Security Articles

Smart Home Monitoring: Watch and Control your Home from Anywhere For the ultimate in convenience and security, trust smart home monitoring. Smart home monitoring is more than just a security service. It is a way to control and protect your home from just about anywhere. With smart home monitoring, you can use your smart phone to make life easier and more secure.

Monitored video surveillance cameras have a wide variety of applications. They keep your property safe and provide peace of mind.

Tips to Stop Data Theft

Protecting your company’s data is just as important as protecting your physical property. Many businesses do not understand how crucial it is to take steps to stop data theft. Data is incredibly valuable and can be used to seriously hurt a company if it were to fall into the wrong hands. Think about what could happen to your business if your company financial information, client lists, marketing plans and other sensitive data ended up in the hands of a competitor. According to a 2016 survey of 600 employees in seven industries by Biscom, employees are the greatest risk when it comes to data theft. The survey showed that:

• 15% of employees would be more likely to steal data from their employer if they were fired
• 85% of those who take data say that it’s not wrong because they’re only taking data they created
• 25% of ex-employees stole data that they did not create

This survey also showed that employees take data for two main reasons:

• Because the company does not have polices or technology tools that prevent data theft
• Because the company ignores the polices that it does have

Since this is true, it’s obviously important that your company takes steps stop data theft by creating and enforcing polices regarding data theft. Here are some tips to do so.

Educate Employees

Many employees who take data from their employers do not consider these actions as wrong. To stop data theft, it’s important to educate your employees on how valuable data is as well as what constitutes data theft. Teach new employees these facts and periodically review this information with existing employees.

Establish & Enforce Clear Policies

It is important that you create a clear policy on data handling. This will help stop data theft. Make sure that you address issues such as the use of personal devices and company data (such as using a personal cell phone or laptop to create or access private company data) as well as the usage of file sharing tools and company data (such as emailing company information to or from a personal account or uploading it to a personal cloud storage site). Once you have these policies, you need to make sure that you enforce them.

Use Strict Permissions

Not all employees need access to all data. Consider using strict permissions to ensure that your most sensitive data is only accessible by your most trusted employees and those who actually need this access. This can help your organization stop data theft.

Keep an Eye Out

Monitor employees for large amounts of data transfer (for example) or for those who access company data at odd hours. While these may be legitimate activities, you’ll still want to keep an eye on them.

Respond as Needed

Decide how you will respond if data theft occurs and be sure to keep this response consistent with all employees at all times. A consistent reaction will help you stop data theft in the future. It’s also important to address what you will do if there is a cyber attack against your company and how you will handle disgruntled employees as well as those who have been terminated. You may wish to restrict access to critical data before terminating an employee, for example, to stop data theft and ensure that he or she does not take their termination as an opportunity to steal company data.

Now that summer is here, your mind is likely filled with all sorts of thoughts, both personal and professional. You probably aren’t thinking of installing a new commercial security system. In fact, you might be creating your summer work schedule, putting together a plan for the next few months of work and also considering taking time off for a vacation.

However, one thing that you should certainly be thinking of is installing a commercial security system at your property.

The Importance of a Commercial Security System

Why is a commercial security system crucial thought heading into the summer? There are a number of reasons:

• There are fewer people around to witness crimes
  – If you don’t have a commercial security system installed, you have to count on the fact that passersby will notice if someone tries to break into your property. This isn’t always a good strategy, to begin with, but it’s one that can be even less effective in the summer.
  – During the summer months, more and more people will be out of town on vacation or at the cottage. This leaves your property especially defenseless.
• People have more time
  – During the summer months, young people are out of school, and they may also have time off from work. This gives them more opportunities to get into mischiefs such as vandalism and breaking and entering.
• You may wish to close for a vacation
  – Many businesses close for a few weeks during the summer to allow staff to have some time off. Others institute “summer hours” where they are closed more often than usual. These additional closed periods can give criminals more opportunities to strike.

By installing a commercial security system at your property, you protect yourself from summer crime as well as a crime all year round. The savings you get from avoiding vandalism and break-ins more than pay for the costs of the security tools.

Consider having your commercial security system monitored by a central monitoring station. This will ensure that your property will be watched over at all times, no matter where you are.

You may also wish to look into services that allow you to remotely monitor your location. These tools make it possible to check in on your business from nearly anywhere with an internet connection.
For more information on a commercial security system and keeping your business secure, please contact SafeTech today. We have more than 20 years of experience in protecting people and property.

Spring Fire Safety Tips to Keep in Mind

We “sprang forward” for daylight savings time recently. Did you check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors? This is an important part of spring fire safety. In many regions, working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are the law. For example, in Ontario, every home must have a working smoke alarm installed on every level and outside all sleeping areas. This is an important part of spring fire safety. Plus, as of last April, any home in the province that has an attached garage or a fuel burning appliance installed must also have working carbon monoxide alarms outside all sleeping areas. It’s very important that you take the time to make sure that these systems are working correctly. A smoke detector or carbon monoxide detector can save your life. As a general rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors at least twice a year as part of your spring fire safety plan. Doing this check when the clocks change for daylight savings time is a good idea as it’s easier to remember. If your alarms are battery operated, make sure to change the batteries so that your alarm works when you need it. If you have a hardwired alarm, test it to make sure that it’s functioning correctly. However, spring isn’t just a good time to check on alarms, it’s also a good time to do an overall fire safety review. Spring is the time to get outside, enjoy the weather and to make repairs that may have been overlooked during the long winter. Here are some tips for spring fire safety:

Focusing on Spring Fire Safety

• Visually inspect all electrical cords and outlets, both inside and outside your home. Replace worn or damaged cords and repair any outlets that may have been damaged by winter weather.
• Clean up any debris that may have built up in your yard. Once the snow melts, you might find a lot of miscellaneous debris in your yard and some of it could be hazardous.
• Cut back branches and remove dead tree limbs and grass. These are fire hazards and should be removed.
• Check your fire extinguishers and get them serviced as needed.
• Review your family’s fire safety plan and escape routes.
• Clean eaves troughs thoroughly. Make sure that you use a sturdy and reliable ladder.
• If you have a barbecue, get it cleaned and serviced. Make sure that all fuel tanks and lines are safe and replace any damaged parts before you start using it.
• Clean back any trees, bushes or other debris that could be obscuring your house number from the street. It’s important that emergency vehicles are able to easily identify your home.
For more information on what you can do to protect your home and plan for spring fire safety, please contact our experienced team. Fire detection and carbon monoxide detection and monitoring services save lives. Find out how SafeTech can protect your family and provide greater peace of mind.

Facts to Consider When Having Security Cameras Installed

Security cameras are an excellent way to keep your property safe. Whether you are looking to secure a home or business location, having security cameras installed provides you with an extra layer of security protection and peace of mind. Video surveillance cameras catch criminals in the act. No criminal wants his or her face or actions captured on video. This footage can be used by law enforcement to identify criminals and determine exactly what happened at your property in the event of a crime. Security camera footage often leads to arrests and convictions. Criminals know this and, therefore, they avoid locations that have security cameras installed. When it comes to having security cameras installed, there are a few important points that you should keep in mind.

What to Think About When Having Security Cameras Installed

If you are considering security cameras, it’s important to understand the different options out there. It’s also very important to consider your needs, which will likely be different than just about anyone else’s.

What area do you want to cover?
– The size and shape of the area you’re planning on covering will determine a lot about the camera set-up that you require. A very large area, an area with many rooms or a location with lots of nooks and crannies will likely require more cameras than a smaller area or a single room.

What are the lighting conditions?
– Will your cameras be working in low-light conditions? Is there a lot of bright sunlight that could negatively affect the quality of the footage? Do conditions change throughout the day? These are all facts to keep in mind.

How much video storage is required?
– Do want to retain the footage from your cameras for one day? Two weeks? Several months? Be sure to choose a set-up and a hard drive capacity that suits your needs.

Do you want remote access?
– Many modern security cameras can be remotely accessed from smart phones, tablets and computers. Do you want to be able to view the footage from your cameras remotely? Do you want to receive alerts when motion is detected? If so, you’ll need a smart security set-up for your location.

Do you want central monitoring?
– Another good security choice is to have security cameras installed that are connected to a central monitoring station. If a trouble condition is detected, station staff can log in and view your cameras, giving them important details about the situation taking place.

For more information on having security cameras installed and details on the cameras and security services that we offer, please contact a member of our loss prevention team today.

Physical Security Bars Keep You Safe

When many people think of home security, they think of alarm systems and security cameras. This makes sense as these tools are excellent ways to protect your property. However, combining these tools with physical security tools (such as window bars) will give you even better protection and will likely prevent burglars from entering your premises in the first place.
There are a number of reasons for this.

One is that physical security bars are a strong visual deterrent. Criminals see a property that has bars installed and they often consider moving on to a different location. It simply isn’t worth it to them to try and break into a property that has this level of security. Criminals take the path of least resistance.

Why Physical Security Bars are Effective

The effectiveness of security bars is a key reason that they are such a good choice. While alarm systems and security cameras are very effective at catching criminals in the act and identifying them so that they will be held responsible for their crimes, security bars physically keep criminals out of a property. This fact makes them the perfect tool to complete a security system. If a criminal simply can’t get inside, he or she can’t steal anything from your property. Installing security bars can also save you money. When security bars are installed at a home or business premises, owners will not need to pay an insurance deductible as required following a loss due to break in. This is because window bars make it less likely that the window glass on the property is being broken. In addition, having a comprehensive security system (such as one that includes cameras, alarms and security bars) will reduce your overall insurance costs. This is because many home insurance providers offer a discount on homes that are properly secured.

Window bars are usually made with a thick grade of steel that will make the job of cutting through them very tedious and onerous. Most bars come with a white or black powder coating, allowing them to easily blend into the window. Bars are usually installed on basement or shop windows, in doors or doorways, however they can also be used to divide a room and secure internal spaces. Bars can be custom-designed to fit most openings and can be used in the form of a gate that will expand or contract in size. As you can see, there are a number of benefits to having physical security bars installed on your property. When combined with other types of security tools, they increase the overall effectiveness of the security set-up, keeping your home and your family safe.

For more information on how physical security bars can protect your property, please contact a member of our loss prevention team. At SafeTech, we understand the crucial importance of layering different types of security technology together in order to keep people safe.

Smart Home Technology Doesn’t Just Make Life Easier, it can Save Lives

When many people think of smart homes, they think of homes that allow you to control your home remotely, receive alerts when you’re away and make life easier. This is all true about smart home technology and all of these uses are benefits to installing this technology. However, the benefits don’t stop there. You can also use smart home technology to keep track of various appliances, devices and locations in your home. This means that you can use the smart home technology to check if your children are home from school, if your water heater has malfunctioned and is flooding or if your elderly relative has gotten up and opened the fridge. These features add convenience, but they can also save lives. For example, you can have sensors installed in the home of a loved one who may require additional care, such as seniors or those with medical conditions. These sensors will allow you to know if your loved one has turned the lights on in the morning or opened the fridge door to prepare breakfast. You can even install motion detectors to make sure they’re moving around the house when they should be. If you see that they are not following their regular schedule, you can investigate more thoroughly. Receiving an alert that lets you know something could be wrong with a loved one could save a life.

Other Smart Home Technology Benefits

This also applies to children. You can receive an alert to let you know that your child has arrived home from school and even access your security cameras to make sure that they’re home safe and sound.

Another way that smart home technology can save lives is by alerting you to potentially dangerous activity. For example, smart home sensors can be installed to alert you when someone enters your driveway. These alerts could prevent a potentially serious crime such as a home invasion. Smart home technology can be integrated with your security system to provide even greater benefit. You can receive an alert when carbon monoxide is detected in your home, allowing you to react no matter where you are. Carbon monoxide can be deadly and is almost impossible for humans to detect. An early warning of the presence of this gas could save your life and the lives of your loved ones.

As you can see, in addition to providing greater convenience, smart home technology can also save lives. For more information on these security tools, please contact us today.