A person’s wellbeing is directly related to their sense of security. It affects our sleep – anxiety levels – our mood – our outlook on life in general. Maybe that’s why so many of us are eager to tell ourselves they’re safe and secure, even when that’s not strictly true.
My buddy Joe was one of those who had convinced himself that he, his family, and his property had the security solutions in place to keep them safe. So, can you imagine his surprise when he walked around the corner on his property and found himself staring down the barrel of a gun?
Let’s take a step back and paint the full picture.
Joe and his wife Jill are happily retired, living in their dream home in a private community. They have two sons: a chef living in a city close by and a pilot who’s seldom in any place for long. So, you can imagine their excitement when their youngest, the pilot, announced that he had gotten engaged and was planning to settle nearby.
Now, my buddy loves to party so he and Jill set about arranging a BBQ to celebrate their son’s good news. All of their friends and family attended and a great time was had by all. Long past midnight, the final guests had said their farewells, and Joe was busy clearing away the last of the festivities. As he rounded a corner on his property he walked smack-bang into an armed burglar. Thankfully, the gunman seemed as startled as Joe and made a dash for it without harming my mate or his family.
However, the damage was already done. Joe had believed that he was safe because he lives on a secure estate and has a security fence, and even reports of increased criminal activity in his county weren’t enough to convince him otherwise. But, at that moment, the illusion had been shattered.
What Joe actually had was a false sense of security.
A Sense of Security Starts From Within
What happened to Joe isn’t all that uncommon. Sadly, statistics show that similar burglary scenarios happen over 300 times per day in the US, and my guess is that a lot of those folks falling victim to these crimes were previously certain that they were safe in their homes.
They say that a sense of security starts from within and radiates out, whereas the reality of security starts on the outside and works its way in.
So, how can we avoid a false sense of security and find smart security solutions that actually keep us safe? The best place to begin is with a self-assessment:
- Are you in good health? If not, do you have a plan in place if you fall ill?
- Are you spatially alert? If not, start taking note of what’s happening around you.
- Do you have a plan if something happens? I frequently work alone and with heavy equipment, so I always make sure I have my mobile with me in case I need to call for help.
A mini risk assessment is also a great idea. Once threats have been identified, a suitable plan can be formulated. For example, if physical security measures are required, start by identifying and addressing the most probable threat.
Security Solutions That Work
This post isn’t intended as a scare tactic and I don’t mean to alarm anybody. The chances of you finding yourself looking down the barrel of a gun tomorrow are about 0.000000083% in the US. Instead, I’m simply recommending that you be more aware of potential threats. This will help ensure that your sense of security will not be FALSE.
There are lots more options for keeping your property secure than electric security fencing. That’s why I’ll talk about choosing the correct security solution in my next post. If you have any questions about your security options in the meantime just give me, Billy a call 512-466-1859
