Everyone should feel safe in his own home. Unfortunately that’s not always the case. All you have to do is watch the news for proof that home invasions are on the rise in New England.
From Windham, New Hampshire to Newton, Massachusetts to Brockton, Massachusetts to Providence, Rhode Island there isn’t a community that hasn’t been affected. Read more →
Just how important is it to have fire alarm system installed in your home or place of business?
Safety statistics paint a sobering picture when it comes to illustrating the role that fire systems play in saving lives. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) publishes an extensive amount of data for the public concerning the effect that a properly working fire detection system can have on keeping residents and employees safe in the event of a fire.
One of the most shocking statistics provided by the NFPA is that more than 60% of all fire deaths in the United States occur in buildings where smoke detectors – the simplest, and least expensive of fire safety devices – aren’t installed or aren’t working properly. In fact, almost 40% of home fire deaths are directly attributable to the lack of smoke detectors.
If you have non monitored detectors, dead or missing batteries play a huge role in these preventable tragedies. It’s imperative that you don’t ignore the warning signals from your smoke detector that its battery is failing. As many as 20% of American homes are currently unprotected because of non-functioning smoke detectors. It’s well worth checking the status of your own unit(s) to make sure you don’t become a statistic.
Integrated smoke alarms, such as those that are included as part of a monitored home security system or business security system, will send a signal to your monitoring company to notify the fire department in case of a fire. It is important to have your system checked once a year to make sure it is working properly. Some companies offer this service free of charge to monitored customers.
It’s clear that a functional smoke alarm system is one of the most effective ways to protect your loved ones from the perils of a fire in the home. Installing a monitored home smoke and fire alarm system to complement your existing burglar alarm system is an even better solution for ensuring total safety and peace of mind.
Installing a security system isn’t like installing a satellite dish: you can’t just do a quick Craigslist search and have someone come to your house and do a bang-up installation job.
Unfortunately, there are a number of so-called professional home and business security companies out there that misrepresent their actual licensing and certifications, and whose employees pose as legitimate, authorized burglar alarm installation technicians when the reality is quite different. Read more →
Spring vacation is a time-honored rite for families across the country. But before you pack up and head out to get away from it all, it’s important to be sure that your home is well protected from potential break-ins.
An empty house can be a tempting target for burglars, so we’ve put together a quick and concise checklist of the top five security tips that can help you keep your property safe in your absence. Read more →
When you’re choosing a home security system or business security system provider it can be illuminating to investigate the industry certifications attained by each candidate.
In the alarm business there are a number of active, high-profile organizations that publish guidelines and best operating practices and reward companies that go above and beyond the minimum required to ensure the safety and protection of their customers.
The Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA) is responsible for awarding the top security industry certification, the Five Diamond Certification. In order to be considered for Five Diamond status, a company must ensure that each of its central station operators passes one of two important CSAA training courses as well as demonstrate a complete understanding of national fire codes and security standards. Read more →
Security and fire alarm systems are only useful if they work when they’re called upon to alert business owners or home owners to break-ins or fires. One of the easiest ways to ensure that your alarm is capable of answering the call of duty is to respect its maintenance schedule.
Keeping up with alarm system maintenance is easy, and it’s key to reducing the number of false alarms related to problems with equipment. Let’s take a look at some of the key aspects of ensuring the safe and continual operation of your security or fire monitoring system. Read more →
According to crime statistics and law enforcement officials burglaries and break-ins are on the rise throughout New England. Thieves are targeting gold, platinum, silver and anything they can grab quickly and pawn easily for fast cash.
In a recent blog post, we alerted readers to a weakness in many “all-in-one” (fire/burglar) home alarm systems.
The problem is that many major distributors and alarm monitoring companies have built-in dialer delays that prevent signals from being sent to the central station for up to four minutes after the alarm is tripped in the home.
Why? Because their systems are prone to false alarms and their distant monitoring centers can’t handle the volume. They delay transmission of an alarm signal to give the homeowner a chance to respond and correct the false alarm. This is not true security.
If there is a fire or someone is breaking into your home, seconds count when it comes to both the safety of your family and the protection of your belongings.
After that blog post, we received some great feedback from people who were unsure if American Alarm incorporated a dialer delay into its burglar alarm systems.
The fact is, we do not and will not use equipment with built-in dialer delays. The reason we posted this information was to inform our customers as well as others reading our blog that there are some companies that do this.
Our commitment to our customers has always been to provide the fastest possible response to alarm signals. We have the lowest documented response to priority signals, which is currently at 24 seconds or less. This is key in the event of a fire or intrusion at your home or business.
Please keep the questions and comments coming!
There is a weakness in many “all-in-one” (fire/burglar) home alarm systems. Some major distributors and alarm monitoring companies have built in dialer delays that prevent signals from being sent to the central station for up to four minutes after the alarm is tripped in the home. Four minutes may not sound like a lot of time, but in four minutes you can drive four miles, you can listen to a song, heat up your lunch, or dance the Four Minute Waltz. Read more →
American Alarm & Communications today announced it has completed the acquisition of Electronic Alarm Systems (EAS) and Phoenix Fire Alarm & Communications, firms that provide life-safety and security services to homes and businesses across Rhode Island.
The Warwick based companies will continue to operate from their current location and pursue new opportunities to grow their residential and commercial life-safety and security services.
“We are looking forward to serving the customers of Electronic Alarm Systems and Phoenix Fire Alarm and Communications,” said Wells Sampson, President of American Alarm. “These companies have a long history of serving Rhode Island customers. We look forward to carrying on their tradition of passion for excellent, caring service. American Alarm’s strengths will help these companies grow.” Read more →
