Define a plan of action to guard against external threats and reduce personal vulnerabilities.
The following actions can help eliminate and/or reduce the probability of consequential events occurring. When events do occur, the below actions may serve to reduce the adverse consequences incurred.
a—Protect your home by doing the following:
- Test fire alarms. If required, change batteries on a fixed periodicity.
- Test carbon monoxide (CO) monitoring. If required, change batteries on a fixed periodicity.
- Install home security cameras
- Install a formidable, fireproof safe for valuables and essential documents
b—Protect your identity and prevent access to your personal data and assets by doing the following:
- Utilize an antivirus software
- Employ an online access password consolidation and protection software
- Use a VPN service to guard your location and online identity
- Employ child safeguard software and applications to protect your children
c—Protect life and limb against personal attacks by doing the following:
- Enable the location tracking option on your phone (and the phones of your loved ones)
- Conduct thoughtful event planning with allowance for alternate means of escape or exit
- Partner with a trusted friend when traveling or during event attendance
- Carry personal alert devices to include rape alarms and an emergency whistle
- Carry personal defense devices to include mace
- Learn and practice self-defense techniques
- Be ready and willing to employ the best defense option i.e., the good sense to turn and run when needed
At a minimum, review the threats you identified in best practice #1. Now, where appropriate, select the appropriate defense(s) above to reduce risk and help prevent events and adversity for you and your family.
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