Five Ways Security Systems Can Help – Beyond Catching Criminals
Home alarm systems and commercial alarm systems are obviously very effective at deterring and stopping crime. It’s possible to protect business and home with technology. Studies show that having an alarm system reduces the chance of a break and enter by 10 times and that combining an alarm system with another form of security technology (such as video surveillance cameras) makes it 40 times less likely that your home or office will be broken into.However, keeping you safe from criminals isn’t all that alarm systems and security cameras can do. There are a number of other ways that your home or business security system can help you. For example, you can use your alarm system and your security cameras to tell you when people are entering or leaving your home. You’ll know when your babysitter, contractor, housekeeper or any other person working inside your home arrives for a shift and how long they remain in your house. This is a great way to make sure that people are working the right number of hours each day. You’ll also be able to tell exactly when your children arrive home from school giving you true peace of mind. Modern alarm systems and security cameras allow you to monitor activity from any location with an Internet connection. You can even get alerts sent to your cell phone or email address when your alarm is activated or deactivated so you’ll always know what is taking place in your house.
If you have a monitored security system, did you know that you can monitor other devices in your home, not just your security services? A centrally monitored system can also keep watch on your smoke detectors, heat detectors, flood detectors and numerous other systems in your home. A fire or flood when you are away from home can be incredibly costly and dangerous. You may have a smoke detector or flood alarm, but if no one is around to hear it, your entire home could be destroyed. Thankfully, you can have these devices monitored by a central monitoring station. In the event of a fire or flood the central station will assess the situation and alert you and/or the appropriate authorities. You can even have your carbon monoxide detectors monitored if you choose. Please visit our monitoring section for more information.
Centrally monitored security systems and Internet enabled systems do more than just protect your home from criminals. They can keep every aspect of your home safe and secure and give you the peace of mind that you deserve. There is no need to worry while you are away from home. You won’t have to guess whether or not people working in your home are putting in a full shift. You won’t have to wonder if your children or other loved ones have arrived home safely. There will be no need to worry about your home or office being damaged while you are away. Security systems offer additional protection for businesses. Surveillance cameras for example can protect business. They are a great way to prevent theft (including employee theft) but they can also help you manage your business. You can use your security cameras to make sure that your staff members are at their desks working when they are supposed to be. You can also use cameras to make sure that employees are taking appropriate lunch breaks and other breaks. This saves you from having to actively be in numerous locations or to hire someone to keep track of your employees. You can also use your security system to verify when employees and visitors enter and leave your location.
If you manage a retail store, surveillance cameras can help you track customer tendencies. You will be able to see which sections of the store are visited the most often and which displays are the most frequently noticed. This will help you with the layout of your store. You can also use this information to position store staff where they are most needed. Security cameras can help you improve your business and keep your customers happy. There is many ways to protect business.
For more information on surveillance cameras, centrally-monitored security systems and other security technology, please contact us today.
Cost-Effective Ways to Protect Business
Protecting your business is incredibly important. Security systems, commercial alarms, surveillance cameras and other security services are all incredibly important and effective ways to protect business. Fortunately, these services can also be quite cost-effective. Read our tips to protect business.While protecting your company can seem like an expensive and time-consuming ordeal, it doesn’t have to be. In fact, having a safe and functional security system can actually save you money. For example, in properties with security cameras that still become victims of break ins, the amount of property stolen is 50% less than in locations that only have a security alarm. When you compare this to a property that has no alarm system or security camera set-up at all, there is an 80% reduction in the loss of property. These savings are significant and should more than pay for the cost of installing a security system. The added security will also prevent loss of business due to theft or damage caused by vandals.
You’ll also find that having a monitored security system as well as surveillance cameras will result in lower insurance premiums. Almost all insurance companies will give you a break on your fees if your business is properly protected from theft, vandalism, fire and other issues.
There are several other ways to protect business as well. It sounds simple, but it is important to remember to lock your doors. This includes locking exterior doors when the business is closed, but also locking doors to stock rooms and areas that contain sensitive information. Only certain staff members should have keys to these rooms and employees should be asked to sign in and sign out whenever they need to enter these areas. This will cut down on employee theft and make it more difficult for strangers to enter restricted regions.
You’ll also want to make sure that you change your locks, access codes and passwords regularly. Keeping this information the same for an extended period of time increases the chance of it falling into the wrong hands. Some former employees may hold a grudge against your business and attempt to use the information they have to hurt you. Regularly changing locks, access codes and computer passwords makes this much less likely.
A simple way to protect business and keep it safe is to keep it organized and clean. If you have a organized supply room, for example, you will be able to save money by avoiding duplicate orders. If your filing system is well-managed you will be able to track your finances more accurately. It will also be more difficult for employees to steal from your business since you will have accurate and easily-accessible records. Finally, keeping your office clean will reduce the number of accidents, slips, falls and mishaps that take place. This will keep your employees safe, lower you insurance costs and reduce the number of hours lost to injury. We can help protect business.
Securing your Smartphone
There is an incredible amount of important data stored on the average smartphone. From phone numbers and email addresses to social networking and bank passwords to other important business and personal data, the information stored on the average smartphone is vast. This information could seriously harm you if it fell into the wrong hands.Someone could alienate or steal your entire contact list, log into your bank and conduct transactions, damage your personal relationships, commit fraud and even steal your identity just by gaining access to your smartphone. This is why it is so important to secure your phone. Here are a few tips for securing your smartphone:
Password protect your phone
It may be slightly less convenient to use your phone quickly when it is protected by a password, but it is also a step that you should take to protect your valuable data. iPhones, Android phones, Blackberry phones and Windows Phones all have built in password settings. Enable the password protection feature and make sure that you choose a password that is difficult for someone else to figure out. “1234” and “111111” are far too common and easy to guess. Try and come up with a password that is easy for you to remember but difficult for others to guess.
Enable “Remote Wipe” and “Find My Phone” Options
Most modern smartphones allow you to lock or completely wipe the data off of your phone in an emergency. You can also enable GPS tracking on your phone so that it can be found in case it is misplaced or stolen. You should use your phone’s online back-up feature as well. In case your phone is lost and you need to wipe all of the data from it remotely, you can feel safer doing so if you know that your data is backed up online.
Watch What You Download
Certain applications can contain viruses or other malicious code. Make sure that you only install applications and programs that come from your phone’s official application marketplace. You should also watch which websites you visit from your phone as some can cause problems, damage your phone or corrupt your data. Just like on a desktop computer, do not download attachments or click unknown links, even if you know the sender. Hackers can sometimes send emails or instant messages to you so that they look like they are coming from someone you trust. If something looks suspicious, do not download it.
Install Updated Software
You should run the most updated version of your phone’s operating system that your phone can handle. If you have an older phone, you may not be able to upgrade to the absolute newest version, but you should stay as current as possible. Most phone manufacturers list how long they support a particular software version on their websites. As long as a software version is supported, the vendor will continue to provide security updates and repair possible security flaws. Depending on which smartphone you have, you may also wish to install additional security software such as a virus scanner or a spyware scanner. Different versions of these programs are available for different phones. It’s possible to protect business and your home with your smartphone.
Protect Your Phone
Your smartphone contains a lot of important data. You should remember this and protect like it like you would protect your wallet or other important documents. Do not leave it unattended for any period of time. Carry your phone on you whenever you are in public and place it inside your pocket, purse or briefcase so that you are less likely to leave it behind somewhere. If you must leave your phone behind, lock it in a desk drawer if possible.
Safety Around Lakes, Ponds & Streams
Now that the weather is getting warmer, people are spending more and more time outdoors. While it can certainly be enjoyable to spend time near a lake, pond, stream or creek, it’s also important to stay safe around these bodies of water. Drowning is the second leading cause of death among children aged one-to-four and children aged two-to-four have the highest risk of drowning out of every age group. However, not only children are in danger. Everyone should be careful around bodies of water. In July 2011 a 34-year-old man drowned in a creek running through a Toronto neighbourhood. He was walking with his wife near Highland Creek in the Scarborough area of the city when he stopped to take some photos. He slipped and hit his head on the pavement. He was disoriented when he stood up and he fell into the nearby creek. He was trapped underneath the rushing waters and drowned. It took five police officers to get him out of the powerful water.This tragic situation shows how important it is to exercise caution around streams, lakes, creeks, ponds and other bodies of water. It also shows just how powerful and dangerous water can be.
It is important to stay away from fast-moving water. While creeks and streams are beautiful to look at from afar, they can also be very deadly. Rushing water is often more powerful than it looks and it can be incredibly difficult to get out from under a strong stream of water. During the early spring, water run off from melting snow and ice can cause stronger than usual currents. This can make bodies of water that are usually very calm much more dangerous than normal.
You should also check for hazards around the water. Items like sticks and rocks as well as holes and uneven ground could cause you to slip and fall into the water. Be very cautious when walking around bodies of water.
Children should be taught about the dangers of water and they should never be left alone around a body of water. Make sure to always supervise your children when they are playing outside and to keep them away from ponds, streams and creeks. Children should be in arms reach at all times when you are near any body of water. You can drown in just a few inches of water, so even very small streams can be deadly. In addition to natural water formations, backyard pools can be incredibly dangerous as well.
Four out of every ten child drownings happens within two meters of the shore or pool side and one quarter of drownings happen in water that is one meter in depth or less. One-third of water deaths take place at night, so be on guard at all times.