Tips for a safer and more secure 2025  

​

The start of a new year is the perfect opportunity to reflect on the past and set meaningful goals for the months ahead.
January is a time for fresh starts and for rethinking how we approach safety and security in our daily lives.

“This is an ideal moment to evaluate your daily routines and consider how to make your life safer and more secure in 2025,” says the group head of communications and marketing at Fidelity ADT, Charnel Hattingh.

She recommends 10 easy steps when drawing up your security New Year’s resolutions:
• Join a suburb WhatsApp group. Doing this is an easy way to stay on top of trends in your suburb and your street and to get help in an emergency.

All the area’s security companies and CPF members are in these groups and can quickly react to suspicious activity or emergencies.

• Get to know your neighbours. Safer suburbs start with communication between residents. Your neighbours can keep an eye on your property if you are away or at work, and vice versa and can also easily spot something out of place if they know your daily routines.

• Invest in more outdoor security systems. Good home security starts with a secure perimeter, which needs to be supported by proper security on the actual property (garden, entertainment areas, garden shed). Electric fencing, outdoor beams, CCTV and sensor lights are proven deterrents.

• Be more vigilant. Talk to the family about things like leaving and arriving home, locking doors and security gates, being cautious of strangers at the gate and knowing what to do in an emergency. Everyone should know how to quickly reach their security company and the police by phone or via the alarm system and panic buttons.

• Have a security assessment done. Advice from a security expert can help you decide on security to suit your lifestyle and living spaces.

Technology has evolved tremendously to complement modern homes and lifestyles while keeping criminals at bay and getting you the right help when you need it most. Options that might have been prohibitively expensive a few years ago are now entirely affordable.

• Learn basic self-defence. Enrol in a self-defence class to build confidence and learn techniques that can help protect you in dangerous situations.

• Practice safe driving. Commit to avoiding distractions while driving, obeying speed limits and never driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

• Create an emergency plan. Devise and practice an emergency plan with your family that includes evacuation routes and meeting points in case of a fire, natural disaster or other emergency. Ensure you have a well-stocked first aid kit at home, in your car and at work. Learn basic first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

• Stay physically fit. Regular exercise can improve your overall health and make you more capable of handling physical challenges or emergencies.

• Limit sharing personal information online. Be mindful of the information you share on social media and other online platforms to protect your privacy and avoid identity theft.

“Start the year on a fresh new – and safe – slate. Look for ways of living safer and consider things that can keep your loved ones more secure. It is exactly the kind of New Year’s resolution we should all think about,” says Hattingh.