A Parent’s Best Friend Might Be An Alarm Security System

When it comes to preventing accidents at home a parent's best friend might be an alarm security system. It seems that it might require a logical leap to see the connection between child safety and a security system. It is actually a very small step. Companies that manufacture security system components are trying to help parents solve the problem of keeping children safe at home. They are creating more and smarter devices to help parents promote safety at home. The new devices are often part of a complete alarm security system.

The most recent data from the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (part of the Centers for Disease Control) indicate that in 2006 nearly 12 million children died in the U.S. Almost 2.5 million of those deaths resulted from unintentional injury to children. The majority of those child deaths might have been prevented with new alarms as part of an alarm security system.

Accidental drowning of children ages 1-4 resulted in more than 111,000 deaths in 2006, and the vast majority of these fatalities occurred in back yard swimming pools. More than 650,000 children died from accidental poisoning in 2006. The saddest truth in all of these statistics is that many of these children might still be alive if the right alarm security system had been installed in their homes.

Many parents are lulled into a false sense of security by the claims of manufacturers of child-proof latches for cabinet doors and covers for door knobs that are said to be child proof. In fact, however, most children figure out how to bypass these devices in just a matter of minutes. These parents are trying very hard to do the right thing. What they really need is the right alarm security system.

The first person in most households to figure out how to use and bypass child proof devices is usually a child. Professionals also tell parents they will be safe if they just put things out of the reach of children. But when children start exploring their environment and climbing, there are very few places that are truly out of reach for them. The sad part of this is that conscientious parents who believe they are doing all of the right things will be taken by surprise when their child is injured. An alarm security system can completely change the picture.

Everyone has heard the chime of a security circuit or switch being activated when the system is turned off. The sound is enough to get your attention. With these alerts and full siren alarms, door switches, gate switches, pressure sensors in the flooring and motion sensors can warn you if a child is about to enter the area where there is a pool. Combined with the ear-splitting water movement alarms placed on the side of a pool (activated if the water level moves because someone is in the water), parents can be assured of enough warning to prevent disaster. All of this is possible with an alarm security system.

The leading single cause of accidental death of children is poisoning. ChildStats.gov reports that 8 of every 1000 hospital visits for children under 5 are due to accidental poisoning. This number can be dramatically reduced by incorporating cabinet and drawer alarms into a complete alarm security system. The alert or alarm will either remind the child this is not a place to play or it will give a parent time to respond and avert disaster.

Another option for parents of younger children is to adapt and use some of the new devices created to allow elderly persons to remain in their own homes longer and keep their independence. There is a device that is triggered when someone enters a bathroom that sounds an alarm if the person does not leave the bathroom in an hour or less. There is a motion sensor that is connected to a timer. It activates an alarm if there is no activity in a particular area between 5 and 11 am. Yet another device monitors activity in the area where medications are kept. And there is also the mobile panic button that can be worn as a pendant or a bracelet. These and other devices can be readily adapted to the need to monitor the activities of young children to keep them safe and incorporated into a complete alarm security system.

As new devices are designed and brought to the market and new uses for existing technologies are tested, it will become easier to safeguard children in the home. The best resource for information and help in making a home truly safe for children is your home security professional. He or she can bring the knowledge and experience to help you create the alarm security system that will protect your children from harm.

Todd Cavanaugh is a 10-year alarm system business owner. His company installs pre-wired and wireless monitored security systems, 24-hour camera surveillance systems, access control systems and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. See his business web site for his recommendations on how to choose an alarm security system.

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December 28 2009 | security-systems | No Comments »

It All Comes Down to Home Security Monitoring

No matter how many gadgets and devices you have in your security system, they won't do you a bit of good without reliable home security monitoring. In fact, without the best monitoring you have wasted a lot of money. Without good home security monitoring, what good is your security system?

Installing a home security system should cause three things to happen if someone tries to break in:

1. You need to hear the alarm and move to the safest place you can in the home.

2. A very loud siren somewhere in or around your home will get the attention of your neighbors. This is designed to bring someone to help you.

3. The home security monitoring company needs to be on the job and acting quickly to notify your local police department of a break-in.

The most important of these responses is the action of your home security monitoring company. If they are not on the job or if they fail to act, your entire security system is essentially worthless. Think about it " if your neighbors are away or they are at work, who will hear the siren under your house? If you are home alone and you can't get to a phone, your safety might depend on the monitoring company.

When you select home security monitoring you need to look for a solid reputation and a long history of success in monitoring the homes of customers and keeping them safe. What you need in a home security monitoring company is guaranteed service 24 hours of every day, 365 days of the year, without fail. You need to know that even a power outage will not leave you unprotected.

You also need to know that the sensors and detectors are "smart" enough to send specific information to the monitoring company to enable them to take action without waiting for you to identify the problem or threat for them. This continues to be a shortcoming of many home security monitoring companies " they don't know what alerts and alarms mean when they are activated.

There are a number of new and very sophisticated types of sensors, detectors and "switches" you can buy to increase the safety of your family. But you are wasting your money if the home security monitoring company you choose can't read the signals. This is one of the main reasons to use an established and proven monitoring company that has demonstrated the ability to monitor all types of alarms in all kinds of circumstances.

How do you know if the home security monitoring company you are considering is adequate? Here are the most important questions to ask:

2. What kind of guarantee is offered for personal safety and property protection?

2. What kind of theft or personal safety guarantee do you offer on home security monitoring services?

3. What kind of backup systems do you use to ensure monitoring during a power outage or if the wires are cut?

Even if you are working with a company that provides both equipment and monitoring, it is important to ask the last question above. Ask these questions of all home security monitoring companies you consider.

If you choose to deal with a company that provides the equipment and the home security monitoring services as a package deal, you should be able to trust that the equipment can be properly monitored. But don't take that chance. As these questions so you know your family and your property will be safe. Correct answers to these questions are the basis of the confidence you expect when you invest in a home security system.

Don't risk a huge investment in security equipment that is useless. Without good home security monitoring what good is your security system?

About the author: Todd Cavanaugh is a ten-year security system specialist. Protech Security Systems installs pre-wired and wireless monitored security systems, 24-hour camera surveillance systems, access control systems and smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. For more information, see his recommendations on home security monitoring.

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October 18 2009 | security-systems | No Comments »

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