Nobody wants to think about an emergency unfolding at home, but the reality is they happen- and often very quickly.

Charnel Hattingh, the group head of marketing and communications for Fidelity ADT, says neighbourhood networks play an important role when it comes to needing help in an emergency. Examples of such networks are neighbourhood watches, street schemes, CPFs, local security companies, and council and crime WhatsApp groups.

Hattingh explained that it is vital to know what is going on in your suburb. If you are connected to your neighbours via such platforms you have a lifeline to help should you be confronted with an emergency at home.

“While we constantly remind our clients help can quickly be dispatched if they activate a panic button, people do not always think clearly when something traumatic happens and they need medical or other help,” added Hattingh.

As a result, it may be a neighbour, who is closest and who can initiate contact with the right resources. While it is important not to ignore any distress signals from neighbouring properties, it isn’t wise to simply enter a property when you don’t know what has happened.

“The police and armed response officers are trained to deal with dangerous situations and should be your first point of contact. If you are the first on the scene, however, and feel it is safe to enter the property, try to find out as much as possible- as quickly as possible- about what happened, and check whether the victim is injured. If they can offer a description of the perpetrators or their vehicle you can quickly communicate what you know on the relevant suburb group and resources in the area can immediately react on this,” she advises.

Not all emergencies are related to crime, Hattingh adds. Accidents and incidents at home can include accidental poisoning, fire, drowning, serious fall, electrocution, bee attack, dog bite, and various medical traumas, like heart attack or stroke.

Any of these will require a quick emergency response which is why it is important to have a link with your neighbours and broader suburb through social media groups.

Hattingh says these are the seven most important steps when reacting to an emergency at a neighbour’s house:

“The bottom line in an emergency is that you need to get the right help quickly. This means keeping a cool head and using the resources you have available to summon help. Quick reactions often save the days- and lives- as our reaction officers know all too well,” Hattingh concluded.

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