tag: Residential Security
Urban Alarm Office Moves to Park Center
Urban Alarm is excited to announce we have moved our administrative offices to the Josephine Butler Parks Center in Mt. Pleasant. Located at 2437 15th St. NW, the Parks Center is centrally located in Mt. Pleasant and buttressed against beautiful Meridian Hill Park.
You can look forward to Urban Alarm's new Community Safety Seminars and other community events at this location, which will begin during the summer. Be sure to check our blog and email newsletter for upcoming events.
One of Urban Alarm's key community partners, Washington Parks and People, also calls the Josephine Butler Parks Center home. Over the past year, Urban Alarm has partnered with Washington Parks and People on multiple neighborhood and community security projects and is thrilled to be able to continue to this work at our new location.
Please note that even though our offices have changed, our mailing address has not; you may continue to send all mail to 5505 Connecticut Avenue NW, #306, Washington DC 20015.
The New Wave of Kick-in Burglaries: How to Protect Yourself
1) Consider eliminating your alarm delay time (normally used to give you time to get to the keypad and disarm the alarm system) by using a key chain remote to disarm the system before you enter the home. By taking this precaution, your alarm siren will sound immediately and your alarm signal will be sent 30-45 seconds earlier, which is a substantial amount of time during an intrusion.
2) Switch to IP and/or SNAP Radio Monitoring. By utilizing Urban Alarm's IP or SNAP mesh radio network you will regain control of your land line during an alarm and your alarm signal will be received by the monitoring center in 1-2 seconds, instead of after the customary 15-45 seconds.
3) Install panic buttons in your upstairs bedroom and/or bathrooms. Aside from being able to send an alarm signal quickly the monitoring center will treat these signals as a higher priority dispatching the police immediately and bypassing the alarm verification call to the house.
4) Consider installing a video intercom system. This will take a picture of anyone who rings your doorbell and let you see and communicate with visitors without opening your door. Had the first vandalized house been outfitted with a video intercom system and the owners given the captured image to the police, the next two intrusions may have been prevented.
Though you cannot control an intruder's behavior, you can control how you react to it. For more information, give us a call.
Developing a Residential Security Strategy
Developing a Security Strategy
Radio Monitoring with SNAP Technology
These days, many people have chosen to forego telephone land lines in their homes in favor of the simpler, cheaper cellular option. With this trend comes a shift in how we monitor security systems on those properties from the traditional land line to cell phones and radio networks. Although Urban Alarm can monitor your alarm system using cell phone technology, it often requires that you replace your alarm panel.
Another option unique to Urban Alarm is SNAP(TM) radio monitoring. Urban Alarm offers the only FCC licensed radio monitoring network covering the NW DC area that will work with your existing alarm system to provide you with even better security than telephone-monitored systems.
With telephone-monitored systems, it can often take 30-50 seconds to send an alarm signal, but with Urban Alarm's SNAP radio monitoring system the signal is sent instantaneously. Also, with traditional telephone-monitored systems, when your alarm goes off the alarm panel seizes the line, which can interrupt your ability to make an outgoing call (e.g., 911). With SNAP radio monitoring you have complete use of your phone line at all times.
So how does it work? You do not need to replace your existing alarm system to take advantage of Urban Alarm's SNAP technology. Our technicians will simply install a SNAP transmitter at your home or business and you will be instantly connected to our mesh radio network. With SNAP radio monitoring, your alarm system will always be 'online' and ready to send a signal to our Central Monitoring Station. Whereas phone lines can be cut, seized or interrupted, your SNAP transmitter sends a repeater signal through its mesh network so that each alarm signal takes multiple pathways to the Central Monitoring Station, ensuring that your signal is transmitted effectively and as quickly as possible.
Manage Your Security Alarm System and Video on Your PDA
- Arm and disarm remotely
- View sensor status and recent activity
- Watch live streaming video from their security cameras
- View video clips recorded by their cameras
- Access a complete, search-able system event history
Don't Answer Your Door for Strangers -- Maybe The Worst Thing to Do
- Allowing you to answer the door, demonstrating the home is occupied, from a safe distance
- Asking the guest to leave without giving them any idea of who and how many people are in the home
- Demonstrating that the residents value security and have invested in systems to foil break-ins
- Capturing a photo of people coming to the front door when you are home or not
The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad (BCCRS)
The "Call 911!" article in the February 2009 issue of Washingtonian Magazine highlights some of the short falls of the DC emergency response system. The problems have been widely reported after a few high profile failures of DC's ambulance system. The Washingtonian article (which is not available online as of this post) provide the history of context of DC system as well as a contrasting overview with Maryland and Virginia's systems which have performed much better.
Some Northwest residents are already familiar with The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad (BCCRS). Maybe from a volunteer knocking at your door during their annual door to door fund raising campaign. If you have taken the time to chat with one of the volunteers you may already know that BCCRS was originally located in Northwest DC. With that history they still have a commitment to serve Northwest DC residents who are geographically reachable. Their response area is listed on their Web site.
Urban Alarm residential customers in the covered Northwest DC service area have the option of the medical panic on their alarm system being tied to the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad. You can also call the rescue squad directly for emergency ambulance service by dialing 301-652-1000 rather than 911.
While it is wonderful to have Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad as an option for some Northwest Washington DC residents, it is unfortunate that we are not able to have confidence in our home system. The limited response area in DC leaves a major disparity on the quality of service available in Washington DC unfortunately echoing the social economic layout of the city with BCCRS only responding to some of the most affluent parts of DC.
Please keep pressure on your ANC and City Council representatives to repair the DC system. There are professional and committed people in the DC medical response system and we all deserve the resources and leadership to have a world class system.
Gun vs. Alarm for Home Security
I take issue with some of the ideas in the recent Washington Post article "Downturn Pumps Up Anxiety About Crime ". The last paragraph closes with, "A gun seemed to be the answer," and this statement is misguided, in my opinion. As an alarm company, we clearly have a vested interest in how people approach security -- but as a resident of DC and having the professional perspective we do, I couldn't disagree more strongly.
There really is no comparison between a gun and an alarm system for home security. They serve two very different (although admittedly perhaps sometimes complimentary) purposes. First, an alarm system is not going to "protect" a home. Its main purpose is to secure a home in such a way that the residents know (a) when the home is secure and (b) when the home's security has been breached.
Now that the DC handgun ban has been overturned, the decision to own a
handgun is a personal choice. But the choice should be made with a clear
understanding of what owning a gun can and cannot accomplish. Many conditions
must line up in order for a resident-owned handgun to be a positive
factor during a home intrusion. And there are many scenarios, which I will not go into, that can
result in a negative outcome.
A gun in a home is not a replacement for an alarm system. Just as a security system cannot technically "protect" someone, a weapon cannot "secure" a property. In fact, an alarm system may become even more important when there is a gun in the residence at risk of getting into an intruder's hands. Alarm systems, when used properly, will alert residents quickly, so they may prepare a weapon and take a defensive position. Alarms will also reduce the chances of the resident waking up to find their own weapon in the hands of an intruder who has quietly broken in.
Additionally, an alarm system is critical to secure property when residents are not home. The system will reduce the time window an burglar has in your home and will notify residents, police, and other responders. Reducing the chance of walking in on a burglary in progress is also a primary value.
Any approach to home security should take a thoughtful and deliberate approach which includes playing out the pros and cons of various scenarios, especially when there is a gun -- in the homeowner's hands -- in question.
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.
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.
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