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How Social Media Posts Of Your Holiday Travels Can Impact Home Security

Social media is a great way to keep in touch with family and friends around the world, especially during the holidays. However, even though you may set the privacy settings, they can only do so much to limit what others can see and learn about you via your social networks.

According to AAA, 107.3 million Americans will take planes, trains, automobiles and other modes of transportation to travel over the river and through the woods to grandmothers’ house for the holidays.

If you’re planning to join them, be aware that using social media could put your holiday safety and home security at risk. How so? Well, your friends and family may not be the only people paying attention to your posts. Smart thieves are watching not only your house but also your social media channels.  So your Facebook live broadcast of your holiday travels, or a photo of your vacation could signal a savvy burglar that it’s safe to probe your home’s security vulnerabilities. Read more

Black Friday Tips for a Crime-Free Shopping Spree

Black Friday Tips for a Crime-Free Shopping Spree Get ready: Black Friday is coming. Last year Americans spent more than $57 billion on Black Friday deals — this year should meet or exceed that total. While predictions peg online shopping for a 28 percent increase, most deal-finding still happens at local retail outlets. The problem? Criminals are primed and ready to nab your hard-fought purchases.

Here are four tips for a crime-free shopping spree:

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Five Tips to Protect your Pool and Keep Loved Ones Safe

It’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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Home Video Security: UPS Driver Caught Stealing FedEx Package

The importance of installing a home video security system was highlighted recently as a UPS driver was caught stealing a package from a customer’s door step. The driver made his delivery and left with a package sent earlier by another carrier. Luckily, the front and back doors were secured with video surveillance systems, catching the thief in the act.

As you watch the video proof below, know that the front and back doors are crucial places to set up residential video surveillance systems. With cameras positioned in these high-traffic areas, thieves are deterred and any intruders will be visible and captured on the surveillance system as evidence. With modern technology, video security systems can be accessed remotely, ensuring you’re always in the loop. Stay tuned for a follow-up blog post on how you can further protect yourself when packages are delivered by a carrier.

Keep Your Home and Family Safe this Summer – What You Should Insist Your Security Company Provide

Ah, those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer. Fun in the sun. Carefree attitudes. Barbecues, beach days, pool parties. Sounds fantastic, right?

Of course. But sometimes while you’re reveling in all that carefree summer living, you might not pay as much attention to home security as you should.

For example, you’re more likely to leave all your doors and windows open in the summer – even when you go out. But remember most break-ins occur because of negligence, so securing your home is of the utmost importance.

The fact is you always want your family to be safe and one way to ensure their safety is by turning to a top-notch security company to install an alarm system in your home.

Here are some things to look for when you choose a home security company:

  • Speak to a Person, Not a Recording. When your home and family are in danger, every second counts. So be sure that whenever you need help – or just have a routine question – your security company has a real person answering your call. You don’t want to have to deal with navigating a complicated, automated voice system when you need help immediately.
  • No Alarm Delays. When an alarm sounds on your security system there must be no delay in transmission to the monitoring station. Your system should instantly send an alarm to the central station no matter if it’s an intrusion, smoke, carbon monoxide, or any trouble signal. Some companies delay transmitting their alarm signals by as much as four minutes because their systems are prone to false alarms.
  • Local Five-Diamond, U.L. Monitoring Center. Your home should be monitored 24-7 by a local Five-Diamond, U.L. Certified Central Station. That means your company’s central station has multiple back-up systems and can operate under any condition and the company’s team is among the best in the business. Your security company should be owned and operated by people who live in New England, not a third-party in some faraway state. And it should be staffed by experienced people who know your community, and can document how quickly they respond to alarm signals – 20 seconds or less is best-in-class.
  • Free Yearly Wellness Inspection. Your company should offer you peace of mind by letting you know that your security system will work when you need it most. Your company should clean smoke detectors, check back-up batteries, and inspect the system for signs of wear.
  • Experience and Advanced Technology. The top security companies employ veteran in-house experts who are able to install the most up-to-date devices and applications that best meet your needs.
  • Service in 24 Hours or Less. Your security company must ensure that your system is working every second of every day. But if you have an issue, your company should guarantee it will have a tech to your home as soon as possible but no longer than 24 hours after it receives your call.
  • Lifetime Warranty. Your security company should stand behind every security system it installs. If there’s a technical defect, the company should fix it at no cost to you as part of your monitoring service.

So get out in the sun and have fun. But don’t forget to take the steps necessary to protect your home and your family this summer season and throughout the year.

5 Holiday Traveler Tips for Home Security

Home Security During the HolidaysNow that the holidays are here, we should be thinking about spending time with family and friends not to mention getting our hands on all that delicious gourmet chocolate. The last thing we should be worried about is home security.

Unfortunately, not everyone feels the true spirit of giving during the holiday season. All across New England, people are traveling to visit family members either out of state or just a few towns over. That leaves many homes vulnerable to thieves as winter’s chill begins to descend on the region. In fact, the FBI reports that more than 400,000 burglaries occur across the country every November and December. So it’s more important than ever for homeowners and renters to stay security conscious and take the necessary steps to protect themselves before packing up and heading out for an extended trip. Read more