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September is National Preparedness Month (NPM). This is a good reminder that natural and man-made disasters can affect anyone, anywhere at any time. It's important that you have a planned response when you're at work, on vacation or on the road and that this plan is shared with your family.

Whether it’s a house fire or a natural disaster, having a plan that everyone is aware of can drastically change the outcome of your emergency. In 2016 one home structure fire was reported every 90 seconds. While in 2017, 59,985 weather-related events resulted in 592 deaths and 4,270 injuries.  

For the best disaster preparation make sure you have the following:

• Create a family communication plan and make sure all family members review and practice the plan consistently
• Have every family members and other important phone numbers written down
• Have an emergency kit in your car and at least three days worth of food and water on hand at your home
• Be sure to store all important documents – birth certificates, insurance policies, etc. – in a fireproof safe or safety deposit box
• Have your family take a first aid and CPR course
• Know how to shut off your utilities

Your family communication plan should be able to answer these 3 questions:

1. How will I receive emergency alerts and warnings?
2. What is my shelter plan?
3. What is my evacuation route?

Because a disaster can strike during school or work hours, you need to make sure your family understands what to do if disaster happens when you are not at home. Discuss these plans with your children so they know who may pick them up in an emergency. Make sure all of your family’s phones are signed up for alerts and warnings from schools, workplaces, and/or local government. You should also identify someone from outside of your state who can act as a central point of contact to help your family reconnect if you become separated in the event  of an emergency.

EMERGENCY MEETING PLACES

Decide on safe, familiar places where your family can go for protection or to reunite.

Indoor: If you live in an area where tornadoes, hurricanes, or other high-wind storms can happen, make sure everyone knows where to go for protection. This could be a small, interior, windowless room, on the lowest level of a sturdy building, or a tornado safe room or storm shelter.

Around your home: This is a place where your household members will meet if there is a fire or other emergency and you need to leave your home. The meeting place could be a big tree, a mailbox at the end of the driveway, or a neighbor’s house.

Your community: This should be a place your family can meet if a disaster happens when you’re not at home and you can’t get back to your home. Things such as a school, community center or a family friend’s home.

Outside of your town or city: Having an out-of-town meeting place can help you reunite if a disaster happens and you are instructed to evacuate the area. This meeting place could be the home of a relative or family friend. Make sure everyone knows the address of the meeting place and discuss ways you would get there.

OTHER IMPORTANT NUMBERS AND INFORMATION

You should also write down phone numbers for:

• Emergency services
• Utilities
• Service providers
• Medical providers
• Veterinarians
• Insurance companies

Save all family contact numbers and emergency contact information into everyone’s mobile phones. Store at least one emergency contact under the name “In Case of Emergency” or “ICE” for all mobile phones and devices. This will help someone identify your emergency contact if needed.

Inform your emergency contact of any medical issues or other requirements you may have.

Keep charged batteries, a car phone charger, and a solar charger available for backup power for your mobile phone.

Use the Internet to communicate by email, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media networks. These communication channels allow you to analyze information quickly from a specific audience and to help locate your friends and family who may also be affected by the emergency.

Once you have completed your Family Emergency Communication Plan, make copies for all the members of your household, discuss it and practice it regularly!

Introduction

David’s House, a home for families of those who are being treated at the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth (CHAD), was interested in adding some safety and security measures to their facilities. However, there were some unique challenges that had to be considered before they could move forward.

Tasco Security was asked to consult on the project and implement the new security solution. This partnership enabled David’s House to see the potential that Tasco offered above and beyond the David’s House original goals:

• The project was completed faster than the estimated time frame
• There was little to no disruption to the house, despite the facility being operations 24/7
• Project manager and technicians delivered top notch customer service, not only handling the installation but also communicating informative and valuable training to the David’s House staff

About David’s House

David's House is the dream of a little boy named David Cyr who passed away in 1984 after a long struggle with acute lymphocytic leukemia. During David's frequent visits to the children's hospital, his father met many parents who were unable to afford any length of stay at nearby hotels. Because they were unwilling to leave their child's side, they ended up sleeping in chairs in their child's room or in their cars. Each time David was discharged, he begged his parents to take the other kids in the pediatric departments with them to their safe, comfortable home in nearby Vermont. His parents always told him that someday they would. Within a week of David's passing, the Cyrs and their friends began raising money to make David's wish come true. The seed money from which David's House was grown was David's own $300.78. On January 20, 1986, the promise to David became a reality as David’s House opened the doors to its first guests. Since David's House opened, they have served over 14,500 families. They are a safe, peaceful, no-cost home environment filled with compassionate staff and volunteers.

Challenges

David’s House provides their guests with a sense of love, community and caring. Their house functions around the clock and has many people coming and going. There are constantly a high number of guests, visitors and employees who frequent the building and it can be a challenging environment to monitor. Like any thoughtful organization, David’s House had come to realize that the time had come to add some security to the building which would provide an increased level of safety to their guests.

Being a non-profit, budget is always a concern and the staff of David’s house was also very mindful of the aesthetics of installing a security system with cameras. It was of the utmost importance to them not to upset the environment of the house, as it is a 24/7 operation that prides itself on being a home-away-from-home. David’s House reached out to longtime supporter, Tasco Security and President Tim Surprenant, who gave them invaluable advice on how to achieve both goals of safety and security while not upsetting the social environment of the home.

The Tasco Security Solution

The focus of this project was to provide enhanced security and safety without being intrusive, not only during installation but afterward as well. Tasco wanted to ensure people felt comfortable and at home throughout the project. The project technicians primary focus was security hardware installation but they also had to consider how to minimize the disruption to the staff and guests daily lives. Tasco was able to efficiently install a state of the art, high-resolution megapixel IP based camera system.

This system provides three types of safety:

1. Deterrence
2. Ability to monitor facility live or remotely
3. Audit trail for evidentiary use

Services provided:

• Consulting: Met with David's House to learn about their needs, goals and expectations. Also helped analyze budget and timeline for project. 
• Project Manager: Made sure Tasco was prepared and punctual when project commenced, ensuring tasks were done quickly and efficiently with minimal intrusion
• Technicians: Understood not only the goals and scope of the project but also David’s House day-to-day operations and their unique needs
• Training: Educated staff on the system and its uses, while also showing them how to best optimize the technology in their facility.

The Partnership

The relationship between Tasco Security and David’s House began over a decade ago; Tasco Security, being a small Upper Valley-based business, wanted to partner with a local non-profit that they felt had a great positive impact on the overall area. David’s House was a natural fit as it provides a vital service to people from all walks of life when they need it most.

David’s House is the beneficiary of many regional events and other forms of giving, but they actively put on only three fundraisers per year, one of which is their annual golf tournament. Tasco Security has been a proud and faithful sponsor of this event for over a decade.

This year David’s House is revving up for the 20th anniversary of its golf tournament. Held at the picturesque Eastman Golf Links, this is a tournament you don’t want to miss. On September 17, 2018, teams of four will hit the course with their mulligans and strings to support David’s House. Click here for more information.

Every spring and summer like clockwork, alarm companies hire traveling sales agents to go door-to-door to sell their services. These unsolicited “cold-calls” can be at best an annoyance and at worst criminal. Their high-pressure pitch can be convincing and deceptive, resulting in customers buying or changing to an expensive and/or inferior system.

Take for example this legal case in Texas (which resulted in the agent receiving one year in jail):

Before allowing anyone inside your home make sure they have the proper identification and a photo ID. They should state the name of their business and the services they are trying to sell before asking you any questions.

Warning Signs of a Security System Scam

Sales Agents will use a few unethical strategies when trying to get you to buy or switch to a new alarm company.  

Below are a few tactics that are commonly used:

• Telling you about a rash of burglaries or violent crimes in your area. Relying on scare tactics is not a sign of a professional home security company.
• Offering “free” or “limited-time” packages. The old saying “if it’s too good to be true, it probably is” applies to these agents. Many of the claims of free products come with strings attached like expensive service contracts.
• Some agents will make vague references to your current security provider, implying they represent your alarm company. They may claim that they are there to upgrade or analyze your current system. (They may even have a lanyard with a logo from your provider!) However, once they present you with the paperwork you will notice they are in fact from another company. This is clearly an unethical and shady practice. If you feel the agent has been intentionally deceptive at any time you should ask them to leave.
• If at any time a door-to-door home security sales agent claims your current provider has gone out of business, sold their business or hired a new company to represent them this should be a red flag. Ask them to wait outside and contact your current alarm system provider to confirm. Usually, any professional company would send their customers a notice by mail/email/telephone about any changes to your account.

If you are approached by one of these door-to-door sales reps they should be able to easily give you the following information (which you should verify with your current company, either with a bill, online or a call to their customer service center): 

• Business name of the security company they represent
• Street address (not P.O. Box)
• Company telephone number
• Contractor's license number
• State that issued the license
• Name under which the license is filed

If at any time you are suspicious of the tactics or offers you are being presented you should contact your state Attorney General, local consumer protection agency, Better Business Bureau, and/or state licensing officials.

According to the FTC, when you are purchasing a new alarm system or changing companies your contract should include:

• Installation price
• Monthly or quarterly monitoring fee
• Contract period
• Applicable discounts
• A written warranty
• The owner's manual
• An explanation of your right to cancel the deal
• Cancellation forms

The contract also must be dated, and show the name and address of the seller.

Above all else trust your instincts and don’t sign anything without consulting someone you trust. Here at Tasco Security, we operate with the utmost ethical standards and only sell our customers those products and services that we truly believe fit their needs. If you are interested in discussing home security we would be happy to talk and walk you through your options.

When evaluating today’s security system options there is one major decision to make that will affect many aspects of the overall security of your home or business: would you rather go with a professional security service company or a DIY home security product? Both have their pros and cons – we will discuss each option below to help you decide which home protection system fits your needs.

Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Home Security Products

Pros:

• Installation: When installing a DIY home security system, the process is usually very simple. Most DIY systems are wireless and come with a simple adhesive backing for attaching to your wall. You will not need any tools or expertise, just simply follow the instructions to set up your sensors and control panel and you will be operational.
• Scheduling and Fees: Since you do not need a tech to install the home security kit there is no wait time and no need to be home waiting on a tech. Additionally, there is no installation fee since you are putting the security system in yourself.

Cons

• Installation: There will be no one on site to ensure your system is set up properly and functioning correctly. Home security experts have the experience of knowing how best to set up a security system for optimal performance. If you have questions or need assistance you will have to rely on calling a customer service number. You will also have to worry about setting off false alarms which can sometimes incur municipal fines and fees from your local police and/or fire dept. Many times municipalities require you to register the alarm system, with a professional security installer they take care of this for you.
• Customer Service: A DIY Security system relies on you, the owner, for troubleshooting. There are support numbers to call but in general, you are the point person for making sure your home security is functioning properly. When thinking about home protection you must be comfortable with your ability to work with the latest security technology if you are going to choose to go the DIY route.
• Hardware: Security systems have benefits in regards to homeowners insurance as well, many times lower rates are available to those properties that have security systems installed. However, with a DIY kit your deduction or claim may be rejected if you cannot prove your system was installed correctly. If your home suffers a break-in or a fire, and the security company claims the system was installed incorrectly, you could find yourself in a tough bind with insurance claims. Having a home security expert handle the install ensures you are covered.

Professional Security Service Company

Pros:

• Expertise: When using a professional home security installation company, you get years of experience, trust and training. You know your alarm system will be installed to the highest industry standards and set up for optimal performance. Security techs are often some of the friendliest and most understanding service people you will meet.
• Warranties: Home Security companies usually guarantee that insurance companies will sign off on their work. This gives you the confidence and peace of mind that if something bad does happen you will not have your insurance company dispute your installation.
• Scaling: With a security company you can easily scale your system to add new technologies or more robust features as needed; your existing relationship ensures that the process will happen quickly and efficiently. With a DIY alarm system it is on you alone to decide what security technology you need to add and how to make that happen.
• Hardware: Most home security companies ensure state-of-the-art hardware and make sure all software is updated as necessary. Your home security provider will keep you apprised of all changes/updates and ensure your system is always performing flawlessly. With a DIY kit, if a software update is missed or something crashes with your wireless, there is limited proactive notification to alert you to the issue.
• Discounts: Often times professional systems will qualify for discounts on homeowners insurance.
• Diagnostic Software: Most professional installation companies also offer monitoring services, where their diagnostic software will proactively monitor your alarm system. The will ensure the system is functioning properly and resolve any issues that can be taken care of proactively.

Cons

• Installation Fees: There is often a one-time fee associated with the installation of your professional security system.
• Schedule: You will have to schedule a time for a tech to come to your home and be there for the meeting.

As you can see, there are advantages and disadvantages to each option when it comes to your home security. Depending on your needs, your confidence in your ability to install a security system and whether or not you prefer to have a company you can rely on a phone call away, either option could work for you.

At Tasco Security, we have a wide variety of products to meet our customers' needs. We offer hard-wired as well as wireless home security options. When you choose Tasco Security, you are choosing a company that will work with you to determine the best security system options for your budget and your lifestyle. We tailor each system we install to the individual customer. Our experienced team has all the training necessary to determine which products and system installment are best for the layout of your home or business. We are happy to assist not only with the installation process but also during your entire experience as our customer. Contact us today to discuss your home security or commercial security needs.