Are you considering a home alarm systems for your Perth home? Want to know how others taught their children to use one? There are several ways you can teach your children. Today, we discuss some of the best strategies for your Perth family.
If you don’t have a home alarm system yet but would like to find out how to get one, request a free quote today.
Conduct regular home alarm system drills
It’s super important that your children know how to respond in emergency situations such as a fire or a break-in. They need to know what to do so they don’t panic when it’s time to cancel a false alarm or to call the Triple Zero (000) service.
Be prepared for a home invasion
Here are some procedures that your children should know about:
- Arming and disarming the system with their alarm codes and/or remotes
- Arming the system when staying inside (e.g. only one or some zones)
- Arming the system when making a quick exit
- When to contact the home security monitoring team
- Avoiding false alarms and unnecessary fees
- Cancelling a false alarm and who to contact when there’s been a false alarm
- What to do in an emergency or panic situation to summon help
- What to do if someone breaks into the home
- What to say when contacting the Police, Fire and Ambulance services
These procedures should be included in your home emergency plan. We recommend that families with home alarm systems allocate some time once a month to run through the different procedures for this exercise. Perhaps also include some role-playing games as they tend to help children learn how to communicate with emergency staff.
If you’d like to know which family-friendly alarm systems we recommend, ask us now.
Teach your children to stay safe
In addition to teaching them how to use home alarm systems, it’s also important to teach your children about the basic safety measures so they take care of themselves. Plus, it’s for your own peace of mind.
Here are some of the essentials you could start with:
- Ensure your children have your phone number and the number for a secondary contact. If there are any neighbours, relatives or friends you trust to help your children in case of an emergency, leave their contact details with your children.
- Set a rule for your children to check in with you or the other parent. Ask them to call or leave a message as soon as they get inside the home. If you haven’t heard from them, get your neighbour to check on them. Our home security cameras also offer the option for you to check in on your children remotely. They come with a reliable mobile phone app for peace of mind.
- Show your children the different ways people could break in, and how securing the home properly can deter intruders. Remind them to secure all doors and windows.
- Teach your children how to answer the door or phone when strangers call. They should never reveal that they’re home alone or that the adults are out. Teach them to say you’re busy and therefore the caller should leave a name and number.
- Explain why it’s dangerous to disclose their home address to strangers or new friends.
- Explain how disclosing their address on social media can put them at risk.
- When you get home, whether they experienced any safety issues when they were alone.
We also recommend to always encourage your children to tell you about any fears they have about being left home alone. Plus, remember that if you promise you’ll be home at a 6pm and you’re not, your child could become frightened. When you’re running late, call them.
Ready to protect your children?
Our home alarm systems can be a lifesaver. Contact us today for advice on the best options available for your Perth home.