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Sneak a Peek at the Winners for the SecurityChoice.com Website Awards

Posted on May 20, 2013 by securitychoice

As SecurityChoice.com narrows down the selections for its first annual Website Awards, readers can get a glimpse of some of the preliminary winners for the coveted title of Best Safety Site of the Year.

How SecurityChoice.com chose the winning sites

To become one of the top picks for the Best Safety Site, there's a certain selection process for the websites chosen (so far). The criteria includes:

Relevance

How does the site pertain to home security?
Does it include applicable information on the topics it covers that readers may want to learn more about in addition to material found on SecurityChoice.com?
How significant are the specific areas addressed to homeowners or people who want to learn more about security and safety?

Expertise

Would the site/author be considered an authority or expert on the subject their website is about?
Do other associations or specialists and professionals in the field support or sponsor the website?

Content

Is the website straightforward and can readers easily navigate it and find the information they're looking for?
Is the content on the site well-written, easy to follow and useful to the readers?
Does the content get updated often and include relevant, topical events and interesting subject matter?

And the winners are…

HealthyChildren.org – Security Choice gives healthychildren.org two thumbs up! Why? This site covers issues for children of all ages, (even prenatal care) all the way up to legal adult status and beyond. There are tools and tips on how to choose the best pediatricians and doctors and lots of information about the American Academy of Pediatrics programs, policies, guidelines, resources, and more. Plus, the site is backed by 60,000 pediatricians.

There are multiple topics about children's' physical and emotional health, nutrition, school and education, safety and prevention and family life. Many homeowners also have families, and this website is an excellent resource for parents looking to educate themselves about specific issues that pertain to their children. They can find trusted healthcare providers and childcare in their area or learn more about how to manage the work-life-school balance, that so many families deal with every day.

Security Choice encourages you to check out healthychildren.org – whether you're a parent, teacher, caregiver or a parent-to-be. You'll find an abundance of helpful information on a variety of different topics, which are updated daily.

National Fire Protection Association – The National Fire Protection Association has been around since 1896 and is the world's leading authority on fire, electrical and building safety. NFPA informs and educates individuals and organizations through awareness, to help reduce the risk of fire and other hazards, and help improve the quality of peoples' lives by administering these tools.

Their website, www.nfpa.org, provides a list of more than 300 consensus codes and standards, which are used in (and affect) building, design, and installation in countries around the world. The NFPA's membership of more than 70,000 individuals can supply valuable information on the latest safety requirements and best practices for fire prevention, which is a very relevant topic to homeowners and home safety.

Not only is there material for professionals in the building and electrical professions, but also for the general public, including homeowners. Readers will find content on topics such as fire safety and prevention for adults, children, and seniors, fire-safe cigarette usage and education, firework prevention, campaigns for home safety (such as the Fire Sprinkler Initiative) and more.

NFPA.org makes its research, training guides, seminars, events, annual reports and publications available to the public in order to help people educate themselves on the importance of fire safety and more. A news feed with daily updates on the latest information and events will help keep you informed, and you can become a member for exclusive access to many instrumental tools.

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Best Safety Site of the Year – Could it be Yours?

Posted on May 9, 2013 by securitychoice

SecurityChoice.com is announcing its first ever website awards!

Do you read an extremely resourceful security blog or website that you'd recommend to others who want valuable safety information? We're looking for the best information on security topics for the home, family, pets, travel, money saving tips and more, nominated by readers like you.

Go to SecurityChoice.com Website Awards and nominate your favorite website. Tell Security Choice your choice, today!

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Helicopter Parents, Meet Home Security Parents

Posted on April 30, 2013 by securitychoice

Wireless access opens new doors for home and family management.

You've heard the term Helicopter Parent, referring to a mom or dad who constantly hovers. How about Home Security Parent?

Advances in home security technology have made it easier than ever for parents to keep an eye on their kids. As it turns out, the main instrument of this trend is a gadget that millions of today's youngsters find indispensable — the smartphone.

To borrow from the lexicon of Internet slang, "Totes ironic."

Extending the user's reach

Not so long ago, a security system was something you operated manually and the range was the length of your arm. Increasingly, though, the buttons appear on the screens of wireless phones, computers and tablets. Everywhere these devices go, so can the user's control.

Thanks to wireless access, the dimensions of communication have expanded as well. Interactive systems notify their users of alerts and other security-related events by text and email.

A number of parents use these features to track arrivals and departures. For example, they can program their interactive systems to send an online alert when their kids arrive home from school or if they leave the house.

Interactivity in action

You can even access footage from your security camera online. (Some of the more tech-savvy, fun-loving teens out there probably know where this story is going.)

A homeowner from Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, recently traveled out of state and left his son and daughter with strict instructions that no one else was allowed in the house. When he decided to check in on his security system remotely, he saw a couple of dozen young adults on the property in the middle of a party.

After the father called the local sheriff's office, deputies issued several citations for underage drinking and other offenses. The authorities applauded his actions, even if the young people did not.

Connected parenting

The popularity of these wireless access systems parallels another trend in home security, the move toward "smart homes" that combine security features with automation. Homeowners can use this technology to control their lights, program thermostat settings and more.

Still, does a smart home necessarily translate to smart parenting or just another example of kids being micromanaged?

By themselves, interactive home security systems like ADT Pulse can't make you a better parent. They can, however, make you a more connected parent. Where you go from there is up to you — and the children you work so hard to protect.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged ADT Pulse, family home security, home security, smart homes | Leave a comment

Pet owners, try a different breed of motion detector

Posted on April 19, 2013 by securitychoice

Millions of people have invested in home security systems to help them protect their families. In many of those cases, human family members may not have been the only ones they had in mind.

An estimated 62 percent of Americans — more than three out of every five — are pet owners. That figure comes from a Harris Poll conducted in 2011. The same poll found that 91 percent of those pet owners considered their animal companions part of the family.

Unfortunately, the convergence of pets and electronic security can lead to a not-so-minor complication — namely, the motion detector.

If only pet owners had some way to enjoy the companionship of a pet and the reassurance of a security system …

Actually, they do.

Security learns new tricks

In certain cases, the term "motion detector" is a bit imprecise. The infrared beams used in many home security motion sensors detect changes in temperature indicating that someone has entered the monitored area. The devices detect heat and interpret it as movement.

Frequent causes of false alarms include indoor pets — most commonly dogs and cats — wandering into the range of the infrared beam. The warm-blooded animal creates the illusion of an intruder and before you know it, alarms are blaring and a dispatch center is dialing the homeowner’s number to verify a break-in.

The answer, as many home security companies have discovered, is the pet-friendly motion detector.

Technology outsmarts science

Homeowners with pet-sensitive infrared devices can program them so that the movements of their pets won't trigger the alarm system. It's an easy, convenient safeguard that reduces the likelihood of your four-legged friend causing a false alarm.

In most cases, these special settings apply only to smaller animals under 40 pounds or so. For larger dogs closer to adult human size, some companies may offer to install a modified sensor.

A fetching solution for false alarms

Pet owners who have let their concerns about false alarms prevent them from getting security systems can take heart. Their pets aren't the problem — they just need a more obedient home security system.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged home security, pets home security, pets motion detectors | Leave a comment

Undercover Boss: Top 5 Most Generous Gifts

Posted on April 17, 2013 by securitychoice

Embed the above image on your site using the code below:

<a href='http://www.securitychoice.com/home-security-news/2013/04/undercover-boss/'><img src='http://www.securitychoice.com/images/undercover-boss.jpg' alt='Undercover Boss - Top 5 Most Generous Gifts' style='border:0px;' /></a><br />Created by <a href='http://www.securitychoice.com'>%SECURITYCHOICE%</a>

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ADT Exec Tony Wells to Appear on CBS's 'Undercover Boss'

Posted on April 11, 2013 by securitychoice

ADT's Chief Marketing Officer, Tony Wells, will be featured on CBS's hit reality TV show "Undercover Boss" on Friday, April 12. The Emmy award-winning show documents the experiences of high-ranking corporate executives working anonymously as entry-level employees in their own companies.

Wells – aided by a fake beard, shaved head, glasses and makeup – is disguised as an alarm system installer, monitoring center dispatcher and salesman for ADT operations in Florida, New York, California and Tennessee. He also uses a fake name and fictitious background story, giving him an exclusive look at the inner workings of the business. In the episode, Wells tries his luck at selling ADT services to a recently burglarized bar and responds to an emergency call at one of the company's four U.S.-based monitoring centers.

ADT, which stands for American District Telegraph, is a leading provider of electronic security, home and business automation and monitoring services in the U.S. and Canada. Currently, the company has 16,000 employees serving more than six million commercial and residential customers.

Although Wells – a former Marine Corps officer and accomplished business executive – has a long track record of personal and professional success, his experience on "Undercover Boss" was anything but a walk in the park.

"I was taking calls at the monitoring center and I was stumbling and nervous," he told SecuritySystemsNews.com.

Nonetheless, his brief stint as an entry-level ADT employee provided him with a newfound sense of gratitude for the men and women on the ground floor of the company who work tremendously hard to turn the wheels of such a giant enterprise.

"When you do it firsthand you have a greater appreciation,” Wells added. "It's like walking a mile in someone's shoes. The jobs are much harder than they look when you see them at first."

The episode featuring ADT will air at 8 p.m. ET on the CBS Television Network. For more information about the show, check out the website here.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged ADT home security | Leave a comment

Home Security Gadgets Inspire 'Newphoria'

Posted on April 8, 2013 by securitychoice

Thanks to antivirus software makers Norton, the thrill associated with buying the latest gadget has a name: newphoria. And it seems that home security consumers are just as susceptible to newphoric urges as anyone else.

The home security market has seen plenty of gizmos, devices and contraptions in recent years. Many of them appear quite useful while others seem … useful but a bit odd.

These gadgets might not take the place of comprehensive alarm monitoring, but you can always use them to augment your existing home security system.

Gadgets are rated on a scale of 1 to 5 game controllers

1 controller = minor newphoria … 5 controllers = newphoria nirvana

Robot rovers

Roomba, meet Panic Room-ba.

A few toymakers have tested the waters of home security with remote-control miniature drones. You can buy a toy robot equipped with a camera and microphone, allowing you to see and hear what your little mobile minion is picking up as it patrols from room to room.

Some enterprising homeowners have even modified their robots to include accessories like tiny fire extinguishers and headlights. Very high-tech — not to mention adorable.

Newphoria rating: 5 controllers

Pepper powderkegs

Nothing tells a burglar "You picked the wrong house" quite like a face full of liquid hell.

Some home security companies sell pepper-spray dispersal systems that can be mounted on your wall or ceiling. When an unsuspecting intruder activates the infrared trigger, several ounces of OC (Oleoresin Capsicum) envelops the room.

And if you're accident-prone (or plagued with a profound sense of irony), a time-delay function reduces your chances of setting off the device and pepper-spraying yourself.

Newphoria rating: 3 controllers

Fingerprint smartlocks

Tired of fumbling with your keychain? Afraid of crafty burglars with locksmithing skills? The answer is at your fingertips.

Just install a fingerprint recognition door lock. An optical sensor scans your digit's unique signature, providing you with a key that an intruder could never duplicate. Don't worry — they also come with regular backup keys in case the batteries run out.

Newphoria rating: 4 controllers

Alarm padlocks

It looks like an ordinary padlock, complete with metal shackle. If someone tries to tamper with it, however, a tiny, built-in siren emits a shrill wail as loud as 100 decibels.

By the way, 100 decibels is comparable to a steel mill and a rock concert.

Newphoria rating: 1 controller

Peephole cameras

Why peer through that tiny aperture with the naked eye when technology can do it for you from a distance?

This device displays the view from your peephole on a 3-inch LCD screen. It also lets you record and save images. Motion sensors and knock detectors activate the viewer automatically so that you have a record of every visitor who graced (or darkened) your doorstep even when you're not at home.

Newphoria rating: 3 controllers

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged home security, home security gadgets, home security technology, newphoria | Leave a comment

Stay Out of Harm's Way with Spring Safety Tips

Posted on April 4, 2013 by securitychoice

Spring means rebirth and renewal, a chance to put the severe winter behind us and make a fresh start. Of course, you'll have a hard time getting into the spirit of the season if you kick things off with a trip to the emergency room.

Even though the hazards of everyday life surround us at all times, some pitfalls coincide with the calendar more closely than others. To help you stay safe this spring, here's a list of seasonal guidelines for homeowners and families.

Maintain your lawn and your safety

As the temperatures rise and people begin to emerge from hibernation, many of us will resume the outdoor activities we've been looking forward to all winter.

Others will go back to doing our yard work.

When it's time to spruce up your lawn, follow these spring safety tips to avoid adding injury to insult:

Inspect electric hedge-trimmers and other tools for frayed power cords.
Brush up on all your owner's manuals, especially the guides for big pieces of equipment like your lawnmower.
Check your ladders to make sure they're still sturdy and free of rust or corrosion.

Get ready to play it safe

Warmer weather heralds the return of all kinds of outdoor recreational activities. The fact that the potential for injury returns with them is an unfortunate side effect.

Luckily, safety advocates have lots of advice to help you stay out of harm's way:

Biking enthusiasts should check their bikes and helmets before venturing out on roads and trails. Parents are urged to inspect their children's helmets as well.
Boaters should check the condition of all watercraft and safety equipment, including life jackets.
Make sure that you warm up and stretch properly before any kind of athletic activity. Sprains and strains are among the most common sports injuries.

All-purpose health advice

Safety advocates' guidelines for spring also include:

When it's spring cleaning time, be careful when using cleaning products that contain toxic chemicals.
Take the sting out of allergies and pollen by keeping windows closed and running the air conditioner.
Always read the directions before applying insect repellent on young children. Sprays and lotions containing DEET and oil of lemon eucalyptus are not recommended for infants and toddlers.

A safe spring and a secure home: Now that you’ve familiarized yourself with some spring safety tips, consult a home security provider to learn the benefits of home alarm monitoring.

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What's the Worst City for Burglaries?

Posted on April 2, 2013 by securitychoice

Don't overlook population numbers in relation to total break-ins.

Does having the most break-ins automatically earn your city the title of Burglary Capital of the United States? Ask the residents of Houston, Texas, who include a large number of rocket scientists and other people with a good understanding of numbers.

The FBI's 2011 Uniform Crime Report revealed that Houston had the most burglaries of any American city the previous year, with 27,459 reported cases. Only one other city, Chicago, had more than 20,000 break-ins.

However, delving deeper into the numbers suggests that other cities actually had it worse.

Rates vs. the raw numbers

With 2.1 million living within its borders, Houston is the nation's fourth most populous city. Many cities have much less burglary than Houston, but also many fewer residents.

To get a better picture, remember how the FBI determines another figure — crime rates. The rate for a city is the number of offenses per 100,000 people. The number of crimes factors into the process, but so does the population.

Based on burglaries per 100,000 people, Houston does not rank first on a list of cities with high burglary rates —or second, or third, or even fourth.

More statistically prevalent

If you measure burglary by the per-100,000 scale, a list of cities with the highest break-in rates stacks up like this:

Burglaries per 100,000 residents

Detroit - 2,242
Columbus, Ohio - 1,926
Indianapolis - 1,815
Dallas - 1,531
Houston - 1,281
Phoenix - 1,273
San Antonio - 1,131
Chicago - 977
Los Angeles - 449
New York - 221

While Detroit (15,994 burglaries) had a little more than half as many cases as Houston, its smaller population (713,239) makes burglary statistically more prevalent. You see a similar effect when you factor in the smaller populations of Columbus, Indianapolis and Dallas. Add in the fact that Detroit's population has shrunk by an estimated 25 percent since the year 2000 and you can understand why the problem of burglary is more pronounced in the Motor City.

The answer to the question "Which city has the most burglaries?" can depend on context. A large city like Houston can have more cases, but populations of smaller cities may feel the crime more deeply.

Houston, you still have a problem

The FBI's 2011 report listed the nationwide rate of burglaries per 100,000 people at 703, meaning that cities such as Houston, Detroit, Columbus, Indianapolis and others remain well above the national norm.

To help keep the burglary numbers down in your community, considering starting a neighborhood watch or investing in home security monitoring.

From Texas to the Tar Heel State, homeowners can agree that if even one burglary strikes their neighborhood, it will feel like too many.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged burglary, burglary rates, city crime rates, home security | Leave a comment

Security Customers Confirm That Monitoring Matters

Posted on March 25, 2013 by securitychoice

A simple burglar alarm can alert you to a break-in with an electronic beep or wail. When you add professional monitoring to the equation, you get a lot more than bells and whistles.

Research by the security system review site 6Webs.com has identified 24-hour alarm monitoring as one of the most important features that customers look for in a home alarm system. Considering the benefits it brings, the desirability of alarm monitoring is easy to understand.

Providing emergency response

Security monitoring service provides homeowners with an additional layer of protection, thanks to trained specialists at high-tech facilities.

The term "monitoring center" doesn't really do justice to the work that gets done at these places. Monitoring professionals do more than simply observe. When they receive the electronic notification of an alarm signal, they respond quickly.

The dispatcher will attempt to call you to verify the alarm. If you confirm that it's an emergency, or if you can't be reached, the dispatcher will call the authorities.

Providing rapid response to alarm signals is the heart and soul of security monitoring. For example, ADT's Customer Monitoring Centers handle more than 29 million alarm signals and respond to more than 50,000 crimes in progress every year.

Why the details matter

Many home security services operate only one monitoring center, and in some cases, the security provider delegates monitoring duties to a separate company.

On the other hand, having multiple centers offers a definite advantage. With a true monitoring network, customers have the reassurance of knowing that back-ups are available in case one center runs into technical problems.

Another factor that makes a difference is the type of monitoring options. Security companies that offer cellular monitoring provide an option for homeowners who don't have landline phone service.

It's an important response to an emerging consumer trend. According to federal researchers, the number of American households with no landline telephones reached 35 percent in 2012.

Three C's of home security

In addition to 24-hour monitoring, 6Webs.com also lists cellular connectivity on its list of must-haves. Other consumer favorites include brand-name equipment covered by warranties and remote access.

So when you think of monitoring and other features that home security customers prefer, remember the three C's: coverage, control and convenience.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged ADT security monitoring, home security, home security monitoring | Leave a comment

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Sneak a Peek at the Winners for the SecurityChoice.com W...

As SecurityChoice.com narrows down the selections for its first annual Website Awards, readers can g...

Best Safety Site of the Year � Could it be Yours?...

SecurityChoice.com is announcing its first ever website awards! Do you read an extremely resourcef...

Helicopter Parents, Meet Home Security Parents...

Wireless access opens new doors for home and family management. You've heard the term Helicopter P...