Eye On Massena
Welcome to Eye on Massena, a monthly column brought to you by the members of Massena Neighborhood Watch.
Our goal is to share with you simple ways you can reduce your chances of becoming a victim of crime.
With spring rapidly approaching, your thoughts might be turning to home renovation and repair plans. Most renovations are made with beauty in mind, but safety should also be a prime consideration.
One improvement you can make to your home that won't cost much money or time is to install outdoor security lights.
Lighting is one of the most cost-effective things you can do to protect your home from being invaded. It only makes sense. Take a drive around the village some evening after dark; you will see entire streets where no house is lighted.
These dark, quiet streets are vulnerable to burglars going house to house, unseen. But if a house is lit, neighbors are more likely to notice if an unknown person is moving around the property.
That is what Neighborhood Watch is all about - people are looking out for each other so that our chances of being victimized are less.
What sort of lights are appropriate? Well, you don't want to limit yourself to decorative lights like you'd have in a flowerbed. Those aren't bright enough.
At the same time, you don't want floodlights that are going to drown out the neighbors. Research by the U.S. Institute of Justice has shown that brighter doesn't necessarily equal safer. Glare can impair vision and poorly located lighting can create shadows where criminals can hide. Also, don't rely only on light posts at the end of your driveway. These will help you find your house on a dark night, but will not take away shadows by the doors to your house.
Lights should be placed at front, back, and side entrances and on the garage, if it is detached. Lights shouldn't be obscured by trees or shrubs, and they should be angled so that they are pointing slightly away from the door - that way you can see movement in the area around a door.
Make sure that lights are set high enough so that the bulbs can't be easily removed or broken. A light fixture that points the light downward rather than in all directions is most efficient.
A motion-sensor light, or a light which operates on a timer, might cost a little more up front but will save money in electric charges over the long run. Also, be sure to buy compact florescent lights instead of standard light bulbs. They will last much longer, so you won't have to change them as often.
Of course, making home improvements can be a bite to your budget, but Neighborhood Watch wants to help make safety affordable.
We have partnered with Triple A Building Supply in Massena to bring you a discount on outdoor security lights. Simply bring this column to the store and ask for the Neighborhood Watch discount. You will get 20 percent off your outdoor lighting purchase.
Want to learn more about how to protect yourself from crime? Then consider coming to the next meeting of Massena Neighborhood Watch at 7p.m. March 24 in the Massena Neighborhood Center on Beach Street.
This month's meeting will feature a guest speaker from the CAVA rape crisis center talking about how parents can keep their children safe from sex offenders.
You can learn more about Neighborhood Watch by visiting our website at www.massenaworks.com/village/NeighborhoodWatch_000.asp or by "friending" us on Facebook at Massena Watch.
