UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN River Falls

Safety

When Away on Break....

 

When leaving on break, you will need to take measures to protect your home from potential loss and damage.  Things that can occur during prolonged absences may include flooding and theft.  Due to the regularity of their schedules, college students can be particularly vulnerable to theft.  This is especially true during school breaks when many students are away from their rental units visiting family/friends during a widely known time frame. Deter a break in and property loss by following the simple steps below.


  1. Temporarily stop all newspaper and mail delivery while you are gone during breaks.  An accumulation of newspapers on your front stoop is a sure sign to thieves that no one is home.
  2. Ensure that all doors and windows are locked and that window treatments are closed.
  3. Set a few exterior/interior lights to a timer to make your home appear occupied.
  4. Enable any security system and window/door alarms.
  5. Inform neighbors or friends of your absence and ask them to keep an eye out for any suspicious activity.  Leave contact information with them where you can be notified should anything happen while you are away.
  6. Take any valuables with you and securely lock file cabinets containing important documents.
  7. Never leave spare keys outside your apartment.  No matter how well you may think you've hidden a key you should always assume it can by found by a thief.
  8. Unplug all extension cords and unneeded appliances.
  9. Empty your refrigerator/freezer prior to leaving.
  10. Empty all trash and recycling containers.
  11. Keep all furniture and personal belongings away from heaters and/or furnaces.
  12. Take home all pets during breaks.  Abandoned pets become a common issue during student breaks.
  13. Keep your heat on during winter months to ensure that pipes do not freeze and break.  Coming home to a flood could be an unwelcome sight and very costly.

Contact Us

25H North Hall
715-425-3344
FAX 715-425-4980