City Year LA Orientation Guide May. 2015 | Page 50

Bed Bugs: They love
used furniture. Avoid
picking up used
furniture off the street!

Special Alert: Bed Bugs
Bed bugs are tiny insects that are only four to five millimeters long. They
hide in furniture, especially in beds and mattresses, and are hard to see.
Most people realize bed bugs are present from their persistent biting around
the arms and shoulders.

Do your part:


To prevent bed bugs, inspect your apartment carefully



Make sure your landlord completes all required rental inspections



If you buy used furniture, inspect it carefully for the bugs.

 If bed bugs do appear, notify your landlord immediately and arrange
for fumigation. It may be necessary to throw away infested furniture.
Locks
It’s important to find an apartment where you feel safe but also take appropriate precautions.





Check all door locks to make sure they are functioning properly.
Make sure your door has a deadbolt lock and a peephole.
Remember to keep your door locked at all times.
Lock your door and take your keys whenever you leave

Window Security
Doors aren’t the only potential entrance. Don’t forget the windows!


Make sure all windows in your apartment are equipped with properly functioning locks and riser
restrictors.



If you have a sliding glass door, place a wooden rod in the door track so it can’t be opened from the
outside.

Building Security
While having the right safety features is key, don’t forget you can be the weakest link.










Never “buzz in” someone you don’t know and don’t allow strangers to follow you into the main entrance,
or enter as you leave the building.
Immediately report all suspicious activity, strangers loitering in or near the building,
or behavior by other residents or tenants that you feel presents a security risk.
Do not prop open the front door.
Do not allow anyone access who is loitering or hanging out in front of the building.
Always check to see who is at your door before opening it.
Make sure you know who has master keys to your building apartments.
Make sure that all public areas of your building and walkways are well lit.
Make sure mailboxes are locked.
Know who handles your maintenance. Hazardous situations like piling trash, and burned out lights
should be reported immediately.

50 | C o r p s M e m b e r O r i e n t a t i o n & R e s o u r c e G u i d e
Return to Navigation