National Preparedness Month

How ‘ya gonna’ get out of town?


A few years ago, 2003 to be precise, the electric grid suffered a major failure and power went completely out all over the northeast United States. Can you remember your circumstances at just the instant you realized the extent of the outage? Any trouble getting home from work that afternoon? Worry about the family much? Considering that the events of 9/11 were fresh on our minds, only two years prior, many jumped to the conclusion that it must be another terrorist attack.

My family was caught off guard by the power outage. Both of our cars were pushing empty; to the point that we used the last two gallons of lawn mower fuel to get us to the nearest gas station using a back-up generator. The line was more than a mile long. So that the car didn’t run out of gas, I walked to the front of the line and snuck in between cars for two gallons at a time. We used up most of our cash as neither my wife nor I carry much and the station couldn’t take plastic. The short version is that we were, as I said, off guard.

The movies have covered almost every conceivable natural disaster and apocalyptic event you can imagine. One of the required reading assignments I had in secondary school was a book called “Alas, Babylon” which dealt with a “day after” scenario and the subsequent anarchy and eventual chaos that civilization fell into. Perhaps this type of fictional sensationalism in our media and entertainment industry causes us to be desensitized and to put off a realistic “what if” discussion. I suggest that you visit the FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) web site for all kinds of preparedness tips.

Of course you will sound like an alarmist if you show up one day with maps and charts of escape routes, rendezvous points and emergency contacts numbers. Naturally you’ll seem paranoid if you bring home “his” and “hers” bullet proof vests and gas masks. The neighbors will certainly be concerned if you are stockpiling weapons and durable goods or if the “Bob the Bunker Builder” van stays in your driveway for a week.

However you feel about the security of your family, you should communicate with each other and sort a few things out. Some of the discussion questions might include the following…

If there is a fire in the house:

• What are the two escape routes from each room?

• Where will you meet?

• What is the backup location?

• Where is the fire extinguisher located?

• Who is allowed to use the fire extinguisher?

If there is a local disaster:

• Where can you call or tune into for information?

• Who, outside the local area, can everyone call to check in?

• What is the local evacuation plan?

• Do you have an emergency suitcase packed?

• If communication is not possible, where do you meet?

There are professionals who think up various tragic scenarios and how to prepare for them. Check out the Federal Emergency Management website at www.fema.gov and check out disaster mitigation. You’ll see that September is National Preparedness Month.

What Bad Guys Want

I have been collecting pictures of things that cause significant security concerns.  At first glance some are not so obvious, but hopefully some may choose to scrutinize their security a little more closely for having taken this journey with me...

Indications that a home might be vacant or the occupant has been away for a significant period of time:  tall weeds and lawn not cut.

Bushes and trees obscure the view out the window to the resident and provide cover for the miscreant.

Motion sensitive lights are an excellent deterrent, but should be mounted high enough as to be not easily defeated by covering the lens, unscrewing the bulb or just smashing it by spraying a little water on it.

Privacy fences work both ways... they obscure others' view of your activities as well as the activity of a visitor with ill intentions.

Loose rocks and broken chunks of cement are just the right tool for smashing through a sun-porch window or door.  Get rid of them rather than stashing them behind the garage.

Think your second floor windows are safe and don't need alarm devices?  You might ask your neighbor to either move his ladders or at least secure them to his garage.  Also think about the message that the wheat field in the back yard sends to a possible intruder.  (Hint: it has nothing to do with watching out for snakes or remembering to wear mosquito repellant)

Once the picnic table and lawn chairs are set up, those upstairs windows become accessible, regardless of how secure the ladders on the neighbor's garage might be.

The phone line that should carry the signal to your alarm company is likely four feet off the ground, making it very easy to cut the phone line, or simply destroy, before breaking in through that huge glass door with the shovel left so conveniently nearby.  Back up your phone line!

Note the condensation between the panes of glass on this crank-out window.  This window was destroyed when the installer of the alarm system drilled into the casing to install a hard-wired window contact sensor.  Don't let anyone drill into the casing of your windows; it voids the warranty and can wreck the window.

There you have it.  Check your own home from the perspective of an intruder.  What tools would you use?  What are your vulnerabilities?  If you had to break into your house, how would you do it?  What does the bad guy see you do every day?

Who is watching your home when you cannot?

Know Your Enemy

It may be TV and movies, or the local paper, personal experience or hanging out with a bad crowd, but we have all formed our own ideas of who might be breaking into homes.  I will attempt to frighten everyone into action to protect their homes, families, pets and possessions by sharing the fears of others I have met over the last few years.

A number of life changes can cause anxiety that leads to a quest for greater security and assuredness in life.  Often people will call a security or alarm company as part of the search for a solution.  To begin, allow me to list some of these life changes:

1.  Marriage
2.  Relocation for work or school
3.  Recent Divorcees, Widows and Widowers, people who live alone
4.  Having young children
5.  Having teenagers
6.  Getting rid of teenagers- often called "empty nest syndrome."
7.  New neighbors
8.  The purchase or possession of items of great value
9.  A spouse left home while the other travels
10.  A second residence or vacation home

If you ponder these types of situations, you will see varying degrees of unrest and concern and perhaps these contribute to our illusions about against whom we need protection, as well as what it will take to put our mind at ease.

A couple, living together for years recently became engaged to marry.  For two years they lived in a very nice home together, never thinking about home security, but now as their lives were about to be permanently joined it seemed important to their unity that the home have protection.  They did not want anything or anyone to interfere with their new found peace and serenity.

Obviously people who move to a new place may be restless regarding the people in the neighborhood who may have seen all of their possessions paraded by as the moving van was unloaded.  It can be unsettling when even a well meaning new neighbor remarks about how lovely your daughter or how big your flat-screen TV is.  Did they also see the 600 pound gun safe which will inevitably contain weapons that some one might want to steal?  Maybe the neighbor isn't such a concern, but his lawn service people who were around on move in day.

Your teenager may be a very respectful, trustworthy young adult and may have wonderful friends.  What about the older brother of that friend, who happens to overhear a conversation about the brand new video game console you just purchased?  Maybe he finds out that the house is empty from 9:00AM to 3:00PM every weekday, or that you will be out of town for a two week vacation during the course of normal conversation.

Another couple I met have both retired recently.  They plan to travel for half of the year, only stopping in from time to time.  They will stop the mail and the paper, and they have a neighbor down the road who will look in on the house occasionally.  The lawn service is paid up and the lights are on a timer.  Their concern is that an estranged relative might turn into a squatter during these periods.  They will also take advantage of the ability of the alarm system to monitor the sump pump and low temperature should the furnace fail.

The point is that the glamorous character of a cat-burglar, who slips in stealthily during the night without leaving a trace, and cautiously picks through jewelry and art-work for just the right piece no longer exists...well, not many of them, anyway.  It is also short sighted to think that it would always be a drug addicted scum bag looking for a quick score to get his next fix who breaks in to your home.  Your intruder might be a first time offender.

One client of mine walked in on a man sitting in her living room.  When she finally managed to react, he was in front of her, with his business card in hand.  He turned out to be an alarm salesman that her husband had called, but forgotten to tell her about.  He'd been in the house roughly half an hour, having come through an unlocked sliding door in the back of the house.

With all of the economic uncertainty, and a general drop in moral fortitude, there is no way to predict who might be a criminal... worse yet, who might be a victim of a crime.

Here are some signs that might serve as a warning: 

1.  Every neighborhood has at least one resident who knows everybody else's business.
2.  Increase in vandalism; lawn jobs, smashed pumpkins at halloween, smashed mail boxes...
3. Things come up missing from unlocked cars, then from locked cars, then garage door remotes disappear.
4.  Newspapers missing on a regular basis.
5.  Drastic change in the way your pet reacts to strangers

If you were going to invade your neighbor's house, how would you go about planning the break-in?  Gain their trust?  Watch to see the location of their secret key?  Note the times when the house is unoccupied?  Bring treats to their dog?  Browse through their mail?  Would you use a partner from another neighborhood; some one who just doesn't quite belong?  (A closet criminal might be seen in seedy company)

Consider these things.  Be safe.

Deterrance plus just plain awesome

Naturally, a primary function of any alarm system is to deter criminal activity at the home.  Alarm company yard signs and window stickers are a great start.  Some signs even carry a little more weight than others.  People wisely choose to leave lights on or put them on timers when leaving for any lengthy period of time.  They stop the mail and have the newspaper stopped.  Having neighbors park in the driveway and having children play in the yard make the house look occupied.  All of this is great.  Are you ready for the next level?

How would it be if you could turn on TV's and stereos, game boxes, vacuum cleaners and other household gadgets right through your web-connected alarm system?  How about the ability to review daily home events through a personal web interface accessed from anywhere on earth, or change the timing of the lights coming on, or arm and disarm the system remotely?  Would it be comforting to see video from inside the home through that same portal?

What if an event, such a child arriving home from school could trigger the alarm system to send a text message and a video clip of their safe delivery home?  How about a text alert if the child doesn't arrive home at the expected time? 

...and what if it all came at the same prices people have been paying for alarm systems all along?

Contact me for more information.

Of course all opinions and suggestions manumitted here are subject to your own better idea. I'm not proud.

Tricky Buggers

You don't have to look very far to find bad news.  The decaying state of our polite society is all around and as a species we seem to be less culpable for our actions than ever before.  Instead of concentrating on what we can do for humanity we have to defend ourselves from it.  From wall street to country backroads, some one is always plotting to take advantage of those who insist on being hopeful and who are too trusting.

Yesterday, I was made aware of some such events that I found worth warning about, even if it just makes us more aware of our surroundings.  Apparently, some deviant or miscreant placed a baby stroller in the middle of a less travelled dirt road in order to spring a trap on a well meaning passer-by.  There are many ways a person might react to a stroller in the road, but whether it is base curiosity, or overwhelming concern, our reasonable response is to know if there is a child inside.  The trap is sprung and the victim pays dearly.

More later, but keep your eyes open for situations that can't be defined as normal and be careful.

Of course all opinions and suggestions manumitted here are subject to your own better idea. I'm not proud.

Neighborly Neighbors Support Security

There are all kinds of ways to keep a community safe.  Many, however, require the participation of residents and neighbors to be successful.  Community watch comes to mind quickly, as well as giving support to the local authorities.  Some your support takes the form of relaying suspiciaous activity, or it could include voting in a new millage to maintain the force. 

But on a smaller scale, a little bit of cooperation can keep the bad guys out of your community.  Here are a few ways to involve the neighbors:

1. If you are away for any length of time, arrange to have your lawn mowed, or the snow removed from the drive and walk ways.  Be the neighbor that performs these tasks for some else from time to time.  Especially if there are abandonned or unoccupied buildings on the block.  No one needs to have squatters in the neighborhood and keeping the property up will tend to deter vandalism and other deviant behavior.

2. If your neighbor has an extra vehicle, ask if they'd mind parking it in your driveway while you are gone. 

3. Ask a neighbor to pick up the random papers and leaflets that are left on your property.  Some one might assume that if there are a few days worth of advertising laying around that no one is home, thus making it a target.

4.  Temporarily stop the mail and the papers.  The post office will hold your mail until your return if you ask.  This could also be collected by a helpful neighbor.

5.  Trash day can also indicate a home that is not currently occupied.  If possible, a neighborly neighbor might be convinced to put one of their cans in front of your empty home, or you might put one of your trash cans in front of a vacant property.

Lots of light is often an effective deterrent, and anything that makes a place look lived in and cared for will help avoid criminal activity at a vacant or otherwise empty home.

If you are planning to start a community watch in your area, a fantastic outline for such an endeavor is to be found at http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/node/17501  This is one of the most thorough "how to" articles I've seen concerning setting up a new community watch program.

How to Drive 'Em Crazy

After years in the industry, I am beginning to see a pattern of things that drive alarm installers to the brink of insanity.  I thought these should be compiled, sorted and organized and then printed for the general public, to perhaps reduce the frequency of such burdensome occurences.  I have tried to exclude those issues that just reflect an installer or service person in a bad mood, being a baby.  So, here is a partial list.
1.  When the sales person asks what kind of telephone line you have, there are basically four answers: no phone line (in which case you will have to buy an additional piece of equipment for communications to the alarm monitoring facility); POTS line, which is the traditional phone line with carrier voltage on the line; VOIP, which is provided by cable companies and other internet providers; and satelite phone (which will also require you to purchase additional equipment.  The installer will be frustrated if the phone line is not what they expected.
2.  Clutter.  Depending where you want the control panel to be placed, you may need to clean out a closet, or a path in the basement.  In cases where the system will be wired into the home, the installer will need access to a large portion of the basement.  They are not furniture movers, so be sure to provide access to device locations, too.
3.  No one likes to work in an attic, though many will if they have to.  If a system will have to be wired through your attic, please consider allowing the installer to place a wireless system in the home.  (See earlier blog entry for wireless vs. hard wired debate)
4.  Of course your children and pets are precious, and everyone would prefer to play with lego or throw a ball to the dog than work.  It's just that those activities don't pay well for the person who is there to install your alarm system.
5.  Installers are trained to install devices where they will do the most good.  Most of the time, they will consult with you where the issue is purely aesthetic, such as keypad and control panel locations.  Even then, there may be some compromise required.

I don't even know if these are the top five, but certainly effect the job of the installer and could have consequences in how you feel at the end of the installation.  It's a partnership of form and function that they installer and home or business owner must balance.

Does The Dog Dial "911?"

Many lame reasons people have for deciding against an alarm system are entertaining and not well thought out.  Here is one such excuse.  As the title indicates, there are people who rely on man's best friend for home protection.  I will agree that some breeds of dogs lend themselves well to deterring break-ins; the German Shepherd, the Rotty and various Bulldog breeds are in the mix.  I will also admit that a yappy dog, that barks it's yappy head off at anything that moves can serve as an alert mechanism, should some one be home to hear it.  Even then the animal is more  likely to be silenced without a second thought than actually cause a person to investigate the possiblity that their privacy has been invaded. 
The most likely scenario where a dog is expected to protect a home from intrusion and burglary is that the unfortunate gate keeper becomes the first victim of the crime.  People who don't respect your property or your privacy are not likely to respect your pet, either.  The best that can be hoped is that the intruder merely provides the animal with a distraction such as a dog treat or piece of meat.  They might even make a friend.
Even some dogs that are very protective of their owner and their family, may not care to protect a giant plastic soda bottle full of change, or cameras, jewelry, guns, baseball card collection, grandmother's hand-knitted afghan or even the food in the refrigerator, which dogs like very much.
During such an event, the dog will have difficulty notifying the homeowner while they are away at work.  Most dogs don't know how to dial "911," and if they do, their report would be vague...dare I say "ruff."  After such an event, the descriptions dogs give to investigators is sketchy, at best.  They find it difficult to express just what the intruder smelled like, or what they said.  On the bright side, dogs are color blind and less likely to profile intruders based on any stereotype.
This is all stated before advanced fire notification is mentioned: or carbon monoxide, flood, etc. 
One item you should take into account as you protect your home and family with a proper alarm system is to make sure the monitoring center knows that you have pets in the home.  Have the facility note the likely location of your animals during the day (if you know).  The police, responding to a burglar alarm will want to avoid any misunderstandings on the part of your pet, especially if it is the man-eater you think it is, like a Pit-Bull or a Chijuajua.  The fire department may also be able to rescue a trapped pet if they know where it hangs out in the house, and if doing so won't be too risky for a fire-fighter.

Medical Monitoring

One aspect of the alarm industry that is routionely overlooked is it's applicability to senior care.  You've heard it said a hundred times that people are living longer and healthier lives.  Senior Citizen apartments, Senior housing and various levels of nursing care have opened up to become a thriving industry, even bulging at the proverbial seams.  There are companies who specialize at "in home" nursing care, visiting nurses and even public programs whereby a mini doctors office can roll in and treat patients in home. 
Medical monitoring is another level of senior care whereby an elderly person might maintain a significant level of independence, living in their own home with an emergency call button for instant communication to friends and loved ones, should an emergency arise.  People become confused sometimes, thinking that the "panic button" automatically calls medical response or a fire department.  Actually, the person wearing the device chooses whom to notify in case of an alarm. 
These medical pendants can be used in conjunction with other senior services for even more freedom and independence.  In cases where there is a chronic disorder and regular nursing care is necessary, a medical pendant might be programmed to call both this service provider and a friend.  Having a medical emergency can be a very lonely experience.  Calling a friend can be comforting, while waiting for medical response.
Most medical alert appliances are equipped to handle two way voice communication.  This is also comforting to a person who is suffering.
During these difficult economic times, when homes are difficult to sell and sell for less than their value, it may be impractical to move an elderly person into a nursing care facility.  It is hard to count on the revenue from the sale of a home to last very long when used to pay for senior living facilities. 
If this is a service you may look into, I suggest finding a company that uses a monitoring facility that specializes in medical monitoring.  The system will likely be a rental or lease arrangement, with rates between $30 and $50 per month.  Many alarm companies offer this type of service.  It is preferable that some one from that provider come to the home where it will be installed to properly evaluate the situation.  A reputable company will also let you know if the situation requires more care than a medical pendant and emergency communication device can afford.  Contact me about this if you wish.  I know a guy...

Choosing Your Knight Protector

In the alarm industry there are just a few manufacturers of alarm equipment that all of the hundreds of alarm companies use, so the equipment from one company to the next is pretty much the same. Monitoring facilities of reputable companies should be listed or rated by Underwriters Laboratories (UL). Any low voltage electrician should be able to run wires or program a wireless alarm, as there is really no secret there. The real difference comes in sales and service. Sales people should be adequately trained, not only in the art of “closing” the sale, but how to best protect a business or family based on individual, specific threats and anxieties. Service should be prompt. Call backs should be timely and service calls should be few and far between.

Another place where you find disparity between companies is their purchase policy. Some companies only lease equipment, requiring contracts that state that you will never own the equipment.  Other companies will sell the equipment to you and still require a contract for monitoring.  Then there are companies that charge the fair installation price for the equipment and will monitor your system on a month to month basis.  Pay as you go or pay to play, whatever you call it.  The latter method ensures that you will get prompt service.  It is logical that if a company fails to perform, you should be allowed to fire them without penalty.
 
In closing, I urge caution when dealing with companies who have as many attorneys working for their collections department as they have sales people working in their sales department.

System Take Overs

One of the first things folks do as they move into a new home is change out their locks on the doors, which is absolutely the right thing to do. Unfortunately, security planning often stops right there. Many new homes are constructed and pre-wired for basic security system installation, with wires running to at least the doors, a keypad location and a motion detector location. There’s no real secret to where the devices will eventually be installed. There is also little difference in the equipment from one manufacturer to another, with the exception coming when wireless devices are required to be installed.




Here is the real meat of this entry. Just because an alarm company puts a sticker or embosses a logo on the system does not necessarily mean that there is anything proprietary about it. Every system installation requires an installer code which can cause minor difficulty for a subsequent monitoring facility. In this case the system has to be manually reset, but still shouldn’t require any substantial investment.



It is a good idea to get the code to any existing system from the previous owner of the property, though you should not be required to use the same monitoring service as they, even if the equipment has been marked or branded. Practically speaking, even of the branding company has a right to the equipment, it is not likely they will spend resources to come and retrieve the system components. Second, nothing says that they have to be granted access by the new owner of the home.

Start Fire Training Early

Did you know that many times, children do not wake up for a smoke alarm and unless they are taught what to do if they hear it, they tend to hide, rather than run or crawl to safety? It is never too early to begin this training and it is good to quiz them regularly. Recently I was grilling my own children on what to do in case of fire. My six year old daughter correctly informed me that when we hear the smoke alarm, we meet on the neighbor’s porch. I was proud. I asked my four year old son what we have to do if our clothes catch on fire at which he looked down at what he was wearing and responded “we have to buy new Mr. Incredibles jammies.” Pride goes before a fall.




This time of the year, in cold weather like we are having, the reports of fire related injury and death always rise. Fire is our tool to keep us warm and cook our food and dry our clothes but it can turn tragic very quickly. Of course a quality alarm system can minimize the damages and loss from such tragic occurrences, by quickly reporting to fire and EMS. Standard smoke detectors do not call the authorities, and in most cases, can’t even be heard by the neighbor. Some guidelines to think about when deploying smoke detection devices follow as well as other fire safety tips.



1. Test smoke detectors monthly. There should be at least one on every level of the home.

2. Have the family run the evacuation plan, even blindfolded. Understand that thick, black smoke can make it impossible to see your way out.

3. Teach them to crawl low to the ground to stay clear of unbreathable hot air.

4. Make sure children know not to hide from fire-fighters.

5. Teach them to stop, drop and roll if their clothing is on fire.

6. Change the batteries in all smoke detectors at least every year.

7. Replace smoke detectors that are more then ten years old or according to manufacturer recommendations.



For more information and to find kids coloring pages on fire safety, visit www.usfa.fema.gov, and for assistance in planning your fire safety strategy call ADT at (248) 629-3175 because “Your Safety Matters.”


Of course all opinions and suggestions manumitted here are subject to your own better idea. I'm not proud.

Before You Spend A Dime on Security

Most of us feel like burglary is never going to happen to us.  We may have been in the neighborhood for years and know our neighbors intimately.  There may be a watch program and the police patrol on a regular basis.  We have the right to feel safe in our own neighborhood.  Naturally, people that feel this way are reluctant to spend money on an alarm system.  Another monthly bill is the bane of a family budget.  So here are some tips that can bolster your security and make your home a less desireable target for intruders.

• Don’t leave tools or ladders lying around your yard since impulse burglars can use them to gain access to your home

• Make sure all exterior door hinges are on the inside

• Lock garage doors and sliding glass doors every night and whenever you are away from home

• Don’t hide keys outside your home, such as in your mailbox, under doormats or above doorways. Burglars usually know the hiding spots

• Don’t leave notes for family or friends outside your home

Two or three times per year you should look at your home from the perspective of a burglar.  Pretend you are locked out and then decide how you would get in if you had to.  Most of us don't think like criminals, and not all criminals think the same way.  These are just a few tips you'd find scouring the net.  Check out the National Security Agency websites for additional content on this subject and others.
 


Of course all opinions and suggestions manumitted here are subject to your own better idea. I'm not proud.

What's The Use of a Motion Detector?

A Motion detector's primary application is as an interior trap; a catch all, if you will.  Back in the day, conventional wisdom said that a motion detector was all you needed.  The logic was that anything that moved inside the house would cause the authorities to come running.

In many cases this turned out to be a terrible inconvenience after a birthday party when a mylar balloon would go bobbing by when the furnace kicked on, or when the family pet went wandering in the middle of the night.  Maybe it is better to be safe than sorry, but having the police kick down the door in the middle of the night because a curtain moved could be inconvenient.   What about those midnight snack attacks?

Most Motion Detection Devices (also abbreviated PIR for Photo Infra Red) today are designed to discriminate between a person and other unidentified moving objects or smaller animals.  They do this by looking for heat and motion.  Still, to rely too much on motion detection is a mistake in most cases for the following and other reasons...

1. Their ability to distinguish the mortifying from the mundane is limited.  Hard wired sensors can ignore up to approximately 80Lbs, and wireless up to about 40Lbs, without getting into some very high tech, very expensive equipment.  Sometimes even a smaller pet can set off a motion detector depending on their activity, relative distance from the device and general position like going up stairs.
2. Deployed and programmed properly, the motion detectors are only reporting intrusion when the system is in an "away" mode- meaning that no one should be in the location.  When occupied, only perimeter protection would be reporting intrusion.  They don't protect you when you are home.
3. Motion detectors can give false alarms due to any number of failure modes, such as dirty lenses, low batteries, not to mention opperator error.

Still, what a great device!  Just a couple of well placed motion sensors can protect a warehouse or abandonned property.  Also, as many families have two wage earners, many homes are empty during the day.  Statistics show that most burglaries happen during the day.  As a back-up device, motion detectors cover a lot of area with just one sensor.  Many times you will see them in main hallways or centrally located, so that even if some type of spy were to dangle through the ceiling to rob your house, he wouldn't get too far before the motion sensor would sound the alarm. 

It's not a bad alternative if you hate to spend a lot of money to protect each individual opening in the home or office or barn or warehouse or...you get the picture.

Of course all opinions and suggestions manumitted here are subject to your own better idea. I'm not proud.

Deterrent Tools- Yard Signs and Such

Let's talk a little about the pro's and con's of window stickers and yard signs.  Lately it seems that the rumor people are spreading 'round is that by placing these items on and around your home you are letting the bad guys know what type of system is in the house and thereby telling him how to disarm the system.  There are also people who believe that signs and stickers are just free advertising for the alarm company.  Finally, there are people that don't want to warn the criminal element that there is any alarm notification appliance in the home in order to "catch them red-handed."  The biggest truth in all of these items is that it is people who spread these bald-faced lies and notions. 

There are very few manufacturers of alarm equipment, maybe four good ones, and hundreds of alarm installation companies in every city and hamlet from here to Timbuck-three.  Most of the technology between the manufacturers works the same as all the others, essentially.  Consequently, if a thief knows how to disable one alarm system, he can disable any of them.  The key is to make it hard for him to do this...
First, make sure to back up your phone line with a cellular device...they are sure to cut your outside communication lines first.  Second, ensure that the control panel- the real brain of the alarm system- is out of the way; hidden in a basement or closet.  Third, if you fear your panel may be easy to find, place a lock box over it and conduit around the wire bundle coming in to it.  Finally, protect your codes.  Many break-ins happen because some one your tongue wagging friends mysteriously gets the code and knows exactly where you store your expensive video recorder.

Statistics show that most criminals move on to another house or business if they see an alarm sign in the yard or on the doors and windows.  That should be enough said about that, though I feel I should go ahead and throw in a jab like "who cares if the alarm company gets a little free publicity for doing a good job of protecting your home?"

Now about catching the thief...unless you are dealing with a specific crime, at a specific time and plan an ambush, the chances are relatively slim that the alarm system will react in time to have the police dispatched and at your home in time to actually apprehend the offender.  If you really want to catch some one in the act, invest in a video system and then let them rob you blind.

Of course all opinions and suggestions manumitted here are subject to your own better idea. I'm not proud.

A Bit On Terminology

Digital is not the same as wireless is not the same as cellular is not the same as digital.  ...Huh? 

Some of the low end trunk slamming companies will tell you that your whole system has to be replaced with a digital system.  Digital being the new state of the art and all... "Good news, it'll only cost you $99 or free with activation fee or free with a new contract... plus you get a $150 gas card or trip to Bermuda or a week in Vegas"...blah blah blah or a free camera.

Fact is, if you have a system that was put in the house in the last twenty years, it is probably digital.  That does NOT mean you have a state-of-the-art system.  The real reason they want you to change your system over is because it is easier for them.  Anyone, even the ex-convict who learned low voltage electronics in prison, can install one of these systems from the ground up.  You are getting what you pay for.  Yes, these systems are a "starter" model, though they have a place in the food chain.  More about trunk slammers later.

ON-OFF = Digital.
Has no wires to carry the digital information to the control panel = Wireless - radio frequencies
Control Panel communicates to a central monitoring station using cellular communicator = Cellular
All cellular towers are now fully digital = don't be fooled by the guy who talks about analog and digital.

In the most true sense, some of these deffinitions are not completely correct, but for purposes of dealing with the local alarm company, it should make things less confusing.

Of course all opinions and suggestions manumitted here are subject to your own better idea. I'm not proud.

Hard-wired or Wireless Debate

There is an abundance of opinions on whether hard wired security is better than wireless.  Well, the truth is that there are differences and mainly, your preference will depend on your pain.  All of these devices have their place.  In many cases and where possible, hardwired devices have some rather nice features.  Many of them can be embedded, which is to say, not seen- aesthetically pleasing.  You won't have to replace batteries in the hard wired device, and in general, they cost less- though, done by a reputable company, the labor charge will eat up your savings.  There are places, however, that are more condusive to wireless components.

Here's a rather fundamental mistake that some alarm installers and sales people make.  Double hung windows open from both the top and the bottom- hence the name "double-hung."  This means that both the upper pane of glass and the lower pane will have to have a sensor, unless you deploy a wireless sensor.  With the wireless sensor, the transmitter can be attached to one pane and the magnet to the other pane.  Another thing about todays windows...many are not well built, at least from a security perspective.  The locking mechanisms are screwed into vinyl or plastic without much substance to really anchor them in place.  Finally, when you screw a contact sensor onto the window, you are likely to destroy the seal on the window, if not void the warranty on it.

A well designed alarm system will probably be a hybrid of sorts...hardwired where possible, wireless where labor is too intensive or the sensor might cause more harm than good.

Of course all opinions and suggestions manumitted here are subject to your own better idea. I'm not proud.

Continued- when to get monitoring...

There may be legitimate reasons not to have a security system monitored.  Naturally, if there isn't enough money in the budget, maybe this is the main reason, but make sure you weigh the benefit of monitored security against a bill like cable, or the fourth family cell phone.  You get the point.

But perhaps your goal is to keep some one IN and be notified if they are trying to sneak out the window into the waiting arms of some unapproved miscreant with a four day old driver's license.  Then you may not care to have a monitoring center involved.  Feel free to tell me if you can think of another legitimate reason for not having some one keep an eye (or and ear) on your home or business while you can't be there.  Self monitoring is not a bad option either, if you will always be able to receive the call.  You are depending on your cell phone to always be in range, always charged and you will always need to be available.  Oh!  You will also need to have the ability to contact some one who can do something about it if you call from half way across the country because there's an alarm event.

Finally, the moment I have been waiting for.  It oozes sarcasm, of which I am a fan.  When should you buy a security sytem?  I will tell you... wait until the very last minute.  The night before you experience a home invasion, you should call to have an alarm system installed.  You wouldn't want to pay all of those monitoring fees before it is absolutely necessary.

Of course all opinions and suggestions manumitted here are subject to your own better idea. I'm not proud.

When To Invest In Electronic Security and Monitoring.

People hate the idea of recurring bills. "That's all I need...another monthly bill." Worse yet, a long term contract stating that you will continue to pay that bill for five years (or three or even one year) or else...!

Most of the time, people see the value of having a security system monitored 24/7/365. This type of scenario is called a "monitored" security system. Go figure, right? Well there are two other options when installing a security system, neither of which require a monthly fee from an alarm company, much less a contract. Most professional alarm equipment can be installed and programmed to call out to any phone number. So instead of having the alarm appliance contact a professional monitoring center, it is programmed to call, for example, your cell phone or perhaps a neighbor. You'll want to avoid having it dial up the police. More later on that. Finally, the alarm system can be used for it's intrinsic deterrent value. Basically, if there is an intrusion, the appliance makes a lot of noise. More on this later, too.

Of course all opinions and suggestions manumitted here are subject to your own better idea. I'm not proud.

I only use my security system when...

So, you had a little money left over after the tax return last year and you broke down and bought an alarm system for the house.  The economy is poor, the poor are desparate and no neighborhood is safe anymore.  But maybe you are like many other folks who, after cutting your deal with an alarm company, and since the novelty wore off, no longer bother to set the alarm.  I will spare you the ridicule, but offer a suggestion that just might make that investment worthwhile afterall.  Do you realize that smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors and all sorts of other sensors are, or can be programmed, to be always 'on?'  What this means is that while the little sign in the front yard and the sticker on the door may be the only part of the alarm appliance working to protect your property from intruders, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide sensors and the like can be protecting your home from other sorts of devastating events.  It will make the monthly fees seem more justifiable.  Call your alarm company and ask them to install a flood sensor in the sump well.  Ask them to program a humidity gage into your walk-in humidor, to protect your cigar investment.  Do you only use the steam iron to make your pants flat, or do you go ahead and flatten shirts, too?  If you won't at least consider these various ideas, then consider yourself chastised appropriately for failing to arm your alarm system. 

Of course all opinions and suggestions manumitted here are subject to your own better idea. I'm not proud.