"In affluent parts of the country, people own summer homes and leave them totally unattended during the off-season. This provides burglars with tremendous 'window of opportunity' to break in and ransack them. Because these are usually located at the end of country roads, and with few neighbors, burglars run little risk of observation. In many cases, the only neighboring houses are other summer homes. Some vacation cottages are very well-furnished, with expensive electronics, making them rewarding targets.
Burglars like to work in solitude. A house with a side entrance unseen from the street makes a better target than one with entries in full. A corner house, one with a lot of shrubbery screening the entries, and one isolated at the end of a long drive offers the burglar more privacy."
This is what Burt said about how to try to prevent burglaries from happening to one's home.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Prevent
"The best way to prevent fires is to teach fire safety and prevention to your whole family, and make sure it is practiced religiously. Many fires could have been prevented, but have ended in tragedy because of a mistake or carelessness.
Fireplaces
A fireplace can be a wonderful addition to a home, but it is important to take extreme care around one. A fireplace screen should be used at all times so that sparks do not fly. No wood, newspaper or other types of flammables should be stored anywhere near a fireplace to prevent sparks from catching something on fire outside of the fireplace. The chimney to a fireplace should be regularly cleaned and maintenance to ensure that all combustible build-up is removed. All children and even adults should be aware of the dangers of playing anywhere near a fireplace, as well.
Smoking
If there is a smoker in the house, it is crucial that he or she follow the proper safety measures to prevent fires from cigarettes. Never smoke in bed or even if you are extremely tired. If you are drinking alcohol, you should not smoke, or at least smoke outside. Deep and large ashtrays should be used, and dumped frequently. An ashtray should never be emptied without wetting it first, to ensure that all sparks have been put out. Matches and lighters need to be put away and kept out of the reach of children.
Appliances.
Many appliances have malfunctioned or overheated, causing a fire to start. Space heaters are one appliance that can be very dangerous to have if not taken care of properly. Space heaters should only be on in a room that is occupied. Flammable materials should be as far away as possible, such as newspapers and clothes. A space heater should NEVER be left on if the house is going to be empty.
A clothes dryer is another such appliance that should always be attended to. A dryer should never be left running when no one is home. The lint screen should be cleaned often, and the dryer must be vented outside.Electrical appliances can be deadly, as well. Electrical cords, such as extensions, should be used with extreme care and not overloaded. They should not be run under anything flammable, such as a rug, or twisted around to fit over a nail. Light bulb wattages should not be too high, and be sure that all lamp light bulbs are not touching the shade. Air should be allowed around appliances such as a TV, toaster, and stereo sets, to allow air into the system to circulate and cut down on accidental overheating.
Fire prevention and safety is everyone’s concern. No one can predict the start of a fire, so it is important that all family is prepared for such in an emergency. For more information, you can talk to your local fire department for information on classes and fire prevention measures that can mean the difference between life or death for you and your family."
Fireplaces
A fireplace can be a wonderful addition to a home, but it is important to take extreme care around one. A fireplace screen should be used at all times so that sparks do not fly. No wood, newspaper or other types of flammables should be stored anywhere near a fireplace to prevent sparks from catching something on fire outside of the fireplace. The chimney to a fireplace should be regularly cleaned and maintenance to ensure that all combustible build-up is removed. All children and even adults should be aware of the dangers of playing anywhere near a fireplace, as well.
Smoking
If there is a smoker in the house, it is crucial that he or she follow the proper safety measures to prevent fires from cigarettes. Never smoke in bed or even if you are extremely tired. If you are drinking alcohol, you should not smoke, or at least smoke outside. Deep and large ashtrays should be used, and dumped frequently. An ashtray should never be emptied without wetting it first, to ensure that all sparks have been put out. Matches and lighters need to be put away and kept out of the reach of children.
Appliances.
Many appliances have malfunctioned or overheated, causing a fire to start. Space heaters are one appliance that can be very dangerous to have if not taken care of properly. Space heaters should only be on in a room that is occupied. Flammable materials should be as far away as possible, such as newspapers and clothes. A space heater should NEVER be left on if the house is going to be empty.
A clothes dryer is another such appliance that should always be attended to. A dryer should never be left running when no one is home. The lint screen should be cleaned often, and the dryer must be vented outside.Electrical appliances can be deadly, as well. Electrical cords, such as extensions, should be used with extreme care and not overloaded. They should not be run under anything flammable, such as a rug, or twisted around to fit over a nail. Light bulb wattages should not be too high, and be sure that all lamp light bulbs are not touching the shade. Air should be allowed around appliances such as a TV, toaster, and stereo sets, to allow air into the system to circulate and cut down on accidental overheating.
Fire prevention and safety is everyone’s concern. No one can predict the start of a fire, so it is important that all family is prepared for such in an emergency. For more information, you can talk to your local fire department for information on classes and fire prevention measures that can mean the difference between life or death for you and your family."
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