Your Home and Business Pre-Vacation Security Checklist

Keep Your Wichita Home or Business Safe While You’re Away

Summer in Wichita is a whirlwind of excitement – Riverfest, concerts, food trucks, and a calendar packed with events that draw crowds to our city’s vibrant streets. But while you’re soaking up the fun (or the sun on a distant beach), don’t let your guard down when it comes to security. Whether you’re a homeowner heading out of town or a business owner prepping for a long holiday weekend or heavy traffic around your business, a little planning goes a long way to ensure you return to everything just as you left it.

Let’s dive into your ultimate pre-vacation security checklist, tailored for both homes and businesses, with tips to keep your property safe during Wichita’s busy summer season.

Home Pre-Vacation Security Checklist

Hold the Mail and Deliveries
An overflowing mailbox or stack of Amazon boxes is a neon sign for burglars that nobody’s home. Pause your deliveries or ask a neighbor to collect them. If you still get a newspaper delivered, put a hold on it until you return.
Light Up Like You’re Home
Put your lights on programmable timers. Or better yet, get home automation from Premier Security! Then you can easily turn your lights on or off with a tap on your phone from anywhere in the world. Whether you go with timers or automation, security studies suggest randomizing the on/off times of lights to mimic your usual routine and keep would-be intruders guessing.

Park Smart
If you have a garage, use it – keep your cars safely tucked away. Plus, this provides another barrier to prevent burglars from entering your home. Consider asking a neighbor, friend, relative, or house sitter to occasionally park in your driveway to create the illusion of activity.
Set Your Thermostat
Don’t turn off your A/C completely; set it about 10 degrees below the anticipated outside temperature to protect your appliances and save energy. If you’re traveling in the winter, it’s a good idea to do the same with the heat; set the temperature about 10 degrees below where you normally keep it to protect your home’s pipes and appliances. A home automation system from Premier Security will allow you to adjust the temperature from anywhere, too!
Turn Off the Water (If Gone for a While)
A burst pipe can ruin your vacation mood. Turn off the main water supply, or at least shut off water to appliances like washing machines and dishwashers.
Lock Down All Entry Points
Check doors, windows, pet doors, and even basement window wells to ensure that all locks and seals are functioning properly. Inspect your deadbolts and swap any that are worn out or easily jiggled free before you leave for vacation. If you have a security system, check all the connections, wires, and security cameras to ensure that all entry points are secure and can easily be viewed by your security cameras for added protection.
Hide Valuables Smartly
Don’t leave jewelry or expensive electronics out in the open. Use a fireproof safe for important documents and valuables. Make sure that any and all trash that indicates a recent large purchase is removed before you leave. You don’t want to alert any dumpster-diving thieves to major purchases you’ve made recently.
Keep Your Vacation to Yourself – And Your Inner Circle
As tempting as it is to share your vacation plans on social media, DON’T! Wait until you’re back to post those envy-inducing photos. Leading up to your trip, avoid posting countdowns, photos of your plane tickets (which is a terrible idea anyway), or anything that could allude to the fact that you’re going on vacation. That’s like advertising that your home will be vacant. DO tell your family and trusted neighbors about your trip in person or through a text message, though. They can help keep an eye on your home and alert you to any suspicious activity.

Keep Up Appearances
Arrange for someone to mow the lawn or shovel snow, depending on the season. An unkempt yard signals that no one’s home.
Test Your Security System
Ensure your alarm system, security cameras, and motion sensors are working properly. If you don’t have a security system, consider installing one for peace of mind. Contact us to learn more about home security solutions.

Business Pre-Holiday and Pre-Event Security Checklist

Wichita’s main streets come alive during Riverfest and summer events, bringing both opportunity and risk for local businesses. Here’s how to keep your business secure during these busy events and while you’re away:

Review Security Policies with Staff
Before closing for a long weekend or during times of anticipated extra foot traffic, walk your team through security protocols. Cover locking up sensitive information, rules about office access, and what to do if there’s a security breach.
Double-Check Security Equipment
Test all alarms, surveillance cameras, and access control systems. Ensure everything is fully operational before you lock up.
Notify Your Alarm Company
Let your security provider know about your holiday hours, extended hours, or closures. Update your emergency contact list as needed. It’s also a good idea to update your Google Business Profile so that your customers know what your hours are.

Secure All Access Points
Don’t just lock the front door, secure windows, back entrances, and any internal doors to sensitive areas. Much like at home, be sure that all door locks function properly. If you have a commercial security system, be sure to test it.
Remote Monitoring: Your Eyes Everywhere
Modern cloud-based security systems let you monitor cameras, alarms, and access control for all your locations with remote monitoring – from your phone, tablet, or laptop. Use access control systems to grant or revoke access, view real-time activity logs, and respond to incidents instantly, no matter where you are.

Keep an Eye on Employees
Remote video monitoring isn’t just for catching intruders, it helps you ensure employees are following protocols and that everything’s running smoothly while you’re away. Ensure the mice aren’t all play while you’re away!
GPS Fleet Tracking
If your business relies on vehicles, GPS fleet tracking lets you monitor fleet movement, route adherence, and driver behavior in real-time. It’s a powerful tool to boost productivity, reduce theft risk, and keep operations running efficiently – even if you’re relaxing on the beach.

Photo Credit: Visit Wichita, Wichita Riverfest 2023 | Photographer: Bob Bishop

Special Tips for Wichita’s Summer Events

With Riverfest and other big events, businesses and homeowners along Douglas Avenue, Old Town, and other busy corridors face extra challenges. Here’s how to stay secure:

Increase Exterior Lighting: Well-lit exteriors deter crime, especially during late-night events. Plus, you’ll be making the area that much safer, more walkable, and visible to anyone who may be passing by. This is a great way to call attention – the good kind – to your business and build brand recognition.
Install Security Cameras: Studies show that even the presence of security cameras can deter crime. Plus, if a crime does occur, you’ve got evidence ready to hand over to the police and your insurance company.

Temporary Barriers: Consider using barriers or bollards to protect storefronts from crowds or unauthorized vehicles. If you don’t want to limit your storefront’s exterior presence, consider installing interior barriers to keep merchandise and sensitive information safe should an intruder break in.
Coordinate with Neighbors: Much like with your home, share contact info with neighboring businesses and agree to watch out for each other’s properties. If just one business in a row has security cameras and a security system, it cold deter crime for four to five businesses and help catch criminals in the act.
Lost & Found: Remind staff about festival lost-and-found procedures and to secure any found items promptly.
Speak Out: According to a recent report by KSN, Wichita Police are encouraging event goers to report any kind of suspicious activity to the multiple and increased offices that they will have at Riverfest and other Wichita Events. Their goal is to make these events as safe as possible for all in attendance, and community members doing their part helps make that possible.

Why Home and Business Security Matters: The Stats

A home is burglarized every 15 seconds in the U.S., with an average loss of $2,188 per incident.
Businesses are especially vulnerable during holidays and major events, when foot traffic is high and owners are often away.
Remote monitoring and GPS tracking significantly reduce response times and can deter both external and internal threats.

Photo Credit: Visit Wichita | Guide to Riverfest: How to enjoy the largest downtown party in Kansas

Don’t Let the Mice Play While You’re Away!

Whether you’re enjoying the Riverfest fireworks or sipping a drink on a distant shore, Premier Security in Wichita has your back. With smart security solutions, remote access, and GPS tracking, you can keep an eye on everything – your home, your business, your employees, your assets, and all your properties – so you can truly relax. After all, the only thing you should worry about this summer is which festival food to try next!

Stay safe, Wichita – and happy travels!