These are my notes that were summarized in the June Ward newsletter:
Stake Emergency Preparedness
Self Defense and Security
5-26-11
Chief Dean Petterson
The #1 crime in Mapleton is theft. Light and locks will decrease the opportunity for criminals. Keep the doors of your home (front, back and windows), your car and the garage locked, even during the day. Leaving the garage door open even a little can allow someone to slip in. Get a timer for your lights if you will be out of town and install motion sensor lights outside your home.
Keep track of serial #’s for your possessions that have them especially guns. Keep a a list on the computer as well a printed list in case the computer is stolen. Take a few hours and video the contents of your home, then keep a copy at your home and someone else's or in a safety deposit box.
Be aware of e-mail and or phone scams. If it sounds too good to be true, it is! If you get an e-mail from someone claiming to be a family member on vacation and in trouble and asking for your financial help, check it out before responding. Call the family member and find out if it is legitimate.
Door to door salespeople need to register with the city and will be issued a picture ID with the Mapleton City logo printed on the top. If someone comes to your door without this ID, don’t interact with them. Call the police immediately with a description of the person, the vehicle and the direction they were heading. Most of the door to door people are actually criminals from other communities. The policies the city has enacted has cut down on the number of these types of people.
A couple of other things Chief Petterson talked about were traffic and home security. Wear your seat belt, and slow down when driving. If you are driving on the streets after midnight, expect to be pulled over. The view of the police department is #1 - you are either coming or going to a job or #2 you are trouble. As far as home security, have frequent fire drills in your home and have a meeting place arranged that your entire family is aware of. Repetition helps us react quickly.
If you are going out of town, leave your name, address, what vehicles will be at the house, who will be coming and going from your home to water, pick up mail, etc. so they can check your home from time to time while you are gone. The best watchers are your neighbors, let them know the same info and have them keep an eye on things for you. As neighbors, we can let the police know when something doesn’t look right by calling them immediately with descriptions, not waiting because we’re not sure if there is a problem. You should also put a hold on your mail and papers. A pile of papers in your driveway is a sign to criminals that no one is home.
Richard Davis is a black belt who has 30 years experience. His suggestions for personal safety are:
-Notice the whole person, not just their face
-Be aware of your surroundings especially if you are using a cell phone, ipod, etc. and may
be distracted by them
-Keep your distance in a dispute
-Keep an “I am not a victim” mentality
-Carry a kubaton weapon (about $6 from Richard’s business) and/or pepper spray, wasp
spray or taser. Pepper spray needs to be replaced yearly as it loses it’s strength over time.
-Walk in pairs to school, to jog
-Walk with your head up and eyes alert
-Scream FIRE instead of help - more people will respond
-Be confident
-Dogs are a good deterrent
-Visualize yourself in different situations and “what if” scenarios
-Take a self defense class
Richard is willing to come to YW, RS groups and teach some basic skills for protecting ourselves.
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