Summertime Tips: How to Stay Safe Outside Your Home

According to a Gallup poll _[1], 57% of Americans prefer to spend their summer evenings on an outdoor activity, whether it’s sitting on a porch, going to the beach or taking a walk. June is also National Safety Month, a valuable reminder to take stock of the various ways we can keep our homes and communities secure. Whether near your home base, at work or out on the go, here are a few considerations to ensure your physical and mental wellbeing are taken care of.

Your Home

Starting with the obvious, installing a robust security system in your home or small business with 24/7 monitoring services is the best way to prevent fire, theft, property damage and more. The 24/7 monitoring means you’ll get a faster emergency response time and a more accurate response, too – ADT’s trained professionals will assess a situation and ensure law enforcement is responding with the correct resources. A security install is important not only for when you’re physically at home or work, but for when you leave the premise, giving you peace of mind that your belongings and investments are safe.

Your Neighborhood and Yard

Outdoor cameras and lights can make all the difference in home and neighborhood security… and even more so when part of a connected smart home system like the ADT Command _[2] system and the ADT Control _[3] app. Command and Control can automate exterior lights – adjusting for daylight savings, turning on if your security system expects an intruder, and giving you the ability to use the Control app on your smartphone to change the timing in case you’re away from home and realize you’d like to make a change. Exterior lighting can help make you and your neighbors feel safer in your own backyards.

It also might seem small, but fencing in your yard and installing locks can make a huge difference. Especially for families with young children, installing these items can help contain kids close to the house, allow parents to better watch over their children and providing peace of mind, And for everyone – with kids or without – it may help keep furniture, yard equipment, outdoor electronics (like smart plugs) and people more safe.

Yourself, While On-the-Go

Just because you leave your house doesn’t mean your security system can’t come with you, in some form. SoSecure by ADT _[4] is a safety app that provides free access to ADT’s 24/7 professional monitoring and response from your mobile phone. Whether you’re going for a run, exploring a new park or headed to work, SoSecure can bring physical security and peace of mind in case you come in contact with strangers or an otherwise unsafe situation. Using the app, if you’re feeling uncomfortable or in danger, you can discreetly contact ADT by voice or SMS chat and ADT will call 911 for you. Using apps like SoSecure means you can have a good time with far less worrying, whether you’re on-the-go for work or for fun.

If You or Someone You Know is Aging in Place

At ADT, we understand how important it is to ensure safety while also granting yourself and others independence. ADT’s Health _[5] Medical Solutions, also known as Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS), can offer peace of mind. The wearable medical alert system is cost-effective and can help connect users to caretakers and family members. It allows for two-way voice connectivity to ADT’s Health monitoring professionals and in the case of a fall, it even has the ability to send alerts if the user can’t push the button.

Your Mental Health

Overall, all of these safety measures can help keep you and loved ones physically safe, but something that’s often overlooked is the impact security can have on your mental health. It’s been documented  _[6] that chronic worry and emotional stress can potentially trigger a host of health problems, and one potential solution is to look for ways to address them. Ensuring the safety of yourself and your loved ones may help. We also encourage finding mental health resources and identifying a strong community – whether on your block or beyond your neighborhood. We are currently facing difficult times, but if we seek out resources and show support for one another, it might just make things easier.

Sources:

[1] https://news.gallup.com/poll/28294/most-americans-prefer-spend-their-summer-evenings-outdoors.aspx

[2] https://www.adt.com/command

[3] https://www.adt.com/control-login

[4] https://www.adt.com/sosecure

[5] https://www.adt.com/health

[6] https://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/how-worrying-affects-your-body#1

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