Petawawa Military Family Resource Centre

OP Family Readiness - May 2020

Petawawa Military Family Resource Centre

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HOW TO KEEP YOUR FAMILY SAFE THROUGH OPERATIONAL SECURITY WHAT DOES OPSEC MEAN FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY? By being careful about how you and your family communicate and act, you can prevent vital information from reaching the hands of an adversary - whether it's an adversary of Canada or a burglar in your neighborhood. PREVENTING PROBLEMS AT HOME You may already be practicing operations security at home just by doing little things to keep your family and your home safe from intruders and unwanted attention. When a family member deploys, it's important to continue your usual routines and maintenance of your home to disguise the absence of your service member. As much as you want to display your patriotism and support for your deployed family member, tying yellow ribbons around the trees out front might not be the best idea. The sudden appearance of yellow ribbons or similar patriotic displays can signal that someone in the home is deployed, making your home vulnerable to intruders or scams. Maintain the lawn and keep your service member's car in the driveway, or its usual spot, to give the appearance that someone else is home. Have your mail picked up by neighbors or held by the post office any time you are gone for more than a day or two. An overflowing mailbox is not only a sign that no one is home, but it can also be an easy way for someone to obtain personal information about you or your family members. DEALING WITH STRANGERS When you were young, your parents probably taught you the danger of talking to strangers. At some point, strangers stop being so threatening, but it's important to continue to exercise a healthy level of caution. Maintaining operations security requires being aware of your surroundings and those around you to avoid potentially dangerous situations. If you ever return home, even from a quick trip to the market, to find a door or window ajar, do not go in alone. It may be easy to convince yourself that you forgot to lock up, and while that may be true, it's better to err on the side of caution when your family's safety is at risk. Call the police if you notice anything suspicious and wait for their arrival before you try to venture into your house. Similarly, if you're home and you catch a glimpse of someone lurking around your property or staring into your window, keep calm and call the police as soon as you

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