Grand Alarms | Home and Business Security Alarm Sy

4 Things Burglars Hate Most

2011-02-28T15:17:00.001-08:00

The four things burglars hate are: Light, Noise, Exposure and Time.

Light - Records show that most burglaries are done during the hours of 10am to 2:30 pm. Why? Dad's at work and mom's out doing her errands while the kids are at school. He'll be home around 5:30 pm but mom wants to be home when the kids get home from school. This time of day he has all the natural light he needs.

Noise - A security system should have the loudess siren on it. Even if you do not have the system monitored, which is not good, he knows he's been detected and will flee the home. This also why he would rather kick in a door than break a window. Windows make a distinct noise when they break alerting your neighbors. Doors just a low thud noise. Put good locks and dead-bolts on all doors.

Exposure - Does your home have high shrubberies, dense trees, stockade fencing or something that will give a burglar a place where he can't be seen? Trim the shrubs so they are no taller than waist high.

Time - It is the burglars most worst enemy. Most burglars are in your home only three to ten minutes. They have a system of where to go to grab what they want and leave as fast as they can. Don't leave items out to cut down on the time it takes to steal from you.

Start looking at your home inside and out as a burglar would do.

6 Levels To A Security System

2011-02-28T15:16:00.001-08:00

When thinking about having a security system installed there are 6 aspects to consider. I will be listing each and discussing the values of each in the next few weeks.

Basically they are: (1) yard signs & window/door decals, (2) perimeter window & door contacts, (3) interior protection devices, (4) fire protection,(5) carbon monoxide detectors, (6) special partitions.

The yard signs & window decals are very important. It lets a would be thief know you are protected by an alarm system. A burglar does not want to encounter an alarm system because first it limits the time he has to steal from you and there is a good possibility he will get caught.

Would you break into a house with an alarm system when your neighbor does not have one??? Which one would you burglarize??? Place your signs & decals on all sides of the house so your home cannot be approached by someone and not know you have an alarm system.

Security With Detection Devices

2011-02-28T15:15:00.003-08:00

It is important to have all exterior openings protected by some detection device. Both the first floor as well as the basement and second stories.

Windows and doors should have "contacts" on them. There are two types, hard-wired or wireless. As it a sounds a hard-wired contact is connected to the master control panel by a wire. The wireless contact sends a signal to the master control panel by radio waves. They cause the system to go into alarm if they are violated. When the alarm sounds it makes a loud noise which most of the time scares the robber away and alerts your neighbors and your monitoring center of a possible intrusion into your home. The center will then contact your home and if they get no response or the wrong pass word they contact the police.

Basement windows can be secured by "Burglar Bars". It is a bar stretched across the window and if it gets dislodged it will cause an alarm. Don't forget these windows.

Casement windows sometimes are best protected by "glass-break detectors. The best kind are the ones it takes three (3) signals to activate before it sets off the alarm. When a window is broken there are three phases that occur. First the vibration of the breaking window, then the breaking window puts off a certain frequency that is detected, and some glass-breaks also have a motion sensor built into them as well. Having a multiple action glass-break helps to keep the false alarms to a minimum.

Don't be a penny wise and a pound foolish when getting an alarm system installed. Don't cut corners because the device you omit might be the exact spot of entry into your home. Think as if you were the burglar and how YOU would gain entry into your home.

Secure Your Home

2011-02-28T15:13:00.000-08:00

Secure Your Home

The latest statistics are showing crime is increasing astronomically. There is a burglary taking place about every 25 minutes. Many of the items taken cannot be replaced. Family heirlooms, collections, anniversary gifts, electronics, computers, etc. Small items a burglar can carry off and pawn easily. When your computer is stolen there goes your personal identity too.

The average loss (after you settle with the insurance company) is over $1,000.00. You try your best to itemize the items stolen only to find out months later another item was stolen. It's too late to claim that item then. It's a good idea to video tape or hire someone to do it of all your valuables. Be sure there's a good description of each item and if possible have an appraisal of it.

Single family homes are twice as likely to be burglarized than apartments or multiple family homes. Most burglaries occur while there is no one home. Criminals don't like others around while they do their dirty work. If you happen to come home while the criminal is there DO NOT try to intervene. Leave the home immediately and call the police. Don't re-enter the home until they clear it. Even though you might not see the burglar but suspect he's there, back out and call the police. They will check your home for you. They would rather do that than set up a crime scene of a homicide. Remember, most often a person defending his/her home with a weapon have it turned on them. Don't try it.

Unfortunately, most people don't think or do anything about home security until they or someone they know has had a break-in. Burglars look at homes they think are easy targets. There's many things you can do to make your home less likely to be burglarized. A lot of police departments will gladly send out an officer to survey your home and give you suggestions on home security. Take advantage of this service. It's free and will possibly save you a lot of grief and aggravation in the future. Hind sight is always 20/20.

The first place to look is the outside of your home. Here are some tips you might consider:
# Keep your yard well maintained. Make it look like someone is living there.
# Have good locks on windows and doors. Install reinforced deadbolts on all doors.
# Be sure all sliding doors cannot be lifted up out of their tract. You can drill a small hole at the bottom and place a nail through it so the door stays in place.
# Trim all shrubbery so as not to give a burglar a place to hide.
# Don't display your family's silver service or valuables in front of a picture window. That's just an invitation to take it.
# Don't hide a key anywhere outside your home. The best hiding place you can think of is probably the first place he will look. Leave a key with a trusted neighbor or friend.
# Be sure your mail box has a door on it that will not display your mail. A mail box full of mail is a good sign no one has been home for quite some time. If you are going to be away from home for any period of time have someone pick up your mail and news paper or have them stopped while you are gone.
# Don't leave front door porch lights on during the day. That means you are away and won't be home until after dark. That gives them an idea or time frame how long they have to steal from you. Have a light that comes on from dusk to dawn. That way you will not have a beacon telling would thief your family's schedule.
# Of course, I'm a believer of home security systems. Burglars survey the neighborhoods and would rather not be interrupted by a loud siren. I recommend a loud siren alerting both the criminal and your neighbors that an intruder has been detected. Display the sign your security company where it can be easily seen. Studies have shown that has detoured thieves.
# If you are going away for a while call your local police department and tell them. They will cruise by your home more often.
# Do not leave ladders outside in your yard. Even if you do not have a two story home your neighbor might. You would be surprised as to how many people do not lock their upstairs windows.

The Art of Providing Security as a Service

2011-02-28T15:09:00.000-08:00

By Peter Boriskin,
vice president of R&D for Tyco International's access control solutions

For years, resellers of home security systems have generated more revenue from ongoing monitoring services than from the alarm equipment itself. Today, access control integrators are moving toward a similar path with ongoing revenue streams tied to services. The emergence of security as a service in the corporate world will empower integrators to capitalize on new opportunities in the commercial space and deliver a host of customizable, value-added services to enhance customer relationships and increase their profitability.

Businesses of all sizes have realized the benefit of outsourcing IT management, allowing them to focus on their core competencies. These same benefits can be extended to a business' access control infrastructure. In a traditional security model, integrators install software within their customer's organization; the customer, in turn, programs and controls the access control system themselves. However, in turning to an outsource model for access control, these organizations retain the same powerful security capabilities without taxing internal resources. There's no need for software to be installed or maintained locally. Integrators gain recurring fees for managing the access control system while customers can easily administer their access cards remotely via a web interface.

But that's just the start. System integrators now have an opportunity to offer additional services to their customers, opening up the door to lucrative recurring revenues.

Distinguishing hosted solutions from managed solutions

Both hosted and managed services involve having a platform outside of the end user's physical facility with a vendor managing the necessary applications and hardware. However, that is where hosted solutions begin and end. Hosted solution vendors ensure the access control system is running smoothly. But when it comes to applying security policies and managing/monitoring the system, customers are left to their own devices.

Conversely, managed services extend beyond this with a variety of complementary services which may include:

Badging

Video, Offsite video storage

Customized reporting

Two-way audio

Burglar alarm integration

Visitor management

Event monitoring

Personalized surveillance / escort

A striking advantage of managed access control services is the flexibility it offers to end users. Customers can easily move from on-site access control to managed services and vice versa while retaining their technology investment. As an example, moving to a managed access control solution simply requires adding a communication module on site. Customers can maintain interoperability across systems commonly connected to access control devices such as computer networks, surveillance cameras, and other systems. This continuity affords integrators countless future revenue generating opportunities such as network access management, live video monitoring, video archiving, video analytics, and more.

Managed access control services are ideal in the following scenarios:

Small businesses that need to manage a finite number of access points but don't have a large enough infrastructure to necessitate retaining an internal security department.

Large, multi-national enterprises that outsource to eliminate physical security infrastructures to focus on their primary areas of expertise. Typically, these businesses want to control building access through employee-verified credentials but don't want to maintain the security infrastructure in-house to achieve this functionality. Many such businesses have already moved to a service model for various enterprise applications and are experiencing the benefits of this approach.

Corporate headquarters looking to apply security policies universally across its facilities. In many cases, these organizations have a mobile employee base that requires access to multiple facilities. The organizations want their corporate security department to retain visibility and control over all cardholders.

Large companies intent on keeping divisions uniform and in line with security mandates. In this scenario, the primary organization is responsible for system management and generates revenue by charging back other divisions for this managed access control.

Integrators offering managed access control services may choose from a variety of pricing models. Some may charge customers based on the number of managed access points (doors and elevators), while others may determine pricing based on the level and type of services offered. In the highly competitive security space, integrators can stand out by offering multiple tiers of services. This may range from basic options such as report generation and automatic card changes via web portals to support capabilities such as system programming, troubleshooting and concierge services.

Conclusion

Home security system integrators have long known the benefits of managed service to generate ongoing revenue streams and provide flexibility to their customers. Today, commercial systems integrators can reap the same benefits – on a much larger scale - in the corporate security world, delivering a host of services that bring peace of mind to their client base while improving their bottom line.