat are set at the
appropriate temperatures as well, depending on the time of year.

Let a Trusted
Friend or Family Member Know Your Plans, Not Social Media

It is important that you tell one trusted family member or friend
about your vacation plans. Doing this can help ensure that someone knows where
you are in the event of an emergency. They may also be
able to keep an eye on your home while you are away. It is critical that you do
not share details of your vacation on
social media including where you are going, or how long you will be away. Doing so
can mark your home as an easy target for burglary and theft. 

Protect Your
Information 

Fun and leisure can come to a screeching halt if your personal
data has been compromised while traveling. It’s important to do all that
you can to protect your devices before you even leave the house. Be sure to
enable passwords and pins on your mobile
devices, as well as on important apps such as those that connect to your  financial and banking accounts.

You’ll also want to make sure that you turn off automatic Bluetooth
and WiFi connectivity and only use password protected WiFi networks. Consider
adding a VPN app on your device to double-up on security.

While traveling, vacation should be the only thing on your mind! Be
sure to follow these tips before leaving your home to make sure things are
taken care of while you’re away!