Going Away for the Holidays?

If so, don't tell anyone that you do not know and trust very well.

Choose a good friend or trustworthy neighbor to check your house out every day that you are gone.  DON'T forget to leave a housekey or the security combination to your home's front door.  They need to look for any emergency electrical, plumbing, natural gas, etc problems that might happen.   Make sure that you leave a list of electricians, plumbers, etc phone numbers.  And, of course, make sure that the caretaker has your current cellphone number and know where you will be in case they need to contact you quickly.

If your mail is delivered to your house, you can ask that person to bring it in every day or evening.  If you prefer, just call your local post office and ask them to hold all of your mail at the post office until you return.  In Wichita County, the phone number for the post office is 620.375.2813.

Contact the newspaper publisher if your newspaper is delivered to your front door.  Ask them to either hold the papers until you come home or tell them you won't need those copies.  Let the newspaper people know when they can start delivery to your house again.  A build-up of unread newspapers in your yard are a tell-tale sign that you have gone away.

Make sure someone is taking care of all of your indoor and outdoor pets while you are away.  They need fresh water and food daily.  Make sure that the caregivers have phone numbers for your veterinarian in case someone gets sick or hurt.

Leave a list of emergency contacts with at least two of your friends before you leave.  That way, if something happens and you cannot be reached, the friends will have someone else to contact.  This is especially necessary if you are not home by the date you plan on being home.

Lock all exterior doors and windows if possible.

Leave porch lights and yard lights turned on while you are away.  It is also a good idea to purchase a device that will automatically turn on various lights at certain times every day or evening.

Unplug any electronic items before you leave such as TVs, stereos, computers, etc.  That way, any electric surges that may occur while you are gone, will not damage them.

You may want to let your local police or sheriff's office know that you will be out-of-town for awhile.  They can patrol your property on a regular basis if necessary.  The Wichita County Sheriff's Office phone number is 620.375.2723.

Enjoy your holiday!!!

VLE-B