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Archives for September 2010

Halloween Safety Tips
halloween safety tipsHalloween is near and it’s once again time for trick or treaters!  SafeTech Alarm Systems would like to remind our readers of a few Halloween safety tips that will keep the day fun! When it comes to Halloween safety tips, it’s a great idea to always be prepared.
  • Know the route that your children will be taking and who they will be heading out with.
  • Check your local sex offenders list and instruct your children to stay away from dangerous homes. This is one of the most important Halloween safety tips.
  • Make sure your children are wearing reflective clothing that can be seen at night. This will protect them from cars and other hazards.
  • Avoid costumes that make it difficult to see or easy to trip.
  • Serve your children a meal before they head out to reduce their desires to snack on their treats. This will keep them from eating something that they shouldn’t while they are out.
  • Inspect all candy before your children eat it and throw out any items that may have been tampered with.
  • Give your child a flashlight to take with him or her. This is another one of the very important Halloween safety tips because it helps children see and avoid danger.

Halloween Safety Tips from SafeTech Experts

The professionals at SafeTech Alarm Systems understand what it takes to stay safe on Halloween. We work with businesses and individuals across the country to improve safety and security for everyone. We sincerely hope that when you are celebrating Halloween that you keep these Halloween safety tips in mind.

While most people want to enjoy this special day with fun and good humour, there are some people who take advantage of this occasion to cause crime or hurt others. Hopefully, you don’t run into any dangerous situations this Halloween, but keeping these Halloween safety tips in mind is a very good idea anyway.
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Watch Security Cameras From Anywhere Using Your Phone
watch security camerasDid you know that you can watch security cameras using your phone and keep your home safe? One of the best features about having Internet-enabled security cameras is that you are able to view your cameras from anywhere with an Internet connection. In the past, it has been possible to watch your home security cameras from the office or view your office building from home. However, thanks to an increase in smart phone usage, it’s now possible to watch security cameras in the home from anywhere!

Watch Security Cameras: The Apps

There are several applications available that allow you to watch security cameras online and give yourself greater peace of mind. Honeywell recently launched an application called “Total Connect” that lets Blackberry users control and view their security cameras remotely.

watch security cameras blackberry For iPhone users, there are a couple of applications available. One of the most complete applications is iRa Pro. It is available for download on iTunes. Another iPhone application that allows you to watch security cameras remotely is uNetCams. Both applications are compatible with iPads as well.

For Android phones, IP Camera Viewer is a good choice.

Regardless of your choice of handset, the ability to watch security cameras from anywhere can add a great deal of usability to your home security system or office security system. You will never have to worry about what is taking place at your home while you are away. This will allow you to enjoy yourself with the knowledge that, if anything happens, you will quickly be able to see what is going on at home and watch security cameras that are installed there. For more information, and to get a no obligation camera consultation, call 1-888-939-3733. Trust SafeTech to provide you with the security technology you need to stay safe.

audio Audio version of this article:https://www.safetechalarms.com/podcast/watch-your-security-cameras-from-anywhere-using-your-phone.mp3 Also you can download this audio file and you can listen on your personal MP3 player.
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Staying Secure Online
staying secure onlineThese days people are sharing more and more of their personal information online. This is good for socializing, but bad for staying secure online. Thanks to Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and a variety of other social media websites, it is now easier than ever to invite friends to social events, post photos, share vacation plans and keep your social circle informed than ever before.

However, with this freedom comes new security risks as well. When sharing information online it’s important to remember that anything you share online could be easily distributed to the general public. You always need to be thinking of staying secure online and acting with this in mind.

Staying Secure Online: Tips

The first thing you should always do before sharing personal information online is consider who could possibly see your posting. Social media messages are easily shared and forwarded to others, so do not post anything that you do not want others to see.

It is also incredibly important to keep a diligent eye on your privacy settings. These are a crucial part of staying secure online. You will want to make sure that the general settings as well as the settings for particular posts or events are set to your specifications. Failure to do so can have very serious consequences.

For example, a teenage girl in the United Kingdom recently created a Facebook invitation for her birthday party. She meant to invite 15 friends, but accidentally marked the event as “public” rather than private. This meant that anyone could see the invite. More than 21,000 people replied and anyone who visited the public invitation was able to see the girl’s picture, address and phone number.

Obviously this was a huge security risk to the girl and her family. Always be aware of who can see the information that you post online and remember that things you mean to keep private may not be. This is important to remember when staying secure online.

The same is true for posting about your location. A post on Facebook or Twitter that you are going to be on vacation for a month could be seen by someone who wants to break into your home.

Police in British Columbia and Ontario recently warned people to avoid mentioning vacation plans on Twitter and other social media website for this exact reason. It is important for staying secure online.

Podcast link: https://www.safetechalarms.com/podcast/Staying-Secure-Online.mp3
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Property Crime in America Costs Over $17 Billion Per Year

Property crime statistics by FBI

According to statistics released by the FBI, property crime cost an estimated $17.2 billion dollars in losses in 2008. The statistics, released as part of the FBI’s Crime In The United States publication, show the costly damage of property crime.

Property crimes include burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft and arson. There were approximately 9,767,915 property crimes in the United States in 2008. There was, however, a 5.3 percent drop in this type of crime between 2004 and 2008.

Burglary accounted for 22.7 percent of all property crime. There were an estimated 2,222,196 burglaries in 2008, up 2 percent from 2007.

There were 3.6 percent more burglaries in 2008 than in 2004 and 5.8 percent more than in 1999. 61.2 percent of all burglaries in 2008 involved forcible entry.

Far more residential properties were broken into than commercial properties. 70.3 percent of all burglaries were residential.
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Power Outage Safety
power outage safetyMost power outages last only a few moments, but in some cases you can be hit with a longer disruption. Not only can this be a nuisance, but it can also be quite dangerous if you are not prepared. This is why it is important to review power outage safety tips in case you end up in a dangerous situation. There are a few things you can do to keep yourself, your home and your family safe during a blackout.

Power Outage Safety Tips

Here is some crucial information that will help you stay safe during a power outage. Remember to review these power outage safety tips now, before anything happens, as you likely won’t be able to refer to them when you’re in the dark.

When the power first goes out, be sure to check and make sure that it’s not limited to you home. If those around you have electricity, check your fuse box or call your power company.

You should also consider turning your appliances, electronics and any other devices that are plugged in. Unplug your computers and other sensitive equipment to protect yourself from potentially damaging power surges. Leave your refrigerator and freezer plugged in.

Use battery operated flashlights instead of candles. This is a very important power outage safety tip. Candles can be quite dangerous and could cause a fire in your home. Do not attempt to light or heat your home with a gas stove, barbecue or any other dangerous device. Not only could you cause a fire, but you also risk carbon monoxide poisoning.

Home and personal security are also important. You will need to know if your alarm system and fire alarm will still function without power. If not, you will have to be prepared and not leave your home alone. Remembering these power outage safety tips could make a huge difference if a severe blackout happens.
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What Burglars Want
what burglars wantDetailed information on what burglars are looking for and what burglars want when they break into a property has now been revealed. A Washington Post infographic entitled “Anatomy of a Burglar” states that the average amount of loss per residential burglary is $1,725. Most burglaries occur between 10am and 3pm, when thieves know most people are at work.

What burglars want is for homes to appear empty. Having a car in the driveway and proper lighting turned on both outside and inside a home usually cause most burglars to look for different targets.

It also states that the typical burglar spends between 8 and 12 minutes in a house, quickly looking for valuables hidden in common places. What burglars want is to be in and out of a property quickly.

What Burglars Want When They Break In

Most burglars head to the bedroom first, searching for jewellery, cash and other small valuables that are easy to steal and also easy to sell. Most burglars do not hold on to the items they steal for very long. They are looking for valuables that they can easily turn into cash.

The same graphic also states that what burglars want is to spend 60 seconds or less breaking into a home. This allows him or her to enter the home quickly without being detected by neighbours or others walking by. Deadbolts, bars or shatter-proof windows are excellent ways to deter criminals.

Alarm systems and security cameras are the best possible deterrents. Criminals would much rather break into a home undetected. As for points of entry, 34% of burglars enter through the front door while 22% choose the back door. First floor windows are also common: 23% of break-ins begin this way. The garage is also a prime target, with 9% of burglars choosing this option.

What burglars want is the fastest and easiest route to valuables. They do not want to be detected, they do not want to take very long and – above all – they do not want to get caught.

Anything you can do to make it more difficult to break into your home or make it easier to draw attention to criminal activity will help protect you from burglars. Knowing what burglars want is a crucial part of stopping them.
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Safety Advice From Serial Killers: The Happy Face Killer
Nadia Fezzani safety adviceNadia Fezzani is a Canadian journalist who has conducted extensive research and interviews with many notorious American serial killers. As a specialist on serial killers, Ms. Fezzani gives conferences on the topic to university students and to different organizations. She also works with production companies on TV documentaries. She’s gotten into the minds of some of the most dangerous serial killers alive and learned to understand how they think. She has used this knowledge to provide helpful safety advice and tips on how you can avoid becoming a victim of a violent attack.

People tend to believe that people such as British Columbia serial killer, Robert Pickton, are of a rare species. Yet, in addition to approximately 40 serial killers already caught in Canada, many Canadian serial murderers run free.

In fact, 12 serial killers were notorious enough to be given nicknames without ever being found. They still live somewhere among us.

The Edmonton Prostitute Killer, the Canada Highway murderer, the Highway 16 Killer, the London Ontario Killer, the NW Territories Headhunter, The Ontario Lover’s Lane Killer, The Ottawa Teen Killer, The Toronto Hospital for Sick Children Murderer, the Toronto Prostitute Executioner, the Toronto Rape Slayer, the Montreal Boys Slasher and the Montreal Gay Ripper are all serial killers who were never caught.

Also, many homicides will never be linked together even if some of the murderers are captured. It is sometimes impossible to know if the crimes were committed by the same individual.

What can we do to avoid being victims of attackers? We all know the basic rules: lock your doors, do not talk to strangers, get an alarm system, have a guard dog at home and trust your instincts. Other less-known advice includes having deadbolt locks on all doors and avoiding wearing a pony tail at night. In addition, never bring God into a conversation when you face an attacker, as it will only enrage them. Fortunately for us, American serial killers today open up to give us tricks in their own words on how to better protect ourselves from others like them. Their advice is effective against any type of aggressor. Take their tips into consideration since they come from the experts and, ironically, usually relate to their own crimes.

The Happy Face Killer

Born in Canada, Keith Jesperson moved to Oregon at the age of 12. A trucker by profession, he would make his truck the prime location for his crimes. Although his first murder would end up being a fight that didn’t turn out well, he later acted violently whenever he faced a dilemma. He claimed that killing became too easy with time. When a couple was convicted for his first murder, Jesperson wrote to the authorities and the media to prove the guilty one was still free. He would sign his letters with a smile. What safety advice can be learned from him?

Safety Advice

At home, always keep your curtains pulled closed. Don’t let criminals see inside and determine what is worth taking, would it be property, assault, or your life. No free viewing! This safety advice can save your life!

Remove shrubbery and trees that allow people to stand by your home undetected.

Have lots of lights and invest in a security system. This is crucial safety advice.

Invest in the cam-over top and bottom bolts to secure your doors. Garage doors also need to be bolted so door openers cannot open them without the safety bolt disengaged.

Do not leave spare keys outside, under rocks, rugs or with anyone other than a neighbour you can trust.
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Emergency Exit Plan Tips to Save Your Family From Disaster
Unfortunately you never know when danger can strike. A fire, flood or natural disaster can hit at any time and put you and your family in peril. The best way to prepare for such catastrophic events is by having an emergency exit plan. You can’t control when tragedy occurs, but you can use forward thinking to have an escape solution for when it does.

The first step in an emergency exit plan is to know where all of the exits are. You should have two exits in each bedroom. In many cases this means a door and a window. It’s important that all members of your family are able to find all exits without any hesitation or assistance. During a fire there may be a lot of thick smoke that makes it difficult to see clearly. You should be able to reach all exits with your eyes closed.

emergency exit plan burning houseIf your bedrooms are located on the second floor of your home, window escape routes will be more difficult to use as a part of your emergency exit plan. However, in the case of a fire, it may be necessary to do so. Every member of the family should know how to exit from a second storey window. Placing a ladder on the outside of your home to make escape easier is NOT recommended. Criminals frequently use such ladders to gain entrance to a home.

Emergency Exit Plan Details to Keep in Mind

If you have security bars on your windows, it’s important that they are easy to remove from the inside. In the case of an emergency you may not be able to find a key in time and quickly exiting through the window may be your only chance to escape. For this reason, you should periodically check that your windows can open freely and are not jammed. This is vital for a successful emergency exit plan.

It’s important that every member of your family understands the emergency exit plan and that you practice the plan from time-to-time. If you live with children, elderly people or anyone else that may require assistance, be aware that you will likely need to provide help to these people during an emergency.

One of the best ways to ensure minimal damage and a safe escape in the event of a fire is to have smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and fire alarms. These should be placed on every floor and regularly tested. You can even have your alarms monitored from a central alarm monitoring station to provide protection 24/7, even if you’re not at home. Doing so will improve your safety and help with your emergency exit plan.
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Unreported Crime Skews Statistics
As for the unreported crime, statistics Canada’s police-reported crime statistics show Canada’s crime rate falling each year.

However, these numbers only tell part of the story. Unfortunately, many crimes are not reported to police. A 2004 Criminal Victimization Study conducted by Stats Canada shows that 53 percent of robberies are not reported to police. The study also found that theft of household property was up 42 percent between 2000 and 2004.

Unreported crime because of fear?

In many cases, victims do not report crimes out of fear or because they feel the crime is too trivial to report. Some feel that law enforcement will not be able to catch the criminal and thus there is no point in reporting the crime. Data from the United States presents similar findings of unreported crime. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that only about 40 percent of property crimes were reported to the police in 2008.

Only 33 percent of violent crimes are reported in Canada whereas about half of all violent crimes are reported in the United States.
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Life Saving Advice From Serial Killers: The Classified Ad Rapist
Nadia Fezzani Life Saving AdviceNadia Fezzani is a Canadian journalist who has conducted extensive research and interviews with many notorious American serial killers. As a specialist on serial killers, Ms. Fezzani gives conferences on the topic to university students and to different organizations. She also works with production companies on TV documentaries. She’s gotten into the minds of some of the most dangerous serial killers alive and learned to understand how they think. She has used this knowledge to provide helpful life saving advice on how you can avoid becoming a victim of a violent attack.

What can we do to avoid being victims of attackers? We all know the basic rules for life saving advice: lock your doors, do not talk to strangers, get an alarm system, have a guard dog at home and trust your instincts. Other less-known advice includes having deadbolt locks on all doors and avoiding wearing a pony tail at night. In addition, never bring God into a conversation when you face an attacker, as it will only enrage them.

Fortunately for us, American serial killers today open up to give us tricks in their own words on how to better protect ourselves from others like them. Their life saving advice is effective against any type of aggressor. Take their tips into consideration since they come from the experts and, ironically, usually relate to their own crimes.

People tend to believe that people such as British Columbia serial killer, Robert Pickton, are of a rare species. Yet, in addition to approximately 40 serial killers already caught in Canada, many Canadian serial murderers run free.

In fact, 12 serial killers were notorious enough to be given nicknames without ever being found. They still live somewhere among us.

The Edmonton Prostitute Killer, the Canada Highway murderer, the Highway 16 Killer, the London Ontario Killer, the NW Territories Headhunter, The Ontario Lover’s Lane Killer, The Ottawa Teen Killer, The Toronto Hospital for Sick Children Murderer, the Toronto Prostitute Executioner, the Toronto Rape Slayer, the Montreal Boys Slasher and the Montreal Gay Ripper are all serial killers who were never caught.

Also, many homicides will never be linked together even if some of the murderers are captured. It is sometimes impossible to know if the crimes were committed by the same individual.

Life Saving Advice from the Classified Ad Rapist

We will never know exactly how many women Robert Joe Long raped, but experts estimate the number is somewhere between 50 and 150. “Bobby Joe” retired from his X-ray technician job to become a classified ads professional. After exploring the newspaper’s items put up for sale, this father of two would visit the housewives selling their furniture when their husbands would likely be at work. He then threatened them with a knife, before binding them and raping them.

On a few occasions, daughters as young as 12 or 13 years old were victimized. After being caught one day, he decided he would never be arrested again. He moved on to coming out of the bushes, kidnapping girls from their bicycles or just by meeting strippers and prostitutes on drugs. He raped and murdered 10 identified women by beating, stabbing, strangling, asphyxiating and/or shooting them.

Security & Life Saving Advice

Be safe, be careful. Most importantly, be smart. Don’t put yourself in a dangerous situation, not even once. Listen to your “little voice”. Anytime it says, “Hey, this is not right!” RUN! Never let a male into your home or car, unless you know him well and you know you can trust him. Also, big and nasty dogs are always good bodyguards.
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Contractor Security: How To Prevent Contractors From Robbing Your Home
Contractor Security Whether you’re renovating your home or making some repairs around the house, there will inevitably be a time where you can’t handle a project and you have to look to outside help. Working with a contractor can get the work done much faster, but it’s also important to keep safety in mind. Contractor security is important.

Remember that, in the majority of cases, you will be trusting a contractor with access to your home. You wouldn’t let just anybody into your home, would you? This is why contractor security is so crucial. It’s very important to exercise caution when working with contractors.

Before you hire someone, make sure to check their references. Many people ask for work samples, quotes and reviews of a contractor’s work, but it’s also very important for contractor security that you check more personal references as well. Someone that is skilled in building kitchens or offers a low rate to repair your plumbing may not be a trustworthy individual.

Whenever possible, get the names of some of the contractor’s former clients. You can use these references to not only research work quality, but also to determine if the contractor is honourable and as a part of contractor security research. You’ll want to know if were any problems with the contractor’s previous work relationships.

Once you’ve selected a contractor, the next decision you must make is regarding access to your home. Are you planning on being present during the contractor’s work? Will you be stopping by occasionally to check in? Or will you trust the contractor to work alone in your home?

Contractor Security Tips

If the contractor is working alone, will you be there to let him or her into the house in the morning and lock up at night? Or do you feel comfortable giving a relative stranger a copy of your house key and the code to your security system? This is an important decision you will need to make regarding contractor security.

You will also need to find out if the contractor is planning on using any subcontractors and, if yes, how these people will be monitored. Your contractor may be a trustworthy person, but the three other people he lets into your home to help complete the job may not be. Find out how your contractor knows everyone else involved and make sure you can trust all of these people.

But material theft is not the only contractor security concern you will have. It’s also important to ensure that a contractor isn’t stealing your time. When contracting out work, you need to know if everyone is arriving on time and if they’re working the hours they’re being paid for.

An excellent way to prevent theft and increase productivity is by using security cameras. Just knowing that they’re being watched makes many people more honest and productive and the cameras will record what time the workers start and stop their work. If you have Internet-enabled cameras you’ll be able to watch what’s going on inside your house from anywhere with an Internet connection.

If you don’t have cameras, you can use your home alarm system to make sure people are entering and leaving on time. If you notice that your alarm is being disarmed or armed at odd times, you can be pretty sure that your contractors are not working the hours they say they are!

In addition, at the end of the day when the workers are ready to lock up, they can turn on the alarm and leave your home secure. This improves contractor security a great deal.
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Security Research: Most Burglars Enter Through Front Door
security research Security research conducted in Gainesville, Florida shows that most residential burglars gain entrance to homes by the front door. This security research contrasts with the popular image of criminals lurking in the shadows and sneaking through a side window under the cover of night.

31.97 percent of residential burglars entered homes via a single swing door. Many people consider their doors to be the most secure part of their homes, but this security research study shows that to be false. If a criminal wants to enter your home, chances are that he or she will do so in the same way you do: through the front door.

When securing your front door a good place to start is my installing a high quality dead bolt. Dead bolt locks are much harder to break or pick than other types of door locks. It’s also important to consider the strength and frame of the door. A strong lock will not protect you if the door frame can be easily pried open or ripped off or the door itself can be kicked in.

However, don’t stop at your door. It is important to ensure your security system properly covers all possible weaknesses in your property. The Florida study states that the second most frequent entry point is through sliding windows. 23.03 percent of all burglaries began this way.

Security Research can Help Secure Properties

According to the security research cited above, double hung windows accounted for 8.06 percent of break ins and sliding glass doors (the types usually found at the back of homes) were the target in 6.26 percent of burglaries.

Security bars are an excellent way to prevent unwanted access through windows. They can be provide physical barriers to entry and can be installed on the inside or the outside of the window. A number of styles are available.

The variety of different entry points underscores an important point: your home must be secured with several types of security devices and you cannot take the risk of only protecting one or two areas. Keep this security research in mind always. Taking a comprehensive security approach and applying several different types of security in each area of your home will greatly decrease the chance of a break in.
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How Security Lighting Keeps You And Your Home Safe
Security LightingCriminals do not want to be seen. It is much easier to break into a dark property and stay hidden in the shadows than it is to walk through a lighted area where people will notice you. This is why many break and enters occur at night and why security lighting is such a good way to prevent crime.

Installing security lighting is an excellent way to protect your home or office.

One of the best ways to use security lighting to protect your property is to add perimeter motion-activated lights. These lights will turn on when movement is detected. Not only does this save energy, but it also can startle burglars and draw attention to anyone approaching your property. Leaving a light on all the time usually isn’t practical, but motion-activated lights are a real nuisance for anyone intent on burglarizing a home!

Using Security Lighting

Another great way to use security lighting to protect your home is by installing X10 programmable light timers. These can be scheduled to turn on and off at different times, making it look like people are inside going about their daily lives. A light that is on 24/7 (especially during daylight hours) is a good indication that the home is unoccupied. By creating an atmosphere where lights are automatically set to come on at different times and turned off during the day, no one will know when you’re at home and when you’re not!

Security lighting also makes it easier for security cameras to record details. In complete darkness, standard surveillance cameras won’t record anything but black. An infrared camera can help the situation, but having light shine on the area your cameras are recording is even better.

The positioning and placement of your security lighting is also important. If the paths from the street to your front door or the garage to your house are especially dark, you should definitely place lights in these locations. Not only will the lights prevent trips and falls, but they will also deter criminals and prevent ambushes.
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Canadian Crime Drops in Past Decade, Still Up From 1960’s and 70’s
This summer, Statistics Canada released stats for police-reported crime in 2009. Canadian crime is once again down, falling 3% between 2008 and 2009 and 17% between 1999 and 2009.

Canadian crime by provinces

The highest crime rates in the country are in the western provinces and northern territories. The only crime increases came in Manitoba and Nunavut. Nunavut had the highest crime severity index ranking in the country and the highest violent Canadian crime ranking as well. Prince Edward Island was the safest province in the country.

In terms of metropolitan areas, Regina, Saskatchewan is the most dangerous region in the country followed by Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and Winnipeg, Manitoba. Guelph, Ontario, Quebec City, Quebec and Toronto, Ontario are the safest. The national crime rate reached a peak in the late 1980s/early 1990s and the current rate is similar to the late 1970s. However, the crime rate from 1962 to 1972 was much lower than it is today. Canada’s crime rate was 131% higher in 2009 than in 1962, when Statistics Canada first started keeping records.

So while the good news is that crime continues to fall, it’s obvious that we have a long road ahead of us.
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