The end of Summer is here and Fall is definitely in the air. Crime is usually at it’s height in the Summer through the end of September. On the East Coast, Summer doesn’t leave without a good fight and the hot temps realize a rise in crime especially over the weekend.
My Fall Safety Tip #1 is to “BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS”.
For most Notary Publics, our concentration from door to door is making sure we have all our documents, checking and double checking our supplies, #WhatsInYourBag, and getting to our destination on time.
But don’t get distracted to the point you aren’t aware of what is going on or who is around you. There is a great saying that the airports started using after 9-11. “If you See Something. Say Something”. Now this mainly applies to reporting suspicious activity but it is still a good way to think about things that are giving you an uneasy feeling. Is there a stranger you notice following you or near your property often? Is the couple at the signing behaving erratic or someone appears under duress? Make a mental note and follow your instincts. If a situation or someone makes you feel uncomfortable, LEAVE.
Always have a network of people or peers that know where you are when on assignment. There are quite a few features on your cellphones that allow you to share your location. Google Maps has a feature that you can share your trip. You can use social media to share your location with specific connections but this should be a last choice option. Some location sharing apps are:
- Glympse app Real-Time Location and Estimated Arrival Time Using GPS Tracking – Glympse Consumer App Glympse is a fast, free and simple way to share your real-time location and estimated arrival time using GPS tracking with family members, friends or co-workers! It is a safe and secure app and downloadable on Google Play and the App Store.
- Life 360 Family Locator & GPS Tracker for Safety Life360 – Family Safety Membership It is a location-based service designed primarily to enable friends and family members to share their location with each other.
If you happen to be working at night, always park in a well lit location and stay out of dark areas or places perpetrators can easily be concealed. Also if you are in a client home and start to feel unsafe you will need some quick thinking to get out of the situation. An app that I like is called bsafe. BSAFE (getbsafe.com) It has a fake call feature, a timer alert, and a follow-me feature. You can start a live video and it also has an SOS button you can alert with your voice.
Most notary assignments are routine and you never face a threat. Take responsibility of your personal safety and always be aware of your surroundings.
Safe Signings!
Thanks.