As college students move in to new apartments this week, now is a good time for them to check and make sure they have working fire alarms.
We all were tragically reminded of the importance of this early Wednesday morning, when a four-alarm fire destroyed an apartment building on Myrick Street in Allston, Mass., a community popular with college students. After it took about five-and-a-half hours to put the blaze out 11 college students and young professionals who lived in the building were displaced .
Fire investigators said it could have been much worse because the two-and-a-half story house had inadequate smoke detectors and sprinkler protection, according to Boston Fire Commissioner Joe Finn. Damage to the building was estimated at around $1 million.
“We’re very fortunate last night that we didn’t have a loss of life,” Finn told WBZ NewsRadio 1030. “I think the fact that the tenants who were on that third floor weren’t home is probably the reason why, because I think if they were home, they never would have made it out.”
Fire inspectors think the fire started in a rear bathroom, but they were still trying determine the cause. The fire commissioner said investigators found several issues with the house.
Read more →
5 Tips to Protect Yourself Online
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamAnother way is to safeguard your online identity. Whenever you connect to the Internet you are at risk of falling victim to a hacker who can steal your credit card numbers, passwords, tax information or even completely disable your device.
Follow these five tips to help you protect yourself online:
Read more →
September Is College Campus Fire Safety Month
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamAs college students move in to new apartments this week, now is a good time for them to check and make sure they have working fire alarms.
We all were tragically reminded of the importance of this early Wednesday morning, when a four-alarm fire destroyed an apartment building on Myrick Street in Allston, Mass., a community popular with college students. After it took about five-and-a-half hours to put the blaze out 11 college students and young professionals who lived in the building were displaced .
Fire investigators said it could have been much worse because the two-and-a-half story house had inadequate smoke detectors and sprinkler protection, according to Boston Fire Commissioner Joe Finn. Damage to the building was estimated at around $1 million.
“We’re very fortunate last night that we didn’t have a loss of life,” Finn told WBZ NewsRadio 1030. “I think the fact that the tenants who were on that third floor weren’t home is probably the reason why, because I think if they were home, they never would have made it out.”
Fire inspectors think the fire started in a rear bathroom, but they were still trying determine the cause. The fire commissioner said investigators found several issues with the house.
Read more →
After School Safety Tips for Kids Home Alone
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamThe truth is, no matter how sensible you think your kids are, you are still going to worry about them. If leaving your kids home alone is your only option, there are steps you can take to keep them safe.
If your child will be home alone after school you should:
Back to School Safety Tips for Kids
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamIf you’re like most families, you’re hitting the mall to buy new clothes, school supplies and probably the latest tech gadgets as well.
As you prepare to help your children go back to the classroom, you should also put their safety at the top of your to-do list.
Here are some tips you should share with your children to ensure they get to school safely:
Read more →
Fire Safety Tips for Businesses
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamNo matter what type of business you operate, the best way to ensure the safety of your workers, your customers as well as your equipment, materials and physical structure is through fire prevention and preparation.
Here are some fire safety tips to help you lessen the chances of a fire breaking out in your business as well as what to do in case it does:

Read more →
Are You Making These Common Home Security Mistakes?
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamRead more →
5 Tips to Protect Your Pets in Emergencies
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamHere are five tips to help you protect your pets in emergencies:
Read more →
Home Security: Make Your Yard Safe for Summer
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamNRF’s VP of Loss Prevention, Robert Moraca, Speaks On Latest Trends & NRFProtect
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamLoss prevention is a complex and costly issue for the retail industry. In this podcast, American Alarm speaks with Robert Moraca, vice president for loss prevention at the National Retail Federation. Robert discusses tools and techniques proven to reduce retail loss, as well as this week’s NRF convention in Philadelphia, where the latest information and expertise in loss prevention will be made available to all attendees. Tweet this or subscribe for to be emailed upcoming Loss Prevention Podcast episodes.
Read more →
Inspect Your Business Fire Alarm System Regularly
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamAs a building owner/business owner, it’s critical that you take all the necessary – and mandated – steps to protect the lives of your employees and your customers. Commercial fire alarm systems are critical to helping you protect your business from fire and smoke.
When operating properly, these commercial fire alarm systems can prevent loss of life and property by alerting the people in your building and your alarm company of a fire emergency.
However, you can’t count on fire alarms to offer the protection your business needs if they’re not inspected on a regular basis.
The best way to determine if your business fire alarm system is up to code or if it needs maintenance is to have it inspected by trained professionals on a regular basis – an extensive inspection and testing should be done annually. Read more →