Home Fire System: Avoid Fall Fire Dangers

/2 Comments/by American Alarm Blogging Team

House FireWe all know that installing smoke detectors in your home fire system is the number one way to prevent fatalities during a fire in your home. That’s why it’s critical to change the batteries in your smoke detector twice a year — at the same time you set your clocks to either “spring forward” or “fall back.”

This year daylight savings time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 3. So when you get ready to turn your clocks back an hour, remember to replace the batteries in your smoke detector — as well as your carbon monoxide detector. If you have a monitored fire alarm system make sure you call to have it tested at least once a year. American Alarm is one company that offers free annual wellness inspections to monitored residential customers for this purpose.

Here are a few less obvious steps you can take to reduce the risk of fire in your home.

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The Dangers of Cigarette Smoking at Home

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

cigarette smoking at homeNot too long ago we provided some tips on how to prevent smoking-related fires in your home after a Westfield, MA woman died in a fire caused by cigarette smoking near a home oxygen system. Even more recently, an off-duty police officer helped rescue an elderly woman from a blaze in Arlington, Massachusetts that was ignited when someone improperly extinguished a cigarette in a planter filled with mulch on the second-floor deck of a two-story home.

The woman — who was on oxygen —  lived on the first floor and after firefighters knocked down the fire, they removed at least five oxygen canisters in danger of exploding. The Arlington woman was very lucky. Every year nearly 1,000 people die in home fires started by cigarettes, according to the U.S. Fire Administration — and one in four of the people killed in those types of home fires was not the smoker whose cigarettes caused the blaze.

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Did Ex-Patriot Fumble the Home Security Ball?

/3 Comments/by American Alarm Blogging Team

On August 31, some 300 teenagers allegedly broke into – and totally trashed – the upstate New York home owned by former New England Patriot Brian Holloway.

Holloway told NEWS10 ABC he was in Florida when he heard about the break-in from his son, who had seen notifications about the bash on social media.

Police called to the scene, said they found the yard full of cars and about 300 teens trying to run away. Investigators documented the damage, including broken windows, spray painted walls, and urine soaked carpets.

A break-in is right at the top of the list of homeowner’s worst nightmares. Imagine you arrive home from a vacation to find your home in utter chaos – your belongings strewn across the floors and your valuables missing. You’re scared and angry. You don’t feel safe in your home any longer – and maybe you never will feel that sense of security again.

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Personal Safety — Urban Legend or Truth?

/3 Comments/by American Alarm Blogging Team

personal safetyUrban legends — stories told around the office cooler, or at your child’s soccer game, or among friends after work — aren’t always harmless tales designed to provide a few scares or laughs the pass the time. Sometimes, urban legends that prove untrue can have individuals worried about scams or crimes that actually don’t exist, which makes it that much harder to believe in the occasionally sensational methods used by criminals that only sound like a tall tale.

Consider a recent report from the Today show about ‘sliders.’ This unlikely term has been applied to thieves who target women pumping gas into their cars. With the purse on the front seat, and their attention diverted to the act of fueling up, these women are victimized by individuals who emerge from a nearby parked car, stay low to the ground, and snatch the purse through either an open window or an unlocked door. Although it sounds incredible, police are warning women not to leave their purses unattended at gas stations unless all of their doors are locked and their windows are sealed.

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Homeowners: Beware of Unlicensed Security Companies

/1 Comment/by American Alarm Blogging Team

beware unlicensed security companiesControlling the safety of your home has never been easier. With a simple click from your smartphone or tablet, you can open windows, unlock doors, even start your car — but before you hire a home security company to protect your valuables, you should first do some research.

A recent letter from the Massachusetts Systems Contractors Association warns consumers about the dangers of hiring unlicensed companies to secure your home.

It said security companies in the state are required to be licensed by the State Board of Electrical Examiners and have a public safety license to protect you from people who may have a criminal background and to ensure their system effectively works in an emergency situation.
Watch our video below for this and important tips to consider when selecting your home security company:

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Sun is Setting on 2G Cellular Security Systems

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

sun setting

It’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 →

AIREF Report Underscores Efficacy Of Burglar Alarm Systems

/1 Comment/by American Alarm Blogging Team

burglar alarm systemsWhat 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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Beware the Door-to-Door Alarm Salesperson

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

Door-to-Door Alarm SalespersonIt’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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Summer Safety Tips

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

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.

summer safety
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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Five Tips to Protect Your Pool and Keep Loved Ones Safe

/by American Alarm Blogging Team

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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