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It was a record warm December, but winter has now arrived and that winter get-away to somewhere warm may be calling your name. The unfortunate fact is, most break-ins occur while homeowners are away on vacation.

If you are like most homeowners, you will worry about the safety and security of your home at least a little bit while you are away. Thankfully, here are some easy things you can do to prepare your home and put your mind at ease while you are away.

Alarms and Light Timers
To help deter intruders, set house lights to a timer so they go on at a set time in the evening even while you are away. It has been proven that if a home is lit at night, robbers are less likely to see the home as an easy target. Make sure your home alarm is set before you leave, and consider adding remote connectivity to your home security system so that you can arm and disarm your system even when you are miles away.

Call a Trusty Friend/Neighbor
When you go away, it is always nice to know there is someone watching over your home. Make sure this trustworthy person, whether they are a friend or a neighbor, has a set of keys, a passcode for the alarm system, and numbers to call if anything should happen. This trusty person should live close by so they can keep a lookout for your property as often as possible. Or hire a reputable property maintenance company to check on your house while you are away.

Just these few simple things can make you feel more secure about leaving your home, so you can sit back and enjoy your vacation. And if you are in need of an upgrade to your home security system, Tasco Security is just a call away.

Property protection is a must in both business and personal life, with locks being essential items found on most properties in New England. Cameras are also becoming increasingly employed as a further protective measure, helping to detect intruders and identify theft. High-resolution camera systems, like the ones found at Tasco Security, are especially helpful for clear viewing.

Considering that many homeowners and businesses install camera systems on their premises for security reasons, it might be surprising to know that there may be other equally-valid benefits to utilizing these helpful technology systems. Some of these benefits include:

1 - Workforce Productivity

◦ Business owners are always looking for innovative ways to boost productivity in the workplace. Meetings, focus groups, and motivational workshops are wonderful, but something needs to be introduced that will help hold employees accountable for their actions. This is where IP camera systems can come into play. Not only do employees feel more secure in their environment, they may also feel an increased motivation to perform their daily duties in a noble, diligent, and correct manner.

2 - Business Evaluation

◦ Video monitoring can be a powerful tool for evaluating customer behavior. Companies can view areas of their business that receive the highest level of foot traffic, helping to strategically place their items or services in these areas to boost their sales. Also, by monitoring customer interactions and behavior, marketing departments can have a better insight into how, why, and when customers engage in their shopping routine, helping to drive a successful marketing approach that is geared toward increasing overall profit.

3 - Remote Viewing

◦ IP systems are contained within a network that can send and receive high-resolution images and video clips at a moment's notice. Managers who work remotely or are traveling to meetings, corporate offices, etc., may benefit from an IP monitoring system. Homeowners can also use this as a means to monitor their home during vacations or out-of-town work commitments.

Keeping a home or place of business secure and protected from theft is certainly of top priority in many people's minds. However, by not taking advantage of life safety systems, other helpful benefits cannot be fully enjoyed. It is wise to always consult a professional IP system company to determine monitoring needs based on one's specific safety and business goals.

SOURCES:
http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/IP-surveillance
http://www.supercircuits.com/resources/blog/11-benefits-of-owning-a-video-security-system
http://www.ebay.com/gds/The-Benefits-of-Using-IP-Surveillance-Cameras-/10000000177630750/g.html

The increased awareness around school crimes, including bullying, theft, and shootings, have prompted a significant boost in high-tech security cameras on campuses all across the country. As it appears as though school-related issues happen every other day, many schools are attempting to crack down on deterring violence by implementing camera systems in classrooms, hallways, offices, and athletic fields.

Using cameras in schools not only supplies simple video monitoring. As a matter of fact, this technology is often complemented by other technology, including alarms and electronic security control. Here are some of the technology benefits of school cameras that are slowly being experienced by many public and private school institutions:

Camera Systems. Cameras have improved over the years, offering high-definition quality that can aid in clearer identification. Video can now be streamed on most computers, tablets, and even mobile phones, providing a speedier response in case of alarm.

Immediate Alarms and Control. Alarms can now be initiated immediately in case of emergency, helping to provide swift action among employees and law enforcement. These alarms can also initiate a number of controls, ranging from locking doors electronically to prompting security calls to local police.

Provides Peace of Mind. While camera systems aren't the absolute answer to maintaining security, parents can have a slight peace of mind sending their children to schools that maintain a high level of security awareness. Knowing that a school is implementing cameras, alarms, and other security measures can definitely be helpful for easing worried parents' minds.

Open campuses have been the norm for years; however, the undeniable fear that pervades some parents' minds and hearts are catapulting an initiation for change. Closing campuses may be safer, and the knowledge of camera systems as well as other security systems may be helpful in protecting children, teachers, and other school staff.

What are your thoughts on incorporating security cameras and other high-tech systems in schools? Share with us your thoughts on our Facebook page as well as in the comments!

SOURCES:

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/education/2006-10-09-school-security_x.htm

http://www.theguardian.com/education/2009/aug/04/schools-cctv-surveillance

With the constant development of technological advances for business and pleasure, it would seem that this would bring a lot of good to the world in more ways than one. Video surveillance has been an important piece to a wide range of business owners, and they are appearing more and more frequently in the comforts of one’s own home. We have all seen the commercials where the mother is stuck at work, but still able to see her children walk through the door after school. But what we are beginning to see more frequently, are the ways that private video surveillance systems help local authorities apprehend criminals.

We all remember the famous catchphrase, “you’re on Candid Camera,” where the hidden camera appears from the bushes causing the target to burst out laughing. This is very similar; however, these criminals don’t find it all that funny. Police in various precincts around the country are beginning to utilize videotapes from both business and homeowner if a crime has been committed, and low and behold, more often than not the criminals face is in clear view, leading to a quick and easy arrest.

We look at the importance of video surveillance and how it provides peace of mind to a business or home owner, but seeing true life accounts of how these systems function for the better, can ultimately lend a hand to your overall safety.

If you have any question or are in search of additional information, let us know at TascoSecurity.com.

Have you thought about using video surveillance in your home? Tell us on Facebook.

A very sad fact is that more than 3,500 Americans die each year in fires, and roughly 18,000 are injured. Most of these injuries do not happen by simply having bad luck. They are avoidable, depending on your recognition that fire and gas detection are major pieces to your home's overall security system.

All homes should have at least one working smoke alarm. It is a very inexpensive solution to your potential problem. However, you also need to be aware of this detection system. Test your smoke alarms monthly to make sure that it is working properly. Make sure that they are clear of any dust, and replace the battery once a year.

In addition to having a working smoke alarm, it is a smart idea to have a carbon monoxide detector as well. Carbon monoxide is a silent and deadly killer, so detection cannot be seen or smelt. Making sure that your CO detector is also working properly, following the same precautions as your smoke alarms, is critical in maintaining your home's ultimate safety and security.

For more information on our life safety systems, come visit us at TascoSecurity.com.

Fire safety has been a big part of our educational system growing up. We have been instructed on how to stop, drop, and roll, should you ever find yourself on fire. It has been drilled into our minds that "only you can prevent forest fires" from a giant, "pants-wearing" brown bear. Yet what about the situations that we cannot control?

What if a fire breaks out in your home while you are away? There are countless situations where you might feel helpless, but having your fire alarm connected to your local fire department is the first step in preventing any future tragedies from striking.

Let's take the previous example, where you are away for the weekend with your family, and something goes awry while you are gone. Your youngest child forgot to shut off their night light in their bedroom, and a roll of paper towels were situated rather close to this light. Obviously this is a hypothetical situation, but the point is the same. The paper towels start to warm up due to the heat emitting from the night light until it begins to smoke. Soon flames appear and before you know it, the room is about to catch on fire. Luckily for you, you made sure that your fire alarm was connected to the fire department, so they arrived before the damage spread.

Fires can bring devastation to a family, your home and neighborhood. Taking the proper precautions, you will be able to follow in Smokey's footsteps and not only prevent forest fires, but house fires as well.

For more information on fire prevention safety, visit us at TascoSecurity.com.

We live in society nowadays, that have adopted the mindset that everything must be innovative, and you need to be connected on the various social media outlets, to not only receive our day-to-day news, but to pass along some of our own words of wisdom. Facebook is a wonderful tool, connecting you to long lost friends, keeping in touch with family members, and providing breaking news from your favorite company, restaurant, or team, but there are also the negatives attached to this worldwide phenomenon.

Let’s say that you and your family are going on a cruise to the Caribbean. You are all packed and ready to go, excited about the fun in the sun, so you figure that before you go, you need to update your status, alerting all of your friends that they will not be graced with your creative quips for a whole week. What many of us forget to realize is that more often than not, the information you are sharing on Facebook is open to the public eye. All of your friends and family members will be able to see your statuses, pictures, and other postings, but complete strangers have that same ability. You return home from your cruise to find that your house was broken into, due to the fact that you shared your family’s whereabouts and timetable for your return.

This is happening more and more frequently, and we need to be aware of what we are sharing online. If you are excited about your upcoming trip and want to tell some close friends, pick up the phone and call them to let you know you are going out of town. Coordinate with a trusted neighbor, so that they may keep an eye on your place while you are gone. This is certainly not limited to vacation postings, but everyday occurrences. Scrolling through the “Time Line” of Facebook, you see numerous individuals delving every little detail of their day, complete with exact locations and whom they are with. Information that is extremely important to protect, should stay that way. Just because we have the ability to allow individuals a look into our day-to-day life, doesn’t mean that we should.

If you have any questions, let us know at TascoSecurity.com.

Do you share your vacations on social media? Tell us on Facebook.

Before choosing which type of holiday lights with which to decorate your home, or simply choosing lighting in general, it's a good idea to become familiar with their similarities and differences. When fully informed, you can decide which method of lighting, LED or incandescent, fits your home and style better.

According to Elemental LED, the "only similarity" between LED and incandescent lighting is that both are powered by electricity. The fundamental difference between the two, highlighted by Elemental, is the way in which light is created by them.

Incandescent lights, as explained by Energy Star, "produce light using electricity to heat a metal filament until it becomes 'white' hot or is said to incandesce. As a result, incandescent bulbs release 90% of their energy as heat." LED lights, according to Elemental: "produce light through electroluminescence, a process that creates very little heat and wastes little electricity, but otherwise relies on the same general principles of physics that incandescents do."

A major difference between LED and incandescent, which weighs heavily in favor of LED and will make the most sense to a consumer, is cost efficiency. The annual operating cost, according to Design Recycle Inc and based on the use of thirty incandescent bulbs per year equivalent, $32.85 per year for LED as compared to incandescent at $328.59 per year.

A well informed decision is vital when choosing lighting, particularly when planning for the holiday season. Researching and understanding the differences between LED and incandescent lighting will make your season brighter.

When choosing a home security service, it might be tempting to choose a nationally known company like ADT or a multiple service provider such as AT&T or Comcast, but taking advantage of a local service instead can benefit you greatly.

Tabatha Muntzinger writes for Charles Hudson: "with a simple check-in with your local BBB (Better Business Bureau), you'll be sure to find a local security company more than happy to protect your home and make sure you and your family's safety is of their utmost concern." Consider the following list of advantages when making your home security decision.

• Local Employees: A smaller local security company, as opposed to a larger organization like ADT, gives its employees the opportunity to form relationships with clients. This kind of service increases accountability for the service provider and improves confidence on the part of the client. These companies don't worry about selling their services nationwide, they want provide the best service possible locally.
• Faster Response Time: Muntzinger points out that, not only from a geographical point of view, local security companies are at a better advantage for protecting your home. Instead of your call being processed by a national call center, it is attended to by a dispatcher who is usually within a 50 mile radius of your home. She comments: "the difference in response time roughly translates to a 20-minute delay by the national companies. In that amount of time, robbers would be in and out, or a small fire could swell into an unmanageable one."
• Focus Solely on Your Security: In the case of a telecommunications company like AT&T or a cable company like Comcast, security is only one of the many services they provide. If a company is concerned with providing more than one service, it is easy for a customer's call to get bumped from one department to another, leaving the person frustrated and displeased with the service.
• Community Investment: By choosing a local security company, you can be content in the fact that your fees are being put back into your community. Jobs are created in your locality and, as Muntzinger, points out, "The people who run the company are your neighbors, and it benefits them just as much as it does you to have your home and your towns safe." A local security company makes your home safer and contributes to a greater sense of safety and well-being in the community as a whole.

Even though a larger company might be more well known, or offer you the chance to bundle your services, consider giving your business to a local service. They are customer service-oriented, provide quick responses, focused services, and give back to the community.

SOURCES:
http://charlesandhudson.com/5_reasons_to_consider_a_local_home_security_company/

When it comes to security you want to make sure that your home is taken care of. From the locks on every door or window throughout your house, to the constant upgrades that one makes to various security systems or home efficiency systems. A motion detector certainly has multiple advantages when it comes to efficiency as well as security, but is there drawbacks?

The old adage for real estate is location, location, location, and that rings true when dealing with installing a motion activated outdoor light. If you live in a high traffic area where vehicles and pedestrians are constantly zooming by your home, a motion activated light will light up your yard, but could prove to be more of an annoyance than anything else. There are ways around this, however, so you must pay close attention to the placement of the light.

The motion activated lights offer assistance for those coming home to a dark house at night. As soon as you drive up your driveway and notice that the walkway is pitch black, you will breathe a sigh of relief because you know that as soon as you step foot out of the car, your motion activated lights will detect that you are home and pop on, shining up the yard and walkway so that you can avoid your children's toys.

Installing a motion activated light not only brightens up your home's ambiance, but it beefs up your home's security. Remember to make sure that you are deciding upon the correct placement of your motion activated lights so that you are not woken up multiple times in the middle of the night because the neighbor's cat wandered over to your yard. Contact your local security experts for additional tips, tricks, and advice when it comes to installing and utilizing a motion activated light. Visit us at TascoSecurity.com for more information.