The National Crime Prevention Council and the Honeywell First Alert Professional Network is offering free tools to help protect your children against the increasing threat of on-line predators. Certified Security is happy to be able to offer you a state of the art program free of charge that will enable you to supervise and control all aspects of your child’s internet experience. Just go to www.GoMcGruff.com/FAPFree .

I’ve often been asked why we are so insistent on installing motion detectors on every new system we install. If all the windows and doors are protected with sensors, then why do we include a motion detector in the design of the security system?

The quick answer is, even with all your openings secured with sensors, if someone gets into your home or business without opening a window or door the system will not sound. For instance, a secured window has to be opened for the alarm to sound and a signal to be sent to the Central Monitoring Station. If someone were to break the window and crawl through the broken glass, they could get in without the system knowing.

We install a motion detector to protect against a scenario like the one above. No matter how a person gets into a home or business, if they walk through an area protected by a motion detector, the security system will sense them. When it does, the alarm will sound and the Central Monitoring Station will be notified.

A motion detector works like an invisible trap. When I was a child, every winter the mice would try to come into the garage and storage shed of our home. My father would set mice traps to catch them. He taught me to put the traps along the baseboards because that was where the mice would run. They avoided running across the floor in the open.

In the same way, we put the motion detector in the path that a burglar would logically walk through. That is usually in front of the master bedroom, down a hall or near large glass openings. In that way we have a good chance of catching the rat…or criminal.

No one ever wants to experience a fire in their home, but unfortunately they do happen on occasion. One way to help prepare yourself for this unlikely event is to provide protection for your home and family through a fire escape plan that everyone understands and is familiar with. This plan will ensure that everyone in your family knows what to do if a fire strikes; giving you much greater odds that everyone will get out of the burning home quickly and safely. Consider the following tips to keep your home and your family safe during this type of emergency. 

Have a Plan

The first step in home fire safety is to establish a plan that will enable your entire family to get out of the home quickly and safely should a fire strike. This is essential.  This plan entails identifying all of the exits in your home and formulating an evacuation plan that everyone in the home is familiar with. This includes people who are frequent visitors in your home like babysitters who care for your kids on a regular basis. Teach your children how to get down on their hands and knees and crawl to an exit if they smell smoke, since the lower air will be cleaner and easier to breathe. Once everyone is out of the home, determine a meeting spot outside where all family members are to congregate together. Once your plan is laid out, practice by instituting fire drills in your home twice a year. 

Have the Right Stuff

The first piece of equipment you should have in your home for protection is the smoke alarm, which should be installed in every room and tested monthly. You may also want to consider installing a sprinkler system inside your home for additional security. A certified fire extinguisher in the garage and/or kitchen is another essential piece of fire safety equipment, and every family member who is old enough should know how to operate it. If your home is a two-story, keep a portable ladder near the windows upstairs to allow for quick and safe access. You can find many of these at online home stores, especially designed for this purpose.  They are generally easy to store and easy to use. It is also a good idea to keep emergency phone numbers near the phone for easy access, although you should always phone for help from a neighbor's home if you see or smell smoke. No one likes to think about the possibility of a fire in the home, but the best line of defense is to be prepared in the unlikely event that a fire should strike. When your entire family knows how to use all of the safety equipment and are familiar with the evacuation plan, you can rest assured that if a fire ever did occur, you would be prepared to handle the crisis safely. These tips on preparing for a fire will give you the first step in the protection of your family and the safety of your home.  

For more information about protecting your family from a potential fire, visit http://www.CertifiedSecuritySystems.com

Which Home Security System Will Best Suit Your Needs

There are several different types of home security systems that are available on the market today offering you and your family the utmost in protection. But how does an individual know which system is the right one for them? There are many to choose from and making the right decision can assure your system of choice proves reliable if ever there is a need.  It can be extremely beneficial to take a little extra time and research the vast amount of information that is available online, on the various types of home security systems that will work best for your particular needs. You will want to know that you and your family are constantly being protected from burglars or home intruders.

With the help of a home security system, you can rest in knowing that the utmost protection is always at work, keeping you and your entire family safe, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In the event that a break-in were to occur while you are away from your home, you want the assurance of knowing the proper authorities are being contacted in the shortest amount of time required. Good response time is essential. When researching your system of choice, make sure to choose one where response is quick. We would all like to think that these traumatic events never occur, but when they do, it's nice to know that you are protected as best that can be and your family is at minimal risk, if any.

Many systems can also offer your family the added protection for your home from flooding, fire, and other disastrous events that can occur. Today, with the selection of high tech home security systems we have available on the market, it just makes sense to protect your home, business, and family. Statistics have proven time and time again that when homes are protected with a home security system, they are generally passed right on by. Burglars and home intrudes would much rather take their chances with breaking into a home that is not protected. This fact alone should be enough for all homeowners to want to ensure their family stays protected with a home security system. You have worked hard for your valuables and possessions.  Don’t let them be an easy target for a burglar! It can happen.

It is likely that while you are reading this article, a neighbor, friend, or associate is experiencing some sort of threat from a home invader.  Don’t find yourself in a situation where you have to look back in retrospect.

It is often hard to know what type of criminal activity might be occurring in your own backyard. You would be surprised to know that home invasion crosses all boundaries.  It is always best to have the assurance in being able to sleep secure when you know your home and your family are being well protected. No matter what your particular budget may be, you can expect to find a security system that offers the highest standard in security.  Take the time to research your options.  You can rest assured that home protection is easily accessible.

Author: Salem Hassan