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What are the key
benefits of having a home security system?
Home alarm
systems deter intruders from attempting break-ins: homes without alarm
systems are 2.2 times more likely to be burglarized than homes with
alarm systems. Source: The Greenwich Case: Securing
Suburban Homes, 1995. Simon Hakim.
A burglary or
fire does not go unnoticed when the home or business is unoccupied. A
monitored system provides automatic notification of authorities in the
event of intrusion or fire whether the premises are occupied or not.
Insurance
companies commonly offer discounts of 10% or more when premises are
protected by electronic security systems.
A variety of
systems are available at every price range. The industry is so
competitive that consumers can now find a system at a price that will
fit into their budget.
Of all
uncompleted burglaries, 74% can be credited to an audible alarm. Source:
Securing Home and Business, Hakim and Blackstone.
Persons who
travel for business report improved peace of mind knowing that the
spouse who remains at home has the benefit of intrusion detection.
Security systems
offer more than security. They can be configured to monitor doors and
windows, but they can also detect smoke, heat, carbon monoxide, freezing
temperatures, and rising water. For persons with medical conditions,
system sensors can be set to go into alarm if there has been no activity
in a prescribed period of time, indicating a possible medical emergency.
Portable panic
buttons provide extra safety for persons at risk for debilitating
illness or accidents when they are left alone. Children and elderly
persons with medical conditions are among those who benefit from
carrying portable panic buttons for sending an alarm to the central
monitoring station.
Systems commonly
include alarm verification technology that greatly reduces the chance of
false alarms. Before authorities are dispatched, operators use audio
verification to be in voice contact at the alarm location. If the alarm
is accidental, the user can cancel the alarm by providing an authorized
user code. If the code is not provided, the authorities are dispatched.
Secure your
greatest assets
Keeping safe and secure is the goal of all families. Yet threats exist
which all too often turn family happiness into family tragedy and
property loss.
To ensure that
your home and family remain safe and sound, four main areas must be
addressed within the home:
- fire and smoke
- burglary and robbery
- carbon monoxide
- home system breakdowns (including water pipes or furnaces, which
could lead to more serious physical damage)
Fortunately, you
can take common sense steps today to help prevent tragedy from striking
tomorrow. That's why this family guide is being provided to you by ITI.
Here you will
find sound advice on home protection and safety, including the role of
wireless security in the home environment. More importantly (independent
of any purchase decision), this guide outlines measures you can take
today to ensure the safety of your home and family tomorrow.
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FIRE
and SMOKE |
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The best way to
protect against fire is to ensure you are practicing good fire
prevention in the home. Begin by--
- Contacting
your local fire department or the National Fire Protection
Association for free information regarding home fire hazards.
- Making fire
prevention a family affair. Involve everyone in a home fire safety
program. Identify and remove potential hazards like frayed
electrical cords, overloaded sockets, and piles of rags.
- Keeping
matches and lighters out of the reach of children.
In addition to
prevention, you must make certain that your family is protected in the
event of a fire. Studies have shown that three leading causes of death
due to home fires are--
- No smoke
detectors
- No batteries
in smoke detectors
- No escape plan
Why are smoke
detectors so important? Statistics show that more than half of all fatal
home fires occur at night when people are asleep. The sooner a sleeping
person awakens and begins an escape, the greater the chances of
surviving the fire.
For these
reasons, installing smoke detectors and creating an escape plan that
everyone knows how to use are vitally important steps you can take today
for the safety and well-being of your home and family.
Smoke detectors
should be installed on every level of your home, including the basement.
Contact your local fire department or security dealer for professional
advice on smoke detector placement. And make sure your smoke detectors
are working. Roughly one-third of the tens-of-millions of smoke
detectors in homes are not in proper working condition and therefore
cannot help save lives.
If you install
battery-operated detectors, replace batteries according to the
manufacturer's directions and test detectors at least once a month. Your
security dealer has information on how wireless security systems use a
variety of sensors to detect smoke, fire, and other threats.
Stand-alone smoke
detectors only warn occupants inside the home who then must act to
protect property. A complete life safety system will warn the occupants
of the home and also make certain the appropriate authorities respond to
your emergency.
If the electronic
sensor detects a problem, it warns you and relays an electronic signal
to a Central Monitoring Station, which immediately dispatches the help
you need. In this manner, your home is protected even when you are not
at home. And because wireless systems are self-testing and supervised,
you know that your system is working 24 hours a day, every day of the
year.
Remember: roughly
two-thirds of home-fire deaths are caused by inhaling smoke and toxic
fumes. Smoke detectors alert you to deadly smoke, which allows you time
to escape. Take steps today to make sure your home has smoke detectors
and an escape plan that everyone knows and practices!
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Burglary
and Robbery |
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More than seven
million burglaries are committed in houses and apartments each year.
However, you can take steps today to increase your personal safety and
protect your personal property:
- Get to know
your neighbors so you can watch out for each other and for your
neighborhood.
- Get the neighbors together and ask for a meeting with your local
police to discuss common-sense security measures.
- Keep your possessions inside and locked up when not in use. Make
sure to keep your garage door closed, even if you're only going to
be away for a few minutes.
- Maintain good lighting at every entry point to your home.
- Make certain that your doors and windows are secure and have
adequate locks.
- Never put an identification tag on your key ring. Your keys may
become lost and fall into the wrong hands. And never hide your
keys outside; burglars know all the hiding places.
- Put a hold on your mail and deliveries while on vacation. Use
timed lights so it appears that someone is home while you are
away.
Of course one of
the best ways to protect your home is with an alarm system. You are far
less likely to be a victim of a burglary if you have an alarm system
installed.
Wireless security
systems allow you to design a system protecting all outside doors and
window entry points against intrusion, with the added security of
interior motion detectors.
Using electronic
sensors, wireless security informs you of any unauthorized entry to your
home--or unauthorized movement inside your home--with sirens, alarms,
and flashing lights. Simultaneously, an electronic signal is sent
directly to the Central Monitoring Station and the police are
immediately dispatched to your home.
Door/Window
Sensors detect the opening and closing of doors, windows, drawers or
just about anything that opens and closes. Unauthorized entry will
trigger the sensor, alerting you with an alarm.
Panic Buttons are
a portable means of sending out an emergency signal. You can place one
on your bed stand at night and keep it nearby when you bathe. Panic
buttons are also available as lightweight pendants that can be worn
around your neck day and night if you choose.
ITI security is
more than just a burglar alarm. It monitors your home or business for
intrusion; detects fire, smoke, and carbon monoxide; it even controls
temperature and lighting.
Using a variety
of electronic sensors, ITI security monitors your surroundings. When a
problem is detected, it relays the message to a Central Monitoring
Station and help is dispatched 24 hours a day, every day of the week.
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Carbon
Monoxide |
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Carbon Monoxide
is an odorless, silent killer. There is no way to know if carbon
monoxide is in the air without the use of some form of detector. Carbon
monoxide in the home is most likely to come from one of two sources:
your furnace, or a running automobile.
Protect your
home from this silent killer:
Do not run your
car in an enclosed space, such as an attached garage. Carbon monoxide
fumes could quickly fill the area and overtake anyone present.
Keep your furnace in good working order, following manufacturer's
directions, and maintain a program of maintenance and inspection.
Carbon monoxide
detectors are available to protect your family and home.
Battery-operated detectors for carbon monoxide must be maintained with
routine battery replacement and checks. Battery-operated detectors do
not work for both smoke and for carbon monoxide. You must purchase a
carbon monoxide detector separately from a smoke sensor.
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Home
Breakdown |
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The failure of a
furnace, especially in colder climates, can have disastrous results. If
the occupants are gone for the weekend, freezing temperatures inside a
home can freeze and crack water pipes, toilet bowls, and other plumbing.
While the
consequences of freezing pipes are seldom life-threatening, they do
represent a threat of substantial economic damage to your home--and
disruption of family and work routines.
You can protect
against these threats to your home with wireless technology. When the
temperature in your home drops below 42°, freeze sensors send a signal
to a control panel which in turn relays the message to a central
monitoring station. If no one is at home to correct the problem, your
personal call list will be used to notify a responsible party to correct
the problem.
Secure your
greatest assets today
Take the actions necessary to protect and secure your greatest
assets--your family and your home--with the following common-sense
measures:
- use working
smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors
- have a fire escape plan
- secure all doors and windows
- maintain a safe and efficient furnace
No matter how you
choose to protect your home and family, take action today to guard
against the potential tragedies brought by fire, smoke, carbon monoxide,
furnace breakdowns, and intrusions. The action you take today may well
prove life-saving tomorrow. Call an authorized ITI dealer for more
information.
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