As I have been around for well over 60 years and in all that time I have only lived in town for a total of 2 years, coupled with 11 years in the Police Force, I would like to offer a bit of advice to those new to the countryside.
Why? Well, I have been a bit concerned with some of the things I have seen posted on Your Place over a period of time. Like one person asking on here if she should call the police days after she definitely should have, and people asking questions about the law, then there’s some misunderstanding of our 111 system.
I will start with the 111 system and when and how to use it. Firstly, if you live more than 10 minutes out of town, don’t expect to see the Police turn up to help you within a quarter of an hour. And you can work on that as being an absolute minimum time too because the Police may all be busy. In an emergency that could be too long. When you call 111, you get asked for which service you want, Police, Ambulance or Fire. I don’t know about the others, but with the Police, your phone is automatically locked onto that call and you cannot call anyone else. So until the Police can get there if they have a car-free that is, you just have to wait without any help, so what do you do?
Get to know your neighbours, and let them get to know you. You don’t have to like someone to help them in an emergency, so let them know that whatever they think about you, you can be called on to help and assess if they could be. Have the phone numbers of those neighbours who you could call on fixed in your head or at least big and bold by your phone. In an emergency, call a neighbour first, not a long chatty call but just say what the emergency is and that you are dialling 111 then hang up and do it. Chances are that will get their adrenalin pumping and get them coming too.
We now are living in a dangerous world, so if you believe there is an intruder on your property anywhere, especially at night; that is an emergency. Don’t go outside looking but stay put. Don’t even turn any extra lights on in the house, just quickly and quietly get to the phone and use it as I suggested above.
Be a good neighbour and be observant. Not nosy but observant and take note of any strange vehicles or people around the neighbourhood. If you see a suspicious vehicle, then call the police, but that is not an emergency so don’t use 111 for that.
I have seen mention of having weapons around your house and mention of getting the gun out. Forget it. Don’t even think about it. A gun – leave it locked up unless you want to be in Court for homicide. Even if you are not charged, you will have a life sentence in the memory of what you have done. How many of you have seen a human body that has been shot at close range? I bet you would not enjoy that sight fixed in your memory for life, as I am sure it would be. If you don’t shoot someone to kill them the chances are they will get the gun off you and you will get the lid screwed down on you.
Someone mentioned waving baseball bats around. Well, I’m an old bugger but in a house, I bet you I could get one off any woman. Have you ever had any training with a baton? I think not and a baseball bat is much harder to use. Knives are just as bad unless you know how to use them.
So what weapon can you use? Grab a broom. By far the most effective defensive weapon you can get. I have heard of an old man, pensioner, who had a psychopathic killer who had escaped from a mental hospital cowering in a corner while his wife rang the police. You hold the broom handle with your strongest hand right at the head and the other hand about halfway up the handle. Do not think about swinging it, but instead, you jab with it out and back as hard and fast as you can. A broom handle hits a bloody lot harder than a punch and it is very hard to grab but if it is grabbed you jab forward again.
Grab a broom and try a bit of practice with it; you will be surprised how effective it is.
Another good weapon is a short pruning saw. They have a good hand grip for you but very hard to grab from the other side. The added advantage with a pruning saw is that it is bound to collect some DNA. Knowing that may help you rest in peace.
