Security tips are rarely thought of in the first stages of planning a holiday. Traveling with the family is supposed to be fun; memories are made, photos are taken, t-shirts are bought, a welcome deserved break from the rigors of work is had. This is how every parent or guardian wants their family holiday to run… smoothly.There is so much to plan when taking a family holiday, before you know it you should have been in the car and on the road an hour ago or you find yourself sidestepping tourists whilst final calls are made for your plane. In all of the mayhem and excitement of going on holiday did you give any consideration to keeping yourself and your family safe?Probably not; very few actually do. It is just assumed that as long as an adult is present or pretty much present, everything will be fine so no attention is paid to security tips. We wish this was the case, but all too often we hear reports of family safety issues and nightmare holiday scenarios. Which is why we have decided to put together this list of security tips, aimed at keeping your family safe and together on holiday.
6 Security Tips
1. Take a spare set of photos
Every parent’s nightmare is to be separated from their children and loved ones for a prolonged amount of time. When you are putting together your travel itinerary be sure to include a couple of pictures of your child/children. That way if for whatever reason you are split up you will be able to quickly show officials what they look like.
2. Buy a carbon monoxide detector
You can never be too careful. Most DIY or home improvement stores sell carbon monoxide detectors for the same or less than your average smoke detector. It’s highly unlikely there will be a leak, but without a detector the poisonous fumes will go unnoticed.
3. Lock doors, windows & use safe
Most houses, apartments and certainly hotels won’t have the home alarm systems you are used to back at home. In which case it is imperative that you make sure both your family and valuables are as safe as possible by taking precautions such as locking all doors and windows. If your rental property or hotel has a safe (which most do) make sure you use it, as it’s amazing what can go missing from supposedly ‘locked’ apartments.
4. Don’t drink too heavily
It should go without saying really, but if you are going out for a meal or even staying in; make sure at least one adult is able to look after the children at any one time. We appreciate that holidays are a time to wind down and relax, but relaxing too much could put your family in danger.
5. Be responsible around water
Kids love the water and as a parent it is nice to be able to let them play and occupy themselves. But someone really does need to keep an eye on them, especially if the pool doesn’t have lifeguards. A lot depends on the ability of the children and their age, but either way their welfare around the pool is your responsibility. Try to set up and enforce poolside rules early (no running, bombing or fighting), it may not make you the most popular person on the planet – but it will keep everyone safe.
6. Explain split-up procedures
Not so effective for very young children, but a probably the most important security tip for those that can understand it. Take the time to explain to them what they should do if for any reason they are separated from you. Best practice suggests that the child doesn’t move, but stays in the same place – giving you a better chance of finding them quickly. Alternatively suggest meeting places, somewhere easy to find so that if you separate they can easily find a way back. If you are going somewhere you know will be busy, make them wear something distinguishable (much to their horror).
About the author
Each of these security tips for family holiday security are brought to you by Yale home alarm systems. Each Yale GSM alarm system is installed free of charge by a Yale security point engineer.
