This document provides safety tips and recommendations for staying safe in various situations. It discusses establishing safety plans for the office, in vehicles, and personally. Specific tips include always meeting clients for the first time in the office, having a distress code system and buddy system in the office, keeping doors locked in vehicles and being aware of surroundings, and practicing situational awareness and considering self-defense classes personally. It also recommends safety apps and wearable technology like panic buttons, personal alarms, and tracking apps to enhance safety. The overall message is about getting smart, establishing plans and policies, using technology, and trusting your instincts to help avoid dangerous situations and stay safe.

1. If I Only Knew That
I Needed To…
GET SMART & STAY SAFE
Tara L. Christianson
ARPM
August 16, 2015

4. SCARED
SHAKEN
LUCKY

9. THIS CAN’T HAPPEN TO ME…
 Overconfidence in our gadgets, our abilities
 FOMM (Fear of Missing Money) Syndrome

10. No one is invincible…

11. LET’S TALK POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS
1. Safety First
2. Building a Plan
a. Office
b. Auto
c. Personal
3. Apps & Wearable Technology

12. SAFETY FIRST
• Trust your gut. What does instinct feel like?
 Nagging feeling
 Wonder—What if?
 Anxiety
 Hunches
 Gut feeling
 Curiosity
 Doubt
 Hesitation
 Suspicion
 Apprehension
 Fear
 Dark humor—a way to communicate concern without looking
foolish

13. The 10-Second Safety Scan
aka “POWDER”
 Take 2 seconds when Parking
 Take 2 seconds when stepping Out of car
 Take 2 seconds when Walking toward property
 Take 2 seconds at the Door
 Take 2 seconds as you Enter property
Repeat in Reverse as you leave the property.

14. BUILDING A PLAN
• Office Policy
• Auto Policy
• Personal Policy

15. OFFICE POLICY

16. OFFICE SAFETY ACTION PLAN
Item/Policy Suggestions
First-time meeting with clients All property managers must arrange to
meet prospects and clients whom they have
never met in the office rather than at
properties, out of doors, or at home.
Client IDs All first-time clients must provide a driver’s
license or other official photo ID. The office
will make and retain a copy of this ID for
security purposes.
Distress code system Everyone working in the office will be
educated on a single “distress code” to be
used when feeling threatened and calling
into the office.
Buddy system Anyone who is uncomfortable meeting with
prospects or clients alone, or holding open
houses alone, can request a ‘buddy’ to go
with them.

17. AUTO POLICY
 Always try to take separate cars.
 Know who’s getting into your car (ID required) before they
do.
 When arriving, take a picture of the other person’s license
plate and save or send to a safe place.
 Be prepared for emergencies – emergency kit in car.
 Always keep your doors locked.
 When unlocking your door, make sure you only unlock the
driver’s side door.
 Be aware of your surroundings. Is someone behind you?
Is someone on the other side of the car? Is someone in
your back seat?

18. PERSONAL POLICY
Your first line of defense is YOU.
Use your safety senses.
Practice situational awareness, including
online.
Always appear confident, and have a
plan.
Think about taking a self-defense class.
Wear clothing that allows freedom of
movement.

19. Apps & Wearable Technology
• Panic button at the office
(hardwired)
• Personal duress alarms
• Smartphone
• Apple Watch
• Jewelry

20. SafeTCard
Safetcard.com.au

21. http://www.danielmorcombe.com.au/app.html

22. http://www.watchovermeapp.com/

23. http://www.staysafeapp.com/staysafe-personal/

24. https://fleetlog.com.au/

25. CUFF: https://cuff.io/

26. http://stiletto.is/

27. COMING
SOON:
SAFETY
APPS
FOR
THE
APPLE
WATCH

28. THINK FORWARD

29. If I Only Knew That I Needed To…
GET SMART & STAY SAFE
I Have Less Chance of Becoming
a Headline
or a Statistic

30. “An estimated 1.2 million women in Australia aged 18 and over had
experienced sexual violence or its threat since the age of 15. More
specifically, 1 in 6 adult women in Australia had experienced sexual
assault since the age of 15 years.”

31. Tara L. Christianson
Tara@TechWithTLC.com
+61 0422 392 310