I’ve heard it, time and again, from police in Snoqualmie and North Bend alike: No matter how big your community is, you need to lock your doors.

With all the vehicle prowls and burglaries the Valley’s seen in the last few years, safety and preparedness have been the refrain. Last week’s deadly encounter at a Si View residence hammers it home.

When I first heard about the shooting of a North Bend man who smashed his way into a local residence, the first thing that went through my mind was that it might have been a burglary gone wrong. The reality, that it was a situation where everyone was a victim, and that it could so easily have been prevented, is more complicated and tragic. It’s a reminder that, even in a normally peaceful place, bad things can happen. To be safe:

• Lock your doors and secure your windows at night, and keep your garage door closed

• Get to know your neighbors, and let them know when their home is not secured

• If you keep a gun, install a gun lock on it

• Make an emergency plan and talk with family members about what to do in an emergency

• Learn about and consider joining a block watch

• Consider installing a home security system

You can protect your family, home and possessions. Most of these precautions take only moments. If you’re lucky, you may never need them. But it is so much better to be safe than sorry.