Safety and Security
Unfortunately the life of a homeless person is much less safe than someone with a secure place to sleep/reside. Even if that person has no family support here in Springdale, they at least have a shelter, a safe house, if you will, that they can retreat to for security. They also have a place to keep their stuff. Most homeless people have at best a tattered back pack. There are many situations safety-wise that can lead to calamity and added stress to an already stressful situation. This page is dedicated to the sometimes little steps the homeless can take to keep their stuff, and keep their personal safety. I'll give a few tips to get this started but since there are so many little actions we can take to keep us safe, I will definitely need your input!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
There are certain stereotypes that come with being homeless. Such as, the homeless individual is a drunk, an addict, a prostitute, on and on. For the most part (and sure this is anecdotal) I haven't found that to be the case. Have I seen it, yep, but at least here in Springdale it is limited and those involved in illegal activities usually end up in jail fairly quickly. Still, the honest truth is you really, really have to watch your back. I hate to say this, but you almost have to assume everyone wants your stuff! Sure, after a while you figure out who you can trust, but until then be ever vigilent in watching your stuff, or it will disappear. So far I've lost 2 bikes, a tablet, a tent, an awesome sleeping bag, and half a grocery store worth of canned food! Besides being vigilent the only other tip I can give in particular is on securing your bike. 1. Lock it up where cameras are obvious and in sight. Even if they don't work, it's a good deterent. 2. Lock your bike up in popular 24 hour businesses (i.e. Wal-Mart super center). 3. Try not to leave your bike locked up in the same place for more than a couple of days. One of my bikes was stolen right out in front of the library while I was away in the hospital! That was a fine "welcome home, Andy". That's all I have for now. If anyone else has some good tips or stories...SHARE THEM! Thanks.
ReplyDelete