Top Security Tips for Back to School

As a parent you’ll always think about your kids and their wellbeing. Whether they are starting elementary school, going into high school or finishing post-secondary school, you’ll want to prepare them for the moments that you can’t be there to protect them from harm.

As a parent, it’s not only your job to teach your children the difference between right and wrong but it’s your responsibility to keep them safe, and to teach them how to keep themselves safe. Beyond the basics, learning how to spot and avoid dangerous situations may not be common sense. We’ve compiled some commonly overlooked safety tips for students along with the reasoning behind them to help you prepare your kids for back to school season.

After decades of protecting families and their assets with our personalized services, our team realized the need to educate and empower our clients on what to do in situations where danger may arise.

• • Do not walk through parks at night where you are unable to clearly scope-out your surroundings.
  • Always travel in groups to avoid being approached by suspicious strangers.
  • Avoid wearing headphones when traveling alone.
  • Do not approach strangers or unknown drivers in vehicles, even if they call you over.
  • If caught in a dangerous situation, scream “help” rather than just screaming as it could be seen as a tantrum.
  • Review home emergency plans in case of a fire or flood.
  • Review your home security system with every member within your household. Ensure they understand how to turn it off after a false alarm.
  • Beware of catfishers—individuals that pretend to be someone else to lure others into meeting them or providing them with financial gain).
  • Never post personal information of your whereabouts publicly online.
  • Executive clients should have our 24hr ACC (Avante Control Centre) number handy at all times, in the case of any concern or emergency. Our Rapid Response service does not only cater to home alarms, but any instance where a client is in need.

Teaching your kids to avoid opening the door for strangers may seem like common sense but a lot of parents miss the mark or don’t realize the potential risks. Last year, there was an epidemic of what Toronto police are calling “crime tourism”: the act of foreign organized crime groups targeting residential neighbourhoods for burglary, scouting targets by knocking on doors.

Young children are very trusting and can be naïve when it comes to ‘stranger danger’. “Bad guys” can’t be identified by their outer appearance so, it can be hard to tell when a stranger has poor intentions. By establishing a family password, you are preparing your loved ones with a safeguard to understand the difference between a trusted friend and a dangerous stranger.

As your kids start off a new school year, we want you to feel confident that they would know what to do during times of distress. If you need assistance drilling-in the importance of safety, our Operatives would be more than happy to educate them. We offer complimentary “Street Proofing” services to our Executive Clients to help empower their families with tactics taught by our highly-skilled and licensed security staff.

For Non-Emergency situations, like spotting suspicious activity in Toronto, call: (416) 808 2222

For Toronto Fire Services, call: (416) 338-9050

For Toronto Paramedic Services, call: (416) 392- 2000

For Toronto Power (if your home experiences a power outage), call: (416) 542-8000

For Non-Emergency Medical Issues, call Telehealth Ontario: 1-866-797-0000

Join some of the most well-protected families in Toronto by signing on to our executive services which also include Rapid Alarm Response, Daily Patrols, Vacation Watch Services, Luxury Secure Transport and more.