Summer is here (finally) and that means spending more time outside enjoying pool parties, outdoor barbecues, fireworks and all kinds of fun activities — it shouldn’t mean treating burns, bandaging cuts, icing bruises, or trips to the emergency room.
Follow our summer safety tips below to help you and your family have a fun and safe summer:
1. Don’t let the heat spoil your fun in the sun.
Drink lots of water and don’t work or play too hard in the hot weather. Take some breaks in the shade or inside your home.
2. Protect yourself from the sun’s harmful UV rays.
Limit exposure to the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when UV rays are most powerful. Wear sunglasses that block 100% of UV rays. Wraparound frames work best because they protect your eyes and the sensitive area around them. Wear hats with wide brims and slather on the sunscreen — SPF 15 or higher.
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Sun is Setting on 2G Cellular Security Systems
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamIt’s a fact: AT&T has called for 2G cellular networks to go away by Jan. 1, 2017. That means alarm companies must swap out security systems that use 2G networks to ensure the safety of their customers.
About three million cellular alarm system communicators currently use the 2G spectrum with about 80% to 90% of those provided by AT&T, according to Alarm System Report.
Many other service providers are also setting their own schedules so they can use the new bandwidth to increase capacity for 3G/4G services to handle the increased data use. Read more →
Video Surveillance Cameras Keep An Eye On Safer Schools
/1 Comment/by American Alarm Blogging TeamSchool security is a subject that strikes close to home for millions of Americans. Each and every day parents send their children to school hoping their experience isn’t interrupted by the kind of violence or chaos that all too often makes national headlines. It is more than just keeping an eye out for potentially tragic situations; it also means keeping the educational environment and students safe from the perils of theft, accidents, and harassment.
A significant portion of the effort to keep kids safe at school involves keeping a watchful eye all of the activities that take place on campus. Security systems that monitor a school’s entry points, the perimeter of its grounds, classrooms and other shared spaces are crucial in helping law enforcement and other emergency personnel respond quickly to an incident. It also allows for less obvious threats, such as patterns of theft or vandalism, to be dealt with using a firm chain of evidence.
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Westborough Police Announce Check Cashing Scam
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamThere’s an old saying that has never applied more than in the internet age: if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Each of us has probably seen some kind of offer online — a car that’s priced way below its market value, an email informing you that you’ve won a lottery you don’t remember entering, or a stranger detailing a plan to transfer a huge sum of cash into your bank account — that couldn’t possibly be real. Yet, despite all of the warning flags surrounding these types of ‘deals,’ there are still many individuals who find themselves taken in by scams that end up costing them thousands of dollars.
Westborough Police are reminding people to be vigilant when dealing with unusual financial transactions or offers in order to protect themselves from both financial and potential identity theft as well. Offers to transfer money into your bank account — a portion of which you get to keep — are almost always bids from criminals to gain access to your banking details in order to defraud you.
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AIREF Report Underscores Efficacy Of Burglar Alarm Systems
/1 Comment/by American Alarm Blogging TeamWhat goes on inside the mind of a burglar? For many of us, the thought process of someone willing to break into our homes are a dark place that we would prefer to avoid dwelling on — but for those in the security and law enforcement sectors, understanding a burglar’s motivations are a key component of protecting individuals and businesses from being victimized. A recent report from the Alarm Industry Research & Educational Foundation (AIREF) sheds some light on why criminals chose specific locations to rob, what keeps them away from others, and the techniques that they employ while breaking the law.
One of the key findings of the study is one that shouldn’t surprise any home or business owner who has invested in a high quality alarm system: a full 83 percent of the roughly 400 incarcerated burglars made sure to check for the presence of a security system before they broke into a building. In fact, more than half elected to move on to a ‘softer’ target once they realized that they were dealing with an alarm, underscoring the deterrent power of this form of precaution. Even among those who discovered a location was protected by an alarm in the midst of their break-in, its presence was enough to cause 50 percent to immediately cease and desist their crime.
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Attleboro Police Warn Seniors of Telephone Scam
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamThe Baby Boomers are getting older, and the ‘Silver Tsunami’ will soon be extending its demographic might into the senior bracket. With Americans living longer and more productive lives, there are a number of social questions that will have to be answered over the course of the next few years — not the least of which being how to keep our elders safe and secure throughout retirement.
Much of the focus when it comes to seniors and safety has to do with their health, such as preventing falls, or making it easy to access medical care in an emergency situation with a medical alert system. The financial health of the older population, however, is just as at risk, due to a new generation of scammers who target elders.
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Beware the Door-to-Door Alarm Salesperson
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamIt’s that time of year again — time when unscrupulous salespeople fan out around your neighborhood selling security systems door-to-door. Also known as “door knockers,” these guys use aggressive sales pitches, and fraudulent claims to try and get you to buy expensive, or even substandard home alarm security systems and equipment. They’ll even use deceptive tactics to try and steal you away from your existing alarm company.
These door knockers are pros but if you know what to watch out for, you can protect yourself. Here are five tips to keep you from becoming a victim:
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How to Protect your Business from Scrap Metal Theft
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamOne of the fastest growing crimes in the United States is scrap metal theft. Thieves looking for a fast buck are stealing copper, aluminum, nickel, stainless steel and scrap iron from any number of businesses.
For example, in February a Nashua, New Hampshire man was charged with stealing a scrap-metal bin containing 20,000 pounds of scrap metal from a recycling company, according to an article in the New Hampshire Union Leader — and police believe the alleged thief is also involved with the thefts of scrap metal bins from other locations.
Even more recently, police in Charlton, Mass. arrested two men they allege stole scrap metal from a railroad year, according to the Telegram & Gazette.
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Summer Safety Tips
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamSummer is here (finally) and that means spending more time outside enjoying pool parties, outdoor barbecues, fireworks and all kinds of fun activities — it shouldn’t mean treating burns, bandaging cuts, icing bruises, or trips to the emergency room.
Follow our summer safety tips below to help you and your family have a fun and safe summer:
1. Don’t let the heat spoil your fun in the sun.
Drink lots of water and don’t work or play too hard in the hot weather. Take some breaks in the shade or inside your home.
2. Protect yourself from the sun’s harmful UV rays.
Limit exposure to the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when UV rays are most powerful. Wear sunglasses that block 100% of UV rays. Wraparound frames work best because they protect your eyes and the sensitive area around them. Wear hats with wide brims and slather on the sunscreen — SPF 15 or higher.
Read more →
Five Tips to Protect your Pool and Keep Loved Ones Safe
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamIt’s summertime, which means more and more families will be out enjoying the warm weather and playing in pools. And while the water can be a lot of fun, it can also be dangerous.
According to the Center for Disease Control, in the United States about 10 people die in accidental drownings every day; two of those people, on average, are age 14 or younger.
So before you invite your friends and family over for a quick swim this summer, consider these simple tips to help protect your pool and keep loved ones safe.
Watch the video for our Five Summer Pool Safety Tips:
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Prepare Your Business for Natural Disasters
/by American Alarm Blogging TeamCan your business survive a major fire or other natural disaster?
Unfortunately many companies never open for business again after a hurricane, tornado, fire, flood or other weather-related catastrophe shuts them down — but that doesn’t have to happen to your business.
The key is putting a disaster recovery plan in place – and reviewing it once a year – to protect your employees, customers, your physical assets and your investments.
Here are some tips to help you get started with keeping your business secure in a disaster situation:
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