The Importance of Vigilance in Securing Your Business

Every once in a while, alarms get tripped accidentally and authorities rush to act. Such incidents, when they become regular occurrences, may cause owners and police to be less attentive and this can result in complacency. What happens then, when everyone doesn't pay attention due to a perceived false alarm, but in reality, a real robbery is actually taking place?

In a commercial setup, this is something that can occur far more often because more people are going in and out of the area. One thing you can do to limit false alarms is to teach employees about the systems in place and place clear warning signs for customers so that they are aware of off-limits areas. To prevent inside jobs and to increase overall security, give the passcodes or access cards only to specific, trusted personnel and always keep tabs on everyone's activities by installing surveillance cameras in the vicinity.

When your business is about to close down for the day, make a security check by ensuring that all doors and windows are firmly shut and verifying that nobody is left behind. An alarm monitoring system is also important so that authorities can respond quickly while avoiding false alarms.

Why an SIA-Certified Operator Matters

The Security Industry Association (SIA) advocates the growth of its related services and industries for both residential or commercial use. Its activities include certification of personnel who provide quality service for customers. Hiring an SIA-certified operator is extremely important for clients since getting this title isn't a small achievement and it requires a significant amount of training and effort.

Security providers would need to undergo the association's Certified Security Project Manager (CSPM) program. This is a complete course about the security industry with training and exams and not everyone is allowed to take it. Only those who have been on the job for a long time can apply for this certification, which includes training by industry experts through classroom instruction and hands-on activities.

To further emphasize the difficulty of acquiring one, this certification doesn't last forever; SIA-certified personnel have to apply for recertification every three years to maintain their status. In other words, operators need to continue to develop their skills to make sure they stay up to date about the latest advances in the industry. Thus, if you're looking for someone to install security measures in your home or business, it's very important to hire someone who is SIA-certified to guarantee quality and expertise.

Landlines Give Way to a Wireless Future

The Center for Disease Control's 2012 National Health Interview Survey uncovered an unexpected tidbit about telecommunication. The survey reveals that in the first half of the year, more than a third of American adults had a mobile phone but no landline. On the flip side, less than a tenth relied solely on landlines for telecommunication.

The rise of the mobile phone is hardly surprising. It has, for the better part of two decades, revolutionized communication by allowing people to stay in touch with one another without being leashed to a telephone cord. The mobile future was taken to new heights when smartphones, the Swiss knife of cellphones, entered the market.

The steady decline of landlines and the shift to wireless communication is forcing some industries to adapt too. For example, home alarm systems are usually tied to landline connections, using them to send alarm signals in the event of a break in. However, as more households choose to cut the cord, cellular alarm monitoring systems have become a viable alternative for home protection.

Landlines, like paper, is said to be on the way out. No one knows when the last phone call using this technology will be placed, but its decline has opened a world of possibilities for newer and more convenient alternatives. 

Burglaries and Break-Ins: What You Need To Know

According to the FBI, a home is broken into every 14.6 seconds. Contrary to popular belief, most break-ins don't occur at night – they actually occur during the day, in broad daylight, when homeowners are in school or at work and the house is left unattended. Furthermore, the FBI reveals that most intruders use the front door of a house as their entry and exit point, as many homeowners tend to leave their doors unlocked while out of the house.

Once inside the house, a burglar's first destination is the master bedroom, where most of a homeowner's prized possessions and valuables are kept; jewelry, tools, electronics, and clothing are among a burglar's top choices of items to steal. Furthermore, the FBI discloses that social media also plays a role in theft. It was found that most burglars browse the social networking accounts of homeowners to find out who is away on vacation, as most people, particularly those in the 18-34 age group, tend to post vacation photos and updates while still out of town.

According to the FBI, burglars tend to veer away from homes that have security systems, so it is highly recommended that you protect your home with a system that works around the clock. Although it may be a bit costly, a good alarm system as well as other security measures (like putting deadlocks on doors) can ensure the safety of not only your assets but also of your entire family.

Be Better off Having Someone to Watch Your Back

As crimes become more common and frequent these days, some people think that they're not as safe as they were in the past. Detroit, for instance, unfortunately remains as one of the most crime-ridden cities in the country. Many homeowners are taking matters into their own hands by installing better security devices in their homes, especially those that come from alarm monitoring companies.

These devices are often touted as being better than traditional ones for a variety of reasons. Their primary advantage is that they can notify both the police and the homeowner of any intrusion or attack in the property no matter where they are. The response is very fast, thanks to the advanced transmission protocols used by monitoring companies. At the same time, the devices themselves are also tamper-proof, which means that they'll sound the alarm if someone tries to remove or disable them.

However, these machines have other practical uses that further add to their appeal. Monitored alarms can also be used to warn the homeowner about fire or if a baby is left unattended. Some high-security facilities like laboratories and research centers use monitored CCTV cameras to help in personnel authentication, preventing unauthorized access to people who manage to bypass security checkpoints.

Alarmed and Ready: On Monitored Security Systems

Alarms are great ways to deter criminals from committing trespassing and theft, and nothing makes a crook think really hard like a warning label that says “Protected by security cameras and alarms.” By making loud, blaring drones, alarms can call attention to themselves to call people from the vicinity to help deal with the situation. However, sound alone simply isn’t enough; they should be equipped as warning devices that reach out to authorities.

This is where a home security monitoring service comes into the picture. A monitoring service basically watches over the alarm system of a home remotely. The moment it is tripped, the monitoring service gets notified and sends a warning to both the owner of the property and the police. Time is of the essence, and the faster an alarm can reach out to officers, the quicker the situation can be resolved.

To enjoy the coverage of a monitoring service, customers will have to pay a monthly fee to a company that specializes in it. Some might complain about the additional expenses, but it's a small price to pay to ensure a property's safety. After all, it's certainly better to pay for protection than to lose cash from theft.

Keeping Close Tabs on the Security of Your Vacation Home

Vacation homes provide you with a place that you can claim as your very own slice of paradise. When they are located in idyllic locales, they can even work better than resorts in helping you relax and just wind down. There's one catch with these homes though in that they are not always secure since you have to leave them unattended for long periods of time. It's a problem that can be addressed by signing up for what's known as the cellular alarm monitoring feature that security companies provide.

Since you can't spend 365 days in your vacation home and it could be expensive to hire a steward, the next best thing is to have something in place that can tell you right away if your property is at risk. Alarm monitoring services can alert you to anything unforeseen as well as potential criminal events around your property.

The best part of this security feature is that you don't need any special equipment or software to get updates. Once you sign up for this feature, the company itself will notify you through your cellphone. Make sure to apply only with reliable security groups, because there may be thieves out there who may want to use this idea to get information on your home and potentially infiltrate it.

Safety Measures for Your Business

Running a successful business doesn't only involve applying lessons you've learned from business school and employing effective practices, such as making sure that there is a thorough screening process for new hires and forming partnerships with reputable companies. Other things that you need to have in place are safety and security measures. This is especially true if you've invested in expensive and highly-advanced office equipment and furnishings (like 3D printers) that can easily lure thieves in.

For this reason, it's critical that you install deadbolt locks at all the entry points in your office. You can further secure your office premises by adding padlocks, but see to it that they are made of hardened steel. Authorize only a small number of people with padlock keys and discourage frequent duplication. It's also wise to invest in adequate lighting for these areas.

Equipping your headquarters with a security should also be a top priority. However, keep in mind that this will not be enough to stop persistent criminals. You need to have an alarm monitoring service to alert local authorities so they can respond in a timely manner to crimes. Make sure that whatever you buy comes from a trusted brand and source, because you can never be too sure when it comes to securing your property.

How an Alarm Monitoring Company Helps

If you saw the recent horror flick, “The Purge,” you may have been impressed with the highly advanced security system featured in it. It may have even convinced you to adopt a more effective security system for your home, complete with security cameras from every possible entry point. As you may have noticed, the system featured in the movie is designed to make the occupants in the house feel safe; however, what if no one was at home?

Suppose you have the same system installed in your home, and during a night out with your family, a group of robbers make their move inside your home. Since they know that you have already equipped your home with a security system, they come prepared and find a way to prevent an alarm from going off loudly. Thus, even though your neighbors are having a peaceful night at home, they won't notice anything unusual and won't have any reason to call the police. You'll eventually come home to a quiet house—with totally nothing in it.

Fortunately, you can avoid this scenario by hiring an alarm monitoring company. With an alarm monitoring company, you are assured that your alarms will be monitored and that the proper people will be notified to respond to the problem. Thus, even if your home's intruders come prepared and manage to stop the alarm's siren, a signal would still be sent to the security company's headquarters and a response team will be summoned. 

The Benefits of Home Security Monitoring

Many people believe that a burglar or a fire alarm without a monitoring system is sufficient to provide protection for their home. One of the reasons they shy away from getting the services of a home monitoring service is the cost involved. However, a home security monitoring system provides significant benefits that can easily justify its cost.

For one, a security monitoring service gives your home 24/7 protection, even when everyone is out. If the alarm is triggered, the monitoring center takes the appropriate action by informing you and the proper authorities, such as the police or fire department. When an unmonitored burglar or fire alarm goes off, there is a huge chance no one may be able to hear it; or if someone does, may not know its implications and what to do.

A home security monitoring system can also be beneficial in cases of fire or medical emergencies. Fires can break out undetected if there is no one home, or if the residents are asleep. When an alarm is triggered by smoke or fire, the monitoring service will call on the fire department to respond to the alarm. In cases of a medical emergency, home security monitoring centers can be alerted through a mere push of a button, allowing them to call on emergency services to provide assistance to the subscriber. 

A Cellphone is All You Need to Protect Yourself

Alarm monitoring services provide household members and business owners alike with reliable security systems that guarantee a speedy response from the police or the fire department in case of any emergency in their properties. However, these systems may not work well if, say, the local telephone lines are down. As a response, some alarm monitoring companies turn to cellular technology so they can continue providing their clients with top-notch security.

Cellular alarm monitoring is primarily catered to people who have yet to sign up with a phone company, although it is also used as a backup channel of sorts for those who wanted standard alarm monitoring services. The biggest advantage of cellular alarm monitoring is that it can't be easily disabled by criminals using conventional means (i.e. cutting telephone wires). Cellular alarm monitoring is also flexible and can easily be routed for use in existing security devices.

Perhaps the only noticeable downside is that this technology demands home and business owners to upgrade their devices. Second-generation (2G) cellphones are generally considered to be too primitive even when it comes to cellular monitoring, since 3G and 4G devices are regarded as standards. This also means that some cellular modules may not be supported by the alarm monitoring company, further necessitating the need to upgrade.

Eye in the Sky: On Using an Alarm Monitoring Service

Alarms are a great way to deter robbers and trespassers, and can even detect the onset of dangerous fires before they grow too large. However, alarms are only effective if their warnings can reach the property owners; homeowners and proprietors can't always be within earshot of their buildings. Enter the alarm monitoring service, which can help inform owners of any tripped alarms.

A monitoring service essentially acts as a bridge between the alarm and the property owner. They double the efficacy of alarms by contacting owners, regardless of their distance. Once an alarm triggers, it sends a signal to the monitoring service, which, in turn, either sends a message or calls the owner over a cellular network. This service is great for those owners who are always out of town or nowhere near their properties.

Signing up for a monitoring service is easy, and it can be done while you’re having the alarm system installed in your property. Customers can settle for a monthly fee with a monitoring service, which then rigs each alarm in the property to send a distress signal to their communications center. Note that customers will have to pay monthly dues for the service to continue monitoring the alarms.

No Anxieties with Alarm Monitoring

You can always review the things that happened around and within your home upon coming back at the end of the day, but there are several advantages to having a home security company monitor events captured by your security cameras in real time:

Since someone is in charge of overseeing what's going on in your property, you wouldn't have to worry that the burglars might not be identifiable enough on the captured video. Although security cameras are more reliable now than they were a few years ago, nothing beats having the burglaries foiled and the perpetrators busted immediately. The moment a suspicious person is spotted doing suspicious acts within your property, the police force, as well as the homeowner, will be contacted immediately.

Not all things worth monitoring are man-made, however; some problems arise due to extreme acts of Nature, like the floods that tend to follow very heavy rains. While some employees may be required to report to work regardless, they may still find it very hard to concentrate on their jobs because things back home could get worse in a matter of minutes. Knowing how one's house is faring, and that there is someone in charge of watching over his or her home (especially when kids are inside, no less), is very important for people living in disaster-prone areas. 

Home Security Techniques to Keep Burglars at Bay

As much as you may want to believe that there is no room in this world for people with impure souls, there are those who just can't resist stealing from their fellow men. In this day and age, carelessness can lead to the loss of things that you have worked hard for just to obtain. If you do not want your possessions to be at the mercy of ruthless burglars, you have to be aware of several techniques to keep their hands off your house and valuables.

Installing an alarm in your beloved abode will prove to be useful, especially when it comes to alerting authorities about thieves attempting to break inside your home. Alarm operators who are tasked to monitor their clients' vacant domiciles are trained to respond quickly to any untoward incident that may lead to the swiping of an appliance or furniture in the building.

Having locks that cannot easily be picked will also help secure the home. It is recommended to have at least one deadbolt lock for every door in the structure, which requires a key on either side. Such a feature will help reduce the occurrence of no-force entries and smooth looting operations.

Having a canine in the house can also scare thieves away. Aside from baring its fangs at the enemy, it can also bark loudly enough for cops to hear. In this regard, the dog becomes not just man's best friend but also a house's best ally.

Questions to Ask and Answer before Getting a Home Alarm System

A house security system has proven to be one effective means of keeping valuables, property, and lives safe. There are questions, though, that homeowners should ask themselves before jumping right in and purchasing a new alarm system. The first couple of questions being: how many windows and doors should be hooked up to the security device, and where should the control panels and keypads be?

The first couple of questions are important because they determine how comprehensive the security system will be and what rooms are in more need of protection. For example, many homeowners want the areas frequented by the home’s inhabitants (i.e. bedroom, family room, kitchen) to be switched into the system. The control panel and keypad, meantime, are recommended to be placed as strategically as possible, like in the bedroom and front door for accessibility.

The third question is: how far away is the control panel from the windows and doors where the alarms will be installed? The response to this query would help the property owner determine if wires need to be routed to properly function. If it is a wireless system, what will be identified will be the strength of the sensors’ signals and if they are being received by the high tech devices. 

Getting to Know the NFPA 72

The National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code, or NFPA72, is the main standard for all emergency-response units dealing with fire alarms. This is continually revised to meet changing demands in fire detection and signaling, as well as emergency communications. Every alarm monitoring provider should be intimately familiar with the Code's latest edition, which was enacted this year. One new section of the 2013 edition deals with documentation.

In installing a system that will help save lives, every step will have to be logged in black and white. At minimum, the Code requires that the provider submit several documents. These include drafting a detailed description of the system and its purpose, information on the products to be used, and calculations for battery flow, emergency power, and voltage drop. Testing and maintenance records are a must.

Certain systems may need shop drawings. Under the 2013 NFPA 72, the drawings must contain the client and property particulars, details on the contractor, issue and revision dates, plus locations of the alarm devices. The floor drawings must denote the locations of all alarms, have compass references and graphic scales for the property, and riser diagrams that show the number and type of conductors and circuits.

Familiarizing yourself with the NFPA 72 and implementing its provisions adds to the reputation of an alarm monitoring company. It will go a long way to saving life and property when the time comes.