A safe home means knowing what to do in an emergency situation, having a meeting place for you and your family, and being able to stay calm.

Below are some tips from The Lawhead Team to keep your home safe from intruders and dangerous situations:

• Do not post on a social media sites your house will be empty for any period of time. This puts your home and valuables in jeopardy.
• Make sure your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms have batteries and are in working order so your family can get out of the home safe in the event of a fire or gas leak.
• Know where your fire extinguisher, gas shut off value, main water shut-off, and electricity turn off is located.
• Make sure windows and doors can be locked correctly so you can keep your home safe when you are there and when you are out.
• Keep your car keys on your night stand while you sleep that way if you hear something suspicious at night, push panic on your car alarm to scare off a potential threat.
• Consider planting thorny bushes below ground floor windows. You should also keep bushes and trees trimmed down to eliminate any hiding spaces they may create in which an intruder can stay hidden.
• Have a trusted neighbor keep an eye out for your house and do the same for them. This is a great way to keep your home and valuables safe while you are out.
• Stay safe by installing lights with timers on them all around your home. Intruders don’t want to be visible.
• Form a neighborhood watch to keep your home and neighbors’ home safe.