Fire Alarm Safety By The Numbers

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

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.

Security System Credentials: Don’t Get Burned By Fly-By-Night Contractors

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

cheap home security systemsInstalling 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 →

American Alarm Acquires Two Rhode Island Security Companies

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

home_business_security_coverage_areasAmerican 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 →

Modern Business Security Systems: A Primer For Property Managers

/1 Comment/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Owners of investment real estate properties understand the value of highly skilled property managers. Property owners, especially those that own multiple income properties, rarely have the time or expertise to manage the day-to-day operations, and routine maintenance of their properties. That’s where a property manager comes in.

A property manager has many responsibilities, and is usually very good at multi-tasking. The property manager is the liaison between the owner, the occupants, and all the other people who interact with the building. He’ll be responsible for everything from collecting rents, or fees in the case of condominium properties, to keeping the building well occupied and maintained. Read more →

Need Grows for Robust Business Security Systems In Healthcare

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Business-Security-HealthcareIf you are a healthcare provider, or do business with healthcare providers, you are probably familiar with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPPA, which was designed to ensure the security of patients’ private health information. With the rise of the implementation of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and other healthcare information technology (HIT) by physicians, hospitals, and other healthcare providers, privacy and compliance concerns are greater now than ever. As reported in Businessweek, healthcare providers, insurance companies and related business partners reported 373 business security system breaches affecting almost 18 million patients between September 2009 to October of this year, according to Department of Health and Human Services.

Various technologies are used by providers of HIT and EHRs to ensure that a patient’s data remains secure. But even the best encryption protocols can’t always prevent a security breach because of something like the theft of laptop, or an “inside job” by an unscrupulous employee. That’s why healthcare providers are encouraged to consider taking serious physical security measures, such as access monitoring, burglar alarms, and video surveillance – as part of their overall security systems.

Of course, it’s not only patient information that makes healthcare providers criminal targets. Medical facilities are known to have high value assets on their premises, such as medical equipment, not to mention drugs. It’s also not uncommon for healthcare workers in emergency rooms, mental health clinics, and certain other kinds of facilities to be subject to violent outbursts or attacks by violent or emotionally disturbed patients.

According to crime researchers, hospital emergency rooms traditionally have been the most likely areas to have security risks. However, the increased problems of drug dependence, mental health issues, and homelessness, combined with other social problems caused by the economic downturn of the past several years have contributed to increased security threats for all areas of health care facilities.

Fortunately there are business security system companies that specialize in the unique compliance and security needs of healthcare and medical facilities. These companies understand the challenges of both data and physical security faced by the healthcare industry, and they know how to help medical facilities integrate safety and security measures into their day-to-day operations. They do this not only with the latest in state-of-the-art security systems and access control measures, but also by training all personnel how to minimize risk, and help create a secure and compliant environment for workers and patients.

No Company Too Small For A Business Security System

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Small Company Business Security SystemsThink business security systems are only for the “Big Boys”? Think again! No matter what kind or size of business you’re operating, you have assets and people you need to protect. Small businesses are just as vulnerable as their larger cousins, maybe even more so, according to business crime analysts, since often thieves may perceive a smaller business as an easier target.

Just how much does crime against business cost? According to the most recent Crime in the United States report, theft of office equipment alone amounted to over $650 million annually! Burglaries on average cost businesses $2000 per incident, and shoplifting, which has recently been reaching epidemic proportions, costs a business an average of $205 per incident. Read more →

The Travel Channel Consulted American Alarm for Tonight’s Show

/3 Comments/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Travel-channel Great Brinks RobberyTravel Channel’s show “Hidden City” came to American Alarm, experts in business security systems, to learn about modern bank security for a show that focuses, in part, on “The Great Brinks Robbery” of 1950. Hosted by best-selling crime novelist Marcus Sakey, the episode also delves into the stories and the legends of the Boston Strangler and Whitey Bulger.

At American Alarm’s Command Center, President Wells Sampson briefs Sakey on the latest technologies that modern robbers are up against, such as biometric fingerprint readers; perimeter sensors on doors and windows; interior motion sensors; vault and safe systems; panic buttons at key locations; video surveillance systems, and live police feeds.

With American Alarm’s use of such cutting edge security technology, it would be very difficult for the Brinks robbers to repeat their infamous heist today. As Sampson says, “We’re a security company and we’re looking to catch bad guys.”

Remote Video Monitoring Prevents Crime Before It Can Happen

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

remote video monitoringYou obviously can’t keep an eye on your business 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but that doesn’t mean you can’t install remote video monitoring to get the job done for you.

Recent advances in business security systems have added an entirely new dimension to the level of protection offered by video surveillance, including the ability to instantly notify both owners and local law enforcement should an intrusion be detected.

That last sentence makes an important distinction between an actual intrusion and one that appears to be on the verge of taking place. In the past, business video surveillance has primarily been used as a tool to help in the prosecution of vandals or thieves after the fact. It offers a record of the criminal activity that took place after the perpetrators gained access to the facility or property in question. Read more →

Shoplifting Epidemic in Massachusetts – Is Your Business Security System Ready?  

/1 Comment/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Business Security System - Shoplifting EpidemicWe probably all know someone who pocketed a candy bar or a pack of gum from the local store when they were kids. They probably caught hell from their folks when they did. The truth is today shoplifting is far from a petty crime. In fact, it costs businesses nationwide billions and forces them to consider a business security system upgrade.

Sure, there are still the petty thieves that come in to pilfer what they can and these crimes can add up to some significant losses for businesses. According to the FBI, shoplifting rings are considered major organized crime. We’re talking about sophisticated groups of shoplifters, who case out stores just like banks. They come equipped with floor plans and special foil-lined bags that block the signals of security sensors. Read more →

Consumerization of IT in the Security Industry Poses Unique Challenges, Offers Opportunities

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

mobile-remote-access-home-security-cameraMobile phones are not only changing how people interact with each other, they are also altering the way businesses and individuals process the world around them. The security industry has not been immune to the wave of mobile applications that has swept over a number of different sectors of the economy. That’s because a growing number of home and business owners choose to use their smartphones and other devices to stay in touch with their personal and business security systems.

The integration of mobile communications devices into commercial and enterprise-level security systems is part of a trend that has been labeled “the consumerization of IT.” In broad terms, this refers to the tendency of previously complex information systems to become simpler and more user-friendly. Read more →