A front door to a house with Halloween decorations, a reminder of Halloween home security

Three Halloween Home Security Risks for 2021

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

A front door to a house with Halloween decorations, a reminder of Halloween home securityHalloween, the holiday of candy, costumes, and…crime? Halloween home security should be an autumn priority.

Unfortunately Halloween sits well above the national daily average in terms of residential insurance claims for both property damage (17% higher) and theft (60% higher). Add to that an increase in violent crime of 50% on Halloween night, and it’s safe to say that this holiday truly earns its spooky reputation. 

While there may be risks associated with this fun-but-frightening holiday, there are also ways to stay safe. You just have to know what to prepare for. Keep the following Halloween home security risks in mind to ensure that the only thing you need to be scared of this October 31st is the latest creature feature on TV.

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Flammable materials, workplace fire safety

Workplace Fire Safety: 6 Common Hazards and How to Avoid Them

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

An average of 52 fires occur every day in the workplace. 2019 alone produced nearly 19,000 workplace fires, resulting in $744 million in property damage. While it may not be possible to eliminate every potential fire hazard, there are still plenty of workplace fire safety practices you can implement to protect your workers, your office, and the financial health of your company.

Let’s tackle some of the most common workplace fire culprits and how to avoid them in your business.

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Professional technician installing home security camera, related to the topic of professional vs DIY security camera installation

Professional vs DIY Security Cameras

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Professional technician installing home security camera, related to the topic of professional vs DIY security camera installationIt’s been shown that the presence of a security camera or alarm system on your property will deter up to 60% of burglars. If you want to install a security system, you have the option of going the DIY home security route or hiring a professional security company to install your system for you. 

There are upsides and downsides to each strategy—the important thing is to choose the option that best aligns with your safety goals. Let’s take a look at the benefits and drawbacks of each option.

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School entrance sign, school security

School Administrators: Can You Answer These 3 Important School Security Questions?

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

School entrance sign, school security

School security and safety is a top priority for parents. They want to know that their children are secure no matter where they are on campus. In order to ensure that this is the case, parents may approach you and other school administrators to question the school’s security protocols and practices. When they do, are you ready to answer them?

The following three questions are likely to be common points of inquiry from parents. If you are a school administrator, it’s imperative that you are able to respond to these questions when and if they arise.

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Image of someone using a car remote / keyless entry to unlock a car

How Your Car’s Keyless Entry System Makes Auto Theft Easier Than Ever

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Image of someone using a car remote / keyless entry to unlock a car2020 brought 873,080 car thefts—the highest number in a decade. The previous few years leading up to 2020 actually saw a decrease in car thefts before this 9.2% upward jump. The reason? Keyless entry systems and push-button ignitions.

These technological advancements have at once made our lives more convenient and our cars more at risk for theft. This is due to a combination of readily-available technology found on popular online shopping mega-sites and our very own key fobs, which provide for easy access and quick getaways.

Problems with Spare Key Fobs

Gone are the days of slow, manual hotwiring practices. Now, all a car thief has to do is spot a spare key fob in your cup holder to gain instant access to your car. This is because most keyless entry systems won’t completely lock if your key fob is still in your vehicle. That means anyone can walk up, open the door, and drive away.

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Watch Out for These Common Scams Against the Elderly

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Fraud continues to impact people of every age, yet those over the age of 60 report more financial loss than any other portion of the population. Elders between the ages of 60-65 report an average loss of $500 per successful fraud attempt. That number increases right along with age. Those 80 and older lose an average of $1500 per fraudulent attack.

If you are a member of our elderly population—or if you have a loved one who is—be aware of the following common scams. Each one affects seniors 60+ at a higher rate than any other age group. Once you know how the scam works, you’ll be far less likely to fall victim to it.

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Broken door window, Business Security Tips

Business Security Tips

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

While you might have been covered in the past, you might want to upgrade, update, and implement new or better business security measures to ensure that you are protected in the future. Otherwise, you risk endangering your business. Read on for our business security tips.

Cover Your Entire Brick and Mortar with Video Surveillance

Partial video surveillance isn’t enough anymore. You may have portions of your location monitored by surveillance, but if you want to give yourself the best chance of deterring theft and break-ins, a full-scale surveillance strategy is imperative. Ensure that your front and back entrances, as well as your public floors and back rooms are completely covered by a high-quality video surveillance system.

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Security camera on blurred background of people in the cafe, concept of security and safety, protect your business

Ways to Protect Your Business Against Theft and Other Threats

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Security camera on blurred background of people in the cafe, concept of security and safetyBrick and mortar businesses can be the target of several types of crimes. If you have been the victim of a crime, or if you are worried about becoming one, you need to implement greater security measures. Let’s dig into some ways you can protect your business in the future from some of the most common threats.

Burglary

  • Use a Better Security System: A lock and key isn’t going to cut it anymore. A security system deters roughly 60% of would-be burglars. Keep your business equipped with a burglar alarm system built to alert you to intruders with speed and efficiency.

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Person putting travel bags in a car trunk

How to Protect Yourself from Car Theft and Break-ins

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Person putting travel bags in a car trunkVehicle theft and car break-ins are on the rise in New England. In fact, Connecticut alone has seen a 42% rise in vehicle thefts and break-ins over the last year. Many residents have grown concerned about the waves of car-related crimes and wonder how to keep their vehicles safe.

Reports show that these crimes are considered opportunistic, rather than planned in most cases. This means thieves are on the prowl specifically for unlocked or isolated vehicles. They are unlikely to commit the crime if they can clearly see that the area is monitored by video surveillance, or if there is an evident alarm on the car. Instead, they will move on to a more vulnerable vehicle.

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Hand using security key card scanning to open the door to entering private building. Home and building security system.

How Access Control Systems Protect Businesses with a Semi-Remote Workforce

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Hand using security key card scanning to open the door to entering private building. Home and building security system.Most companies had to pivot to an entirely remote workforce when the COVID pandemic hit. Many businesses are now able to open their offices again, but they may have elected to maintain at least a partially remote workforce. Before, employees came into the office on a regular schedule. Now some employees only come a couple days a week. The rest of the workweek is carried out at home.

While this has allowed employees and employers greater flexibility in terms of hiring and operating practices, a partially remote workforce comes with several potential security risks. When you don’t know where and when employees are in the building, you can lose equipment, experience theft, or inadvertently give access to parts of the office to those who do not need it, and should not have it.

An Access Control System can help you mitigate these risks. Here’s how. 

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