HomeOfficeMag.com, October 1999
It's no Fort Knox, but Jane Scheid's home office and its
surrounding property provide plenty of protection-and peace of
mind.
If the entry gate to Scheid's property doesn't dissuade
unwelcome guests, then the alarm company's warning sign might.
Lush foliage obstructs the glimpses of casual passersby, while
allowing Scheid a clear view outside. At night, motion detectors
guarantee that if someone creeps through the yard, the entire
property and her office/cottage will be flooded with bright
light.
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When she's out of the office, Scheid draws the window blinds
so people can't peer in at her equipment. When she's in the
office, the deadbolt is often turned, and her cellular phone and a
can of Mace are always close at hand.
Plus, Scheid has an added insurance "policy": Trip
Moore, her husband-and his black belt in karate. He often checks in
during the day and calls her when she's working late.
"He'll call from the [main] house," she says,
"even though it's just 30 feet away."
She may be running her marketing communications company, Jane
Scheid Communications, from her home alone, yet she rarely feels
unsafe. "Maybe I'm just a paranoid person," Scheid
says. "But I take these precautions, and I haven't had
anything alarming happen to me yet."
Scheid isn't paranoid-she's just plain smart, says Bob
Worthy, president of alarm company Secur Technologies, and
president of the Alarm Association of Florida. "[Homebased]
business owners let some of these things go by the wayside. They
think they just can't afford it. But you can't ignore
safety and protection."
Worthy recommends alarm systems with handheld panic or duress
buttons, fire extinguishers for the home and home office, even
fireproof safes for backup data files. Duplicates of important
documents or files also should be kept off-site, in case a fire
destroys the originals. In fact, for both personal security and
property protection, you must assess your vulnerabilities and set
up defenses . . . today. We'll show you how.
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