Best Practices for Commercial Access Control Systems

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Fingerprint Access Control SystemPart of your job as a business owner or facilities manager is to make certain that the occupants of your building – as well as the building itself – are safe and secure.

A key part of a commercial building’s physical security system is the access control system.

Thanks to today’s advanced technologies access control systems not only control physical access, they also provide security badge options and track specific employee, visitor and equipment movements in and out of your building as well as restricted areas within your facility. Read more →

How to Select the Best Medical Alert System for Your Elderly Loved One

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Need HelpEach year, more than one out of four people, age 65 and older falls, and falling once doubles their chances of falling again, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In addition, six out of every 10 falls happen at home, according to NIHSeniorHealth.gov.

Many older adults want to continue living in their own home as they age. It can be hard for you to agree to their wishes because of the risks involved.

To help your elderly loved ones live independent lives, especially if they’re going to be home alone for long periods of time, you should look into getting a medical alert system. Read more →

6 Tips to Keep Your Pets Safe When You’re Not Home

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Baby and Pet Dog Waiting at Door Looking out WindowYour pets are an important part of your family and as a pet owner your responsibility is to keep them safe.

It’s easy to take care of Rover and Fluffy when you’re home, but what happens when you’re at work, or away from the house?

Here are some tips to help you keep your furry friends safe, secure and happy when you can’t be home with them.

Read more →

Caught in The Act: Video Verified Alarm Systems Improve Police Response Time to Business Burglaries

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

blog-post-image-video-verification-headline-image copyTry typing “how to break into a store with an alarm” into Google search, and you’ll be startled to see almost 15 million results.

Businesses without alarms are 4.5 times more likely to be burglarized than those that do have them. But even a great alarm system won’t always stop the most tenacious burglars from trying.

The good news is, business security systems that protect retail, dealerships, schools, warehouses, construction sites, mom and pop shops, residences, and more, are evolving. And modern technology is leading to higher apprehension rates, fewer false alarms, and more comprehensive protection.

Read more →

What to Teach Your Children about Home Security

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Little baby boy pushes a buttons on the alarm keypadYour most important job as a parent is protecting your children. The fact is that as they get older you’re not always going to be with them to keep them out of harm’s way.

However, you can help make sure they’re safe when they’re home alone by talking to them about home security and what to do in an emergency.

Here are some important home security tips to teach your children:

  • Teach them how to operate your home security system – You should begin by teaching your children the basics, such as how to arm and disarm the system as well as how to tell the difference between the different alerts. You and your children should work together to determine an arm/disarm code for your alarm system that they’ll remember. It’s very important to let them know they shouldn’t share the code with anyone else.

Read more →

Tips to Keep Your Restaurant Safe and Secure

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

iStock-155445744As a restaurant owner, you know that your business is vulnerable to any number of security issues, including armed robbery, burglary and employee theft.

That’s why it’s important to have adequate restaurant security in place to protect your employees, your customers and yourself.

Protecting your assets and inventory is no easy task, so we’ve compiled some tips to help you do just that:

  • Install a business security system to electronically protect your assets and your employees. Today’s technology even lets you monitor and control what’s going on in your restaurant when you’re not there. You can remotely manage the alarm systems and security cameras as well as door and window sensors via any computer, smartphone, or other mobile device with Internet access.

Read more →

How to Improve the Physical Security of Your Small Business

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Burglar using special tools to break in a houseAs more and more small businesses fall victim to data breaches, it’s understandable that you would invest resources to beef up your cybersecurity efforts.

However, it’s equally as important that you continually address the physical security needs of your company to protect against theft and vandalism.

Here are some steps you can take to help you improve your firm’s physical security:

    • Be sure your business security system includes redundant communications and a back-up battery – Your system must be able to send an emergency signal under any circumstances. Redundant communication channels and battery back-up mean your system will still be functional and able to send an alarm signal when help is needed, even in the event of a power failure or if your phone line goes dead.

Read more →

A Silent Tragedy: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Woman resting with cup of hot drink and book near fireplaceDuring the winter months, we spend a lot of time indoors with the heat on. Staying in and feeling warm and toasty can be nice, but there are safety precautions you need to think about while your heating your home. At least 430 people die each year in the US from non-fire related CO poisoning. Recently in Massachusetts, a nine-year-old boy and his father tragically lost their lives to this silent killer.

CO is produced by the burning of oil, natural gas, propane, wood, coal, kerosene and wood pellets. Our home heating systems and appliances have vents and filters to prevent CO from escaping, but these can break without warning.

Poisoning by CO is preventable. Following these safety tips will help keep your family both safe and comfortable through the winter.

Read more →

How to Safely Keep Snow Off Your Roof

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Roof Rake Removing Winter SnowWinter in New England can bring with it frigid temperatures, lots and lots of snow, as well as brilliant, sunny days when the warmth of the sun entices people outside to do some skiing, ice skating or sledding.

Although freshly fallen snow is stunningly beautiful and playing outside on snowy days is fun, homeowners need to be aware that too much of the white stuff could cause the roofs of their homes to collapse.

The typical residential roof should be able to support 20 pounds per square foot of snow before becoming stressed, according to the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS).

The IBHS offers some guidelines to help you determine how much the snow on your roof weighs: Read more →

Winter Driving Safety Tips

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Alaska Remote Winter Highway at SunsetIf you drive in New England in the winter, you face weather-related challenges each time you get behind the wheel.

In fact, every year 24 percent of weather-related vehicle accidents happen on snowy, slushy or icy pavement and 15 percent occur when it’s snowing or sleeting. (according to the Federal Highway Administration)

These winter weather conditions often make it harder for you to see, slow down and stop – factors that increase the chances you’ll have an accident.

However, you’ll fare better driving in treacherous conditions if you’re prepared. So here are some tips to help you get ready for everything a good, old-fashion New England winter can throw at you. Read more →