Home alone… Safe and Secured

Security Products and Solutions for Interiors
Did that commercial about the old lady and little charge outsmarting thieves at the door make you aware of the vulnerability of your own latch-key school child or someone who is regularly alone at home? You are among the rising number of people with these concerns. And the market has responded with smarter and reasonably priced alternatives that have come a long way from peepholes, fire extinguishers and safety latches.

Video entry-phones This electronic peep-hole is among the most popular gadgets for home security. These allow visitor identification and tracking from the colony security gate to the front door of the house. It is possible to see and speak with the visitor. There are color and black/white options to pick from. Price range Rs 7,000 to Rs 12,000.

Closed-circuit cameras Supervisors incognito on house help and workers. Surveillance cameras also come in not-easily detectable formats. Price range Rs 4,000 to Rs 10 lakh for the really specialized options.

Burglar alarms Suitable to wire both indoor and outdoor premises. The better quality installations are more likely not to set off false alerts just when you have settled in for the night. Price range Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000.

Detectors Fire, smoke, gas leak (LPG, CNG, butane, methane, propane), movement; basically most things that make you feel safer knowing about. Price range Rs 950 to Rs 28,000.

Safes and Locks Stash that image of solid metal with hefty bolts and keys to match. Locks and safes have gone sleek and electronic. All that without sticking out on the plush, color co-ordinate interiors so painstakingly put together. Traditional locks are also more secure with computer–designed keys that are difficult to duplicate. Price range Safes Rs 5,000 onwards; Locks Rs 100 onwards.

Alarms There are several personal use products that would help in different situations alerting a parent when the child wanders away beyond a safe distance or a personal safety alarm to sound in situations like purse snatching or other assault. There's even something that sounds off if you are prone to dropping off while driving! Price range Rs 550 to Rs 800.

Customized solutions for that state-of-art wired home are also available if that's the investment you are looking at.

Brand names like Godrej, Zicom, Legrand and Honey well are the ones to look out for.

Practice makes perfect
At the end of it all, no matter what the gadget, the discipline and being informed, that is going to keep the family safe, so inculcate that in all members and refresh regularly. Finally, besides spotting the undesirables at the door in the commercial, the old lady and the child also knew about using the video camera before opening the door and contacting the building security for help.