On Labor Day, we celebrate hard-working Americans who make everyday contributions to the well-being of our country, and honor them with some time off and a long weekend—possibly the last barbecue weekend of their year. Who don’t we honor? Thieves and criminals who also look forward to long holiday weekends when we’re most likely to let down our guard. Holidays offer them opportunities to steal valuable property in large quantities—when no one is around. With a little due diligence to prepare your property, you don’t have to be a victim.
Just remember CPR – Check, Prepare, Report – and have a great Labor Day weekend!
Facilities:
Check
- Check that alarms and surveillance systems are working.
- Walk the perimeter to make sure it’s properly secured.
- Check on lighting. Replace non-working fixtures.
- Review timer so lights come on while facility is closed.
Prepare
- Perform a security system test. Is monitoring service receiving signals?
- Use an alarm backup system with verified response capabilities.
- Remove keys from all equipment (forklifts) and secure them.
Report
- Report system faults right away.
- Ensure company alarm call list is current and contains valid phone numbers.
- Contact law enforcement and ask for additional patrols in the area.
Freight In-Transit:
Check
- Perform an initial overall check of the vehicle before leaving it unattended for any length of time.
- Check on the unattended vehicles as frequently as possible.
Prepare
- Secure the tractor and trailer with a steering wheel locking device, kingpin locks, glad-hand locks.
- Lock trailer doors. Do NOT leave keys inside tractor.
- Only leave vehicles in secured lots with good lighting and surveillance.
- Park within view of cameras.
Report
- Notify dispatch of your whereabouts frequently.
- Use tracking in the freight with geo-fencing and alert notification.
- Gather with your team to discuss perimeter security as soon as possible.
Don’t wait until the day before a holiday to review security procedures and protocols. Apply these suggestions to help maintain the integrity of your security system and keep the criminal element on the outside.
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