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Securing your Freedom of Speech (or, at least, your yard signs)
Political yard signs can trigger emotional reactions in heated elections. Stories abound of yard signs "walking" away. So what can you to to secure them?
I saw a story last week about few people who have taken to video surveillance to monitor their their yard sign and maybe nab a disgruntled activist gone thief. Video is great as it shows you who took it and gives some excellent You Tube fodder. But it is not the most cost effective solution.
So we at Urban Alarm have taken a lower cost approach to protecting our political voices in the week leading up to election day.
Wireless alarm systems offer tremendous flexibility as the sensors can go just about anywhere. We can use a simple wireless contact sensor, wrapped in a plastic zip lock to protect it from moisture, and bury it in the ground taped to the yard sign and corresponding magnet.
The solution is simple but effective if you want to run out and nab the thief in the process. However, you may not want the who house alarm going off, and the police being dispatched (or maybe you do) when the sign is pulled. And, you want to know about it even if the alarm system is disarmed.
This can be addressed in the alarm system by using a special sensors group. The GE alarm systems we install have special sensor groups just for "chime" or "enunciate" sensors. These are sensors that do not trigger an alarm but simply announce "Garage Door" or other meaning full report. It is similar to how a sensor would behave when you turn on the "chime" mode but it acts this way at all times (e.g., without chime turned on and even when the alarm is armed) and does not trigger a full reported alarm.
Of course, there are many other applications for wireless sensors and these special sensor groups which is why we take the time to understand our customers concerns and come up with solutions that address them. For example, we recently installed this sort of special sensor on a pool gate so that adults are notified when the smaller kids enter the pool area. Give us a call and we can discuss your specific concerns and how security technology might be used to address them.
Remote Video Monitoring for Smaller Properties
Due to an increase in crime and uncertainty in our community and convergence of technologies, Video Surveillance and remote video monitoring (or Closed Circuit Television -- CCTV) are rapidly increasing in popularity and effectiveness. The result is video surveillance being used in an increasing variety of situations and application from private homes and small businesses to large scale government and commercial applications.
Recorded video archives can be a valuable resource for determining what happened when a security breach occurs. But more importantly, video surveillance is one of the most effective tools for proactively preventing breaches in the first place. How can this be accomplished?
Larger commercial and government properties have the advantage and economies of scale. They have live guards on site 24 hours a day 7 days a week. These guards can monitor banks of video and respond to potential threats. Full time on-site guards can easily cost more than $16,000 per month which is clearly not cost effective or practical for most smaller properties. Fortunately, there are other options.
Urban Alarm’s remote video monitoring service utilizes the latest in digital video surveillance cameras, or IP Video, to view and asses activity on a property in real time. IP Cameras are programmed to connect to our central monitoring centers immediately when a defined event is triggered. These may include motion detected on specified portions of the screen, a person loitering for more than 90 seconds or an object left by a person in a crowded lobby.
When such an event is detected, our central station views the event and follows up with additional video analysis within seconds. If a threat is identified, the central station may engages the individuals or groups over a two-way intercom at the camera location. Or they can dispatch guards on the ground or the police.
Remote video monitoring starts at $95 per month making it extremely cost effective for commercial and retail applications and even for homes. To be effective, clear rules must be defined that are actionable. Watching cars pass by is not going to be useful since the monitoring center personal will not be able to distinguish a threat from a passer by. Watching a pool or playground for anyone loitering during night time hours is a good example of actionable events.
For more information on how to utilize remote video monitoring strategies on your project give us a call.
5 Ways to Get the Most from Your Alarm System
Your alarm system is a critical line of defense in keeping intruders out of your home. However, how your alarm system is setup and how you use it will have a big impact on its effectiveness. Here are the top five factors to make the most of your alarm system:
1. Keep the "delay" as low as possible. Your system is most likely setup to beep for 30 to 90 seconds when you enter the house in order to give you a chance to disarm it. Keep this as low as possible. The longer the delay the more damage an intruder can do. Keep in mind it may be a minute or two after the alarm goes off before the police are dispatched. A few minutes may be all the time an intruder needs to get what they want.
Most systems can be setup with no delay. So how do you get into the house to disarm your system? You can use a keychain remote to disarm the system before you even get into the house.
2. Make sure your system is setup to use a "panic" code. With the increase in home invasions this becomes more important. If an intruder tries to force you to disarm your system you can enter your panic code. The system will appear to be shut off but it will actually send a silent panic alarm to the monitoring center who will dispatch the police immediately. The police may take their time to check out an alarm signal but panic alarms generally result in a more rapid response.
3. You should also have a panic code setup with your central station. When they call to verify the alarm you can provide the panic code. They will hand up the phone and dispatch the police immediately.
4. When you arm the system when you are in the house select the "no delay" option. With "no delay" set the alarm will go off immediately when an intrusion is detected. Like the above delay point you don't want to give an intruder more time to do damage then necessary. Especially when you are in the house.
5. Use your system! Even if you are in the house or out for a few minutes the system is worthless if not used. While having an alarm sign in the yard may be a deterant it is not going to secure your property.
How Not to Install an Alarm System
Walking through a local retail corridor last week I noticed how pervasive badly installed alarm systems are. installers needlessly disregard the thought that went into the design and asthetic of the space. I am not talking about spending more money. An effective but less intrusive alarm system typically does not cost more than a rushed installation that haphazardly slaps sensors onto a door.
There are a number of options for monitoring a door or window will maintaining the asthetic integrity of a space. The least invasive sensor is a resessed senor which is actually recessing into a door or window. This approach leaves virtually no visueal trace of the sensor however it may not be practical depending on the type of door.
The next best approach is a color matched "micro" or "slimline" sensor. These sensors or a fraction the size of a stanard sensor and generally perform just as well. However, the battery life is not as long so batteries may need to be replaced in a year or two rather than a few years.
Don't take it for granted than an alarm system is going to change the look of your doors and demand that it be as least invasive as possible.
Security Video on your iPhone or PDA
Video can play an important role in any security system for verification and evaluation of alarm events. When an alarm goes off video can be used to evaluation what is occurring and the best response.
Storage of video can unlock what (or who) triggered an alarm and provide the information needed to pursue a legal resolution. In some cases it can also be used to limit liability (more on this in the future post).
Urban Alarm’s Web Dashboard, powered by Alarm.com, now supports integrated video. The video is available through a web browser but video clips can also be accessed via your Apple iPhone or other video enabled PDA.
While video is supported on any iPhone, the new 3G iPhone from Apple and ATT supports significantly higher speed improving performance of streamed video to your PDA. Setup rules in the alarm system web dashboard to email you video from specified cameras based on alarm events, sensor detection, and/or motion detection in the video.
You may also arm, disarm, and control other features of your alarm system through your iPhone or web enabled PDA.
Video integrated with your alarm system is useful for:
- 1 to 4 camera retail security systems
- small offices
- remote viewing of conditions and activity at a vacation home
- monitoring of elderly or special needs individuals living at home
- monitoring the exterior or interior of primary homes
Urban Alarm video, powered by Alarm.com video, is integrated with the web dashboard. The only equipment required is the video camera and a wireless (wi-fi) wireless network. All video is stored on Alarm.com servers and retained for a period of time.
For more information on video and CCTV system for a residential, retail, or commercial property call us at 202-265-2700.
Washington Post Reports a Significant Increase in DC Burglaries
Today’s Washington Post (See Burglaries Have Surged 21 Percent) reported a significant increase in Washington DC home burglaries for 2008. While this could be a “blip” it likely reflects the slowing economic trend and its impact on crime.
A number of studies correlate economic conditions with burglaries. A recent article in the Yale Daily News quotes Steven Rafael — an economist and professor at the University of California, Berkeley as saying “Property crimes are the one set of crimes that consistently are impacted by the economy.”
A large portion of the burglaries reported are taking place during the day when people would typically be at work. Consider this in the precautions you take. Some steps you can take:
- Make sure all doors and windows are locked when you leave.
- As much as possible keep valuables out of sight from ground floor windows and doors.
- If there is a neighbor who is home during the days keep in touch with them and make sure they have your cell or daytime number. If they see suspicious activity ask them to call you.
- Your alarm system is worthless if you don’t use it. Arm the system whenever you are home for an extended period or away even for even a few minutes. A major advantage of an alarm system is so that you know there is no one in the house when you return. Walking in on a burglary is the quickest way to turn a nonviolent crime into a violent one.
- Alarm systems have a delay to allow you to enter the home and disarm the system. This delay can give a burglar plenty of time to get in and out with something valuable. Make sure your alarm system is armed with the shortest possible delay. If you have a remote keychain for your alarm system have it setup with no delay and disarm the system before you enter the home.
- Consider installing a webcam so you can view your home while away or at work. Our web dashboard has integrated video. You can automatically receive a text message/email and view video of your property in real time to see what’s cooking.
With the increased focus on home security it is important to focus on factors that will have an impact on deterring burglaries. Your alarm system is part of the equation but attention to many factors will ultimately be the most effective strategy.
Reading Crime Statistics on the Internet
Crime statistics in the local paper has evolved as much as classifieds or any other reference information. It is now easily available online. Online Websites take it one step further by creating "mashups" with Google Maps overlaying crime information right on the map.
Crime report mashup websites can be an excellent resource for researching crime events. Information can be easily broken down by crime type, timeframe, and location. A summary of the crime information from police reports is available to clicking on event icons. This can be particularly valuable.
We regularly review the information to see how criminals entered the homes and businesses. With that information we can provide better guidance on how to secure properties with an alarm, video, and access system. For example, a recent month showed that in almost half of the residential burglaries in NW DC the burglar gained entry to the home through a basement window. This is a natural point of entry because it is generally out of site of passers by and gives the burglar the sense they are less likely to be detected.
Since basement access is usually a visible space it is an important part of securing a home. We often advise that all basement windows are secured and that, if feasible, a secondary motion sensor is located in a basement that is armed even when residents are at home.
Importance of Testing your Alarm System
Having a security system alone won’t provide you with dispatch services for police, fire, and ambulance which is why people pay for monitoring. In the event of a medical, fire, safety, or other emergency, alarms notify monitoring services, which then contact local emergency services so they can respond. This all works well unless your system isn’t really connected to a monitoring service.
In the past few months our team in the field has come across home owners that are being deceived by companies claiming to provide “alarm monitoring." They are being charged for monitoring services, however, upon further investigation, their panels were not being monitored at all. Now this may be outright fraud, but the more likely situation is that many of these companies have more or less gone out of business, continue to charge people, but have not kept up their end of the bargain.
The three homes that we found had working alarm systems, their residents used them daily, but they had no idea that what they were paying for each month wouldn’t help them at all when they really needed it. Our local engineers did a system test, everything was working, but then they performed a telephone line test and got this message—“The number you have reached has been disconnected…”—what a shock to the residents when they found out they did not have the alarm monitoring service they signed up, and paid for every month.
This situation highlights the importance of regular alarm system tests and working with reputable and licensed security companies. Even with a perfectly responsible security service provider it is important to conduct regular tests as there are many factors which can impact a panel's ability to communicate with the central station (discussed bellow).
How to test your system:
Most of the alarm companies will give you a number to the central station. The simplest and most effective way to test your system may be to call your alarm company and tell them that you would like to do a test of your system, then set off your alarm, wait a minute, then call then central station and verify that they received the signal.
Most systems have a phone test that allows the security system to test the connection between the panel and the monitoring station without having to contact the monitoring station before hand. In any case, check your alarm system manual for instructions or contact your alarm monitoring company.
The GE Concord panels we install can be tested to customers by:
- Disarm the system
- Press 8 + the master CODE + 2
- The touch pad will display "PHONE TEST"
- The system will display the results of the test
You should test your alarm system at least monthly. Our panels can also be configured to automatically conduct a phone test on a periodic basis (e.g., weekly). This is a nice feature we incorporate, which is usually reserved for commercial installations, but is definitely a good practice on residential systems.
What if your system fails?
There are may reasons why your alarm system can fail to send a signal to the central dispatching station. Some of these may have nothing to do with your alarm company. Changing the wiring of your phone system, upgrading to voice over IP (VOIP) or the cable companies phone service can inadvertently foil your alarm panel. Adding DSL Internet service can also interfere with your alarm panel functionality if not setup properly. That is why it is important to contact your alarm company before you make any changes to your phone or data service.
Be sure to do a manual phone test of your alarm system after ANY telephone, Internet, cable or other wiring work is completed on your home. Test the system while the technician is still on-site so any issue can be resolved quickly. Frequently, technicians inadvertently disable lines that are essential to maintaining your security system or phone lines that would cause monitoring to fail. Make sure you do a phone test so that you can insure your system is functioning properly.
Urban Alarm is always there to help with regard to your security and access control needs. Just give us a call at 202-265-2700 for further assistance. Even if you are not a customer we can track down instructions for testing your alarm system.
Going Green with your Alarm System
While the big attention is on solar and other "green" technologies, how you set your thermostat is still one of the biggest factors in your total energy consumption.
Programmable thermostats have become a mainstay for conserving money and energy. The are well suited to people who are out of the home on a regular schedule. But with more and more people telecommuting and keeping atypical hours schedules don't work as well as they would for the 9 to 5 set.
Integrated home systems and home automation allow various systems to communicate with one another. And, an Alarm System used properly is in a unique position of knowing when you are home or away. Companies like GE, Alarm.com and others have taken advantage of this by offering optional thermostat control modules.
Alarm.com's web interface for viewing temperature history and setting an energy efficient temperature when the system is set to "away" is impressive and effective. It, however, has limitations. It is only available on the GE Simon Alarm Panel which is best suited for apartment and smaller homes and it can only control one zone. The GE Concord panel, which accounts for 80% or more of the panels we install is not supported by Alarm.com's thermostat control. GE does offer a less interactive but similarly effective modules which can adjust temperature when the Alarm System is set to "away". And other products and system designs can accomplish significant energy savings and environmental impact (e.g., water use, lights, appliance control).
GE and many other alarm systems integrate with X10, a home automation standard which we will write more about in the future.
The GE Simon Panel is a compact and self contained panel which can transmit signals over a phone line or wirelessly via Alarm.com. We have seen some good applications for it in server rooms where it keeps track of who is going in and out. The Alarm.com thermostat module can send alerts when the temperature goes above or bellow set thresholds. This can also be useful as a separate system (or sub-system connected to whole house system) for wine cellars and art collections.
Environmental sustainability and how Alarm and Integrated systems can benefit energy consumption efforts will be an ongoing topic for us in our BLOG.
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