Security and safety considerations in this day and age have had to take centre stage in just about all we do. Ignoring, or assuming the same have in a way spelt doom to individuals and the society as a whole, compromising lives and livelihoods alike.
Conditions that inspire insecurities have practically steadily grown, especially with the rising economic hardships that have been shored up by the COVID pandemic, and moreso, with the impact of job losses etc, so much so there’s quite a high level of opportunistic theft/threats that are looking for the slightest opportunities to manifest.
Sadly, this festive season presents happiness as well as the potentiality of coming face to face with insecurities of sorts.
As regards home security, it’s prudent for folks to take stock of what we call a THREAT PROFILE, which ideally is a diagnostic analysis of what they have (the homes hold) as assets, the perceived or real threats that they face, the vulnerabilities that exist and which may have them exposed (like moving away from home, absence of relevant security measures, possibility of insider job, etc), the likelihoods of these threats manifesting and then come up with RELEVANT fitting mitigation measures.
With the above, it means that there’s definitely very bespoke tagging of these threat profiles from home to home, area/locale to locate etc given these differentials. What my home faces if it’s in an apartment within a middle class area will be different from one in a gated community in another area.
So, WITH THE ABOVE, a number of solutions can be pegged on the same – and the golden rule is to have a COST-EFFECTIVE MITIGATION MEASURE.
A. Ensure that you harden your home as a target and make it less desirable to adversaries. Hardening a target means investing in measures or solutions that will make threats, or adversaries face substantial challenges to attack. This is what we also call deterrence factors, and it plays out in different ways if considered side by side with other possible targets. If you have better, stronger, higher fence than your neighbor(s), chances your neighbors will stand as easier/softer targets to the adversaries.
Eg. Investing in fences /access control systems, sturdy locks, doors, windows, securing valuables well etc
B. Exploit the power of connections and other existing security and safety infrastructure. Good neighbourliness means, which sadly isn’t a culture that’s utilized in Kenya means that you can take advantage of the good old “brothers’ keeper,” or even with the existing, albeit less exploited community policing so there’s collective safety in numbers. It’s unlikely that urban centres will witness 💯 emigration. By asking a (TRUSTED) neighbor to keep watch when you’re away is one way of ensuring there’s some level of an “eye” on your property or home when you’re away.
If possible, have some caretaker persons to stay behind to watch over the home when you’re away, and/or take advantage of some of the social /online home leasing platforms like AirB&B as is reasonably acceptable or safe.
C. For threats to manifest, attackers rely on hot intelligence. Sometimes, we ourselves let out crucial information that then get to hit wrong ears. You can deny unwarranted ears critical information about your impending travel out of town, or by not making it obvious that you are going to be away and for how long.
D. Where possible, and if existing, instruct those incharge of your apparent, gated community security (AGAIN IF THEY ARE PROFESSIONAL) to be aware of your absence and TO NOT let anyone in as some attacks are disguised as normal visitations.
E. Take advantage of existing technology and technical solutions like alarm systems and smark CCTV cameras that are able to warn of intrusions, and with the cameras providing you with VISUAL remotely, whenever, wherever. You can then back this up with connection with response teams of sorts, or the local administration or law enforcement to act in a timely manner if attack were to occur.
F. WHENEVER possible, try to maintain a level of activity, at your home. Some adversaries will shy away if they see/notice activity around their target. You can make some arrangement to have your lights be switched on and off, fence maintained, etc to have some indication of human activity/presence.
G. Other risk mitigation measures like RISK TRANSFER can be considered. Insuring your valuables is one of the ways of protecting yourself from total loss were adversaries to attack. Presently, households can be insured against all manner of risks.
Others are like RISK ELIMINATION which (target/asset) is altogether removing that which would attract adversaries. It may be expensive to move around with all your households, but it is a consideration of you can select the highest value ones of all considerations spell so.
RISK REDUCTION to As Low as Reasonably Practicable (APARP) means superimposing the considered threats upon comprehensive mitigation measures in a manner ensures that there’s VERY SLIM chance any of such considered threats /risks can then occur/manifest.
You can also throw in RISK ACCEPTANCE where, the considered risks can be assumed to be a probability, but they are either low in impact, or in their likelihood you decide to wait them out / accept.
Security and other Threats
The real or perceived threats range from vandalism, break-in and theft of valuables, compromising of your critical infrastructure like water/piping system or electricity systems of the threat is sabotage with imaginable gross outcomes, arson, or just destruction of property. This may also include kidnapping of those left behind and are vulnerable and they consequential use as bargaining tools for ransom etc. Threats to them may include violent attacks, sexual violence, even murder.
In summary, security and safety mustn’t be treated carelessly as it is indeed a high-reliability affair: lives and livelihoods may be at stake. Invest some thoroughness in planning, exercise forethought, and with a moderate sense of vigilance in order to avoid falling prey to what may as well be very avoidable threats during this festive season