Airport Safety Tips & Personal Security
Stay Safe While Traveling After hearing about Rochester International Airport receiving suspicious bomb threats on Thursday December 29, 2016, people who travel by plane should take airport safety tips seriously. These tips will assist you in making sure that you have safe travels. Keep Yourself Safe at Home as Well! Many people were either coming to the airport or just getting ready to board or get off their flight. Report from the news says that many did not expect to come to the airport to see that the roads blocked off and hear that they would have to wait to even get in. Airport Safety Tips Listen to Authority: If this situation ever happens to you, first and foremost, listen to authority. The proper authority will be contacted and arrive in a timely fashion. Don’t move or open anything that might look suspicious: Like the incident that happened at the Rochester International Airport with the two unattended bags, if you see anything out of the ordinary, don’t do anything without proper instructions. Leave all suspicious items to the proper authority to inspect. Act calm and appropriately: If you and your family or friends get separated in any case, act calm, as you will be connected once the incident is over. Keep track of all your belongings during emergency situations: Keep a close eye on all your luggage, bags and any young children you happen to be traveling with. Just because one incident happened at a local airport doesn’t mean that it has to put a damper on your future travel plans. If you or a loved one are traveling in the near future just always be cautious about your surroundings and keep in mind the above safety tips. Ensure Personal Security Through a Security Alarm Company Don’t forget to contact your security company to give them a heads up that you and your family will be away from home so if anything goes wrong at home you can be contacted in a timely fashion. Call SPS Fire & Security today at 585-770-0348 for a free consultation.
Protecting Your Packages During the Holiday Season
Don’t Be the Victim of a Porch Pirate It is that time of year again where many individuals get so busy that they are unable to make it to the stores to purchase their Christmas presents for that special someone. Since they are unable to make it to the stores, these individuals are heading straight to online shopping to make many purchases. Unfortunately, during the Christmas season, there have been reports of many package thefts happening all around the world. People will order their items online and then have them delivered. Chances are, they are unable to be home when that special item arrives. Leaving your items unattended all day and night on your doorstep will result in them getting stolen. According to ABC News, the average cost is $28 worth of packages stolen from your front door. Tips for Protecting Your Packages Major tip: Home security systems can come with video surveillance. Keep an eye on your porch and keep thieves away. If they still take the package, you have evidence. Here are other tips to protect your packages: Have your packages shipped to you at work if that is possible. If that is not an option, have a neighbor or friend wait at your house on the day your package arrives. When ordering online, keep a lookout for an email from the company you have ordered from for a link to the website with a tracking number. By watching the website for when your package will arrive allows you to plan accordingly for what day and time to expect the arrival. If you are sending a package to someone, pay the extra money if needed to have a signature requested when the package arrives. That way the delivery person cannot leave the package and you can feel more at ease to know it got to that special person. If the first three ways don’t make you feel comfortable then you can install a video surveillance camera. By doing so you can protect your home and packages. Plus you will have evidence of the package thieve. If you are a person that not only during the holiday season you have a lot of packages sent to you then you might want to take into consideration these helpful tips all year long. Contact Your Fire & Security Experts Also keep in mind that the holidays is a time for Christmas light hazards, tree fires, and break-ins. Consider contacting SPS Fire & Security at 585-770-0348 to make an appointment to have a security system installed. There are many options to protect you and your home and family from fire, carbon monoxide, and burglars.
Why Carbon Monoxide Detectors are a Must
Protect Your Family from Carbon Monoxide Carbon monoxide detectors are important devices to have in the home or business. Not all homes have carbon monoxide detectors and, to be completely honest, it is very crucial. However, you are probably asking why you need the carbon monoxide detector, what does the detector do, and how does it protect people? Important Questions about Rochester Carbon Monoxide Detection What is Carbon Monoxide? Carbon Monoxide is a toxic, colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas. This gas is less dense than air. What happens when carbon monoxide is released? If there is a trace of carbon monoxide in the air, the carbon monoxide detector sets an alarm allowing individuals to get out of the location before they get injured by the gas. Once the carbon monoxide detector goes off, you should get out of the house or business and go outside to a shared meeting place. Once you are outside, if the alarm is not connected to the fire department or the security company, then the fire department should be contacted. The fire department will go in and see if what the level of carbon monoxide was that was released and if it is safe to go back in. Sometimes the carbon monoxide detector will go off because it needs to be replaced or the batteries are low. Even if those are the reason for the detector to go off, it is always a good idea to exit and call the fire department for safety. How does carbon monoxide harm people? Carbon Monoxide poisoning occurs after a person has breathed in too much carbon monoxide. What are some signs of carbon monoxide poisoning? Some of the common signs of carbon monoxide poisoning are: headaches, dizziness, weakness, nausea or vomiting, shortness of breath and blurry vision. What to do if you have been exposed to carbon monoxide If you have been exposed to carbon monoxide, you should seek medical help. If the carbon monoxide detector has gone off at a location that you have been at, seek emergency help from the medical staff that comes on scene, even if you don’t have any of the symptoms mentioned above. The Best Carbon Monoxide Detectors Rochester If you or your business has any other questions regarding carbon monoxide detectors you can contact SPS Fire & Security at 585-770-0348 for a free consultation.
Rochester NY Motion Detectors 411
Everything You Need to Know About Motion Detectors Motion detectors are an important part of your home automation system and/or security system. Combined with door and window sensors, video surveillance, and the alarm system, This puts your mind at ease when you are at home and when you’re away. Motion detectors that use infrared technology, a 90-degree lookdown to make sure intruders are noticed, and a wireless signal range are highly effective in making sure the home has the security that it always needs. The best motion detectors have around a 50-foot range and a 100-degree wide-angle spread. The detectors are also tamper-proof and they are monitored so that suspicious activity can be detected immediately. When Motion Detectors are Triggered When a motion detector is triggered, the central monitoring station is notified. If you’re worried about your pets triggering the system, a pet under 55 pounds won’t trigger the motion detector. This removes the worry that a pet left at home is going to prompt contact with central monitoring. Nonetheless, when a motion detector is triggered, central monitoring can ensure the proper authorities are sent to your property so the intruder can be caught or so the intrusion can be investigated. Blends into the Home So there are no eyesores, motion detectors blend well into the home. They are small and usually not really noticeable. The only time a motion detector is noticeable is when you think about it or just happen to lay your eyes on it. Then there is the time in which you think about them and check them using a mobile application. This allows you to have even more peace of mind when you are on the go. Common Placement The common placements for motion detectors are around the front door, side door, back door, and off-street windows on the first floor. It also doesn’t hurt to have motion detectors and cameras near the basement door and stairs, garage door, and gates in the backyard. A good home security company in Rochester is going to know the common points of entry for burglars. It involves a look at your property so the points of vulnerability can be located. Other areas inside the home involve the master bedroom, living room, and home office as burglars look for important items to steal. Anywhere items of value may be kept are targets. Valuables include money, jewelry, and personal information that could be used for identity theft. Contact A Rochester NY Motion Detectors Installer It is important that motion detectors are installed correctly so you can get the most out of them. They need to face the proper angles and be placed in areas where intruders can be detected. Contact SPS Fire and Security today at 585-770-0348 to learn about motion detectors for home and business, how they can benefit the unique layout of your home and property, and to get answers to any questions that you may have so you can make an informed decision about motion detectors in your home or business.
Benefits of Video Surveillance for Business
How Video Cameras Can Protect Your Business A great number of businesses have video surveillance systems and many other security devices to protect not only the business, but their workers and customers. As technology improves, so does the security systems that are in the businesses. Nowadays, surveillance systems do a wide verity of things, such as video recording, capturing important details, and much more. One of the biggest benefits of security video is that the owner, boss or manager of the company can control it remotely from their home or from any where in the world. Video Surveillance Benefits Reduces Theft – By having a camera system installed at your business, you can easily cut the number of thefts that happens. Research has proven that the average small business losses around $50k per year. Business can cut that in half by just getting the system installed. Makes Available Evidence for Criminal Reports – When a business has a video surveillance camera and has a problem such as theft, it makes easier to have access to evidence by just viewing the footage from the camera. Law enforcement can replay footage to then make a clearer cut accusation for a report. Improves Productivity – Knowing that a company has a surveillance camera system will enable the employees to be on their best behavior when you are not at the business. Around the Clock Protection – When the company is closed, the owner or boss in charge can have peace of mind knowing that while they are sleeping the camera system is doing the job they need it to do. Cost Effective – Hired security guards and police officers patrolling the area of your business can be helpful, but sometimes they can be costly (thousands and thousands of dollars a year). They may be at your business a significant amount the time, but they sure enough don’t do what a surveillance system will do. Cuts Insurance Rates – By owning a surveillance system for a business, you can save up to 10% on your coverage. Reduces Liability – Many times a criminal will come into a business and make a false claim. With the camera footage, the owner can look to see what evidence there is before filing a report. Peace of Mind – Every person seeking a place of employment wants to find a job that they feel safe and secure going to. Having a surveillance camera gives all employees at a business the feeling of safety. Rochester Video Surveillance Experts Deciding on a video surveillance system can be tough, but it is better than not having one at all. If your company or a company that you know is in need of better security, contact SPS Fire and Security at 585-770-0348. We make the decision easy for you.
Car and Home Security in Rochester
Keep Your Car and Home Safe No matter where you plan on parking your car, you should never leave valuable things inside. It doesn’t matter if you are holiday shopping, at a friends or relatives house, or at your own home, break-ins, whether it would be in a car or home, can lead to valuable items being taken and for identity theft. In the last few days, there have been many posts on social media about car break-ins in and around Rochester. One of the individuals that had their car broken into had their groceries (soda and Gatorade) stolen, and then another individual had their expensive hunting gear taken. All of this was done while the cars were parked in their driveways. Now let’s talk about security at your own home for your car. What is the best type of security to have if your neighborhood or any surrounding neighborhoods have a high number of car break-ins? If you must leave valuable items in your car overnight or for a long period of time, there are some security tips and equipment that you can buy to protect your car. 1. Car Alarm System The first smart thing to do when purchasing a car is to get a car with an alarm or, if the car you like doesn’t have one, get one installed. A car alarm will go off when the driver side door is opened and the keys are not in the ignition to stop the alarm. 2. Motion Sensors Motion sensors are an important aspect of home security because they can detect when there is movement in a certain area. These lights will turn on when someone or something is moving near the sensor. 3. Video Surveillance A video surveillance system is a system that your security company can install that will allow you to be able to go on your mobile device or your computer to see any activity that may be happening. If there is a lot of activity that involves a lot of people at your house and your car does happen to be broken into, then you can go and see if the video surveillance footage can tell you anything. Not only is it good to do the three things that are listed above, but there are many other things that you could do to protect your car when parked right in your driveway. Don’t make your car and the things that are in it available for people to want to break-in. Contact An Expert Security Alarm Installation Company If you are interested in installing a security alarm or upgrading your alarm contact SPS Fire and Security at 585-770-0348 so we can help you get the security alarm that best suites you and your needs.
Home Fire Alarm Rochester: Christmas Light Safety
How to Prevent Christmas Light Fires It’s almost Christmastime and everyone likes to decorate at least a month early and use tons of lights. Some even have a beautiful light display that many will drive by to see. One thing that crosses many peoples’ minds is how much the electricity costs for the Christmas season or how do they keep from having a fire with as many lights as they use. Just note that because there is always a fire risk, you also need to ensure you have the proper fire alarm installed in your home so you and your family receive early warning that there is a problem. Christmas Light Safety If you are one of those individuals that like to decorate with lots and lots of lights, there are many things that you can do to prevent an electrical fire. If you forget to turn your lights off and are away from home, there are a few ways that you can turn them off right from your smart phone. Christmas lights When shopping for lights make sure you read the labels correctly. Putting inside lights outside can become dangerous and cause electrical shock. If you have lights from the previous Christmas, you want to check all the bulbs and the extension cord that they come on. If either is damaged don’t use them. Damaged cords can become overheated and cause a fire. Its always a good idea to save the extra bulbs that come with the string of lights so if one bulb needs replacing you are using the same exact light bulb for that string. Using a light bulb with a different wattage can be dangerous. When hanging lights on the tree, inside or outside, make sure that you connect no more than three strands of lights together. Connecting more could cause a fire because of overheating. Extension cords should not become overloaded with lights. When purchasing an extension cord, make sure you know how much wattage you are going to be connecting to it. Overloading the cord with more wattage than recommended can cause an electrical fire. Turning your lights on and off Make sure you turn off your tree lights, lights outside, or any Christmas lights used for decorating before you go to bed or before leaving your house. If there is ever a time that you forget, you can call a neighbor. If it becomes a repeated thing, you might want to invest in smartphone outlet plugs. These are plugs that you get for your house that you can plug the tree lights, outside/inside lights to. Once you have purchased the plug, you download the app that is connected to the plug. Follow the instructions in the app and you are good to go. Security System Fire Alarm Company Rochester If you have any additional questions regarding a home fire alarm Rochester residents trust in their homes during the holiday season and throughout the entire year, don’t hesitate to give us a call at 585-770-0348.
Former Burglars Reveal Reasons for Targets
Why Do Burglars Choose Certain Homes? Did you know that 71.9 percent of burglars target homes? That’s a staggering number. This figure was released by an NBC affiliate that sent surveys to convicted burglars throughout New Jersey and Jew York. The idea was to uncover the strategies that they used to break into homes. Below is what they found out, which is important for you to know so you can boost your home security and keep you and your family safe. The Biggest Findings The biggest findings had to do with unlocked windows. Forty-two percent of the burglars that completed the survey said that they entered their target homes through unlocked windows. Thirty-eight percent of them entered through unlocked doors. That is a lot of people leaving their doors and windows unlocked. The most common place they found valuables was in the bedroom. This was the first place that 75 percent of burglars looked after they broke in. The most targeted items were cash and jewelry. 84 percent of them went for cash and 80 percent of them went for the jewelry. Home security alarms do scare off burglars. Forty-two percent of burglars said that they left immediately when they saw an alarm system. Give Your Home Security a Boost If you don’t have a home security alarm, it is time to invest because that is the biggest deterrent when it comes to burglars entering your home. Here are some tips to help you give your home security the bump that you need: Install image sensors near all your windows or doors so that activity can be detected. If activity is detected, then the notification is sent to the monitoring center and to you. Smart lights are very good because they trigger at random times. This makes it appear as if someone is home although they aren’t. The lights can also be set to respond to certain events, such as movement in the home. If someone breaks in, a light can come on, and that can make the burglar go away. Surveillance cameras where there are high-valued items can be very useful. You can also place them near windows and doors. They can be placed inside and out. Back to the monitored home security alarm, one burglar gave advice to his own mother and that was for her to invest in an alarm system for her home so she would be protected. That says a lot when a burglar is telling his mother to protect herself against people like him. Other Security Tasks In addition to the items listed above, there are other things that you can do aside from keeping windows and doors locked and installing a security system. One thing is to make sure you lock your valuables away in a safe. Because burglars like to look in bedrooms first, you don’t want those things hiding under a mattress or in a drawer. If the safe is one that can be bolted to the floor or installed in a wall, you won’t lose those items. Also, never keep valuables sitting where a burglar can look through a window and see them. When they case the house, they are going to look through windows to see what they can steal. During the holiday season or even around birthdays, don’t leave empty boxes to electronics out with the trash. When a burglar sees that you have gotten a new television or computer, they are more likely to break into your home to steal those items. Make sure your windows and doors are locked while you’re inside. It is preached often that you need to lock them when you leave, but there are burglaries that happen while the occupants are home. This can be a very frightening experience. Make sure your doors are locked, windows are locked, and that your home security system is armed. That way if someone enters your home, your security system will alert you and the monitoring center will be alerted as well. Contact A Rochester Home Security Company One of the biggest things that you can do to ensure your home is safe from burglars is to contact SPS Fire & Security. Our experience, state-of-the-art equipment, and excellent service will help you protect everything that is important to you. To learn more, call us at 585-770-0348.
Things to Keep in Your Automobile in Case of an Emergency
Keep Yourself Safe on the Road All Year Round The thought of getting stranded or running out of gas leaves a nervous feeling in many of us. It affects our sense of security. There are Multiple things that you can do to make sure that your automobile is well-maintained, but what’s inside your car plays a key role as well when preserving your sense of security. Below is a list of ten of the most popular items that you would want to have in your automobile in case of an emergency: 1. Fully Charged Mobile Phone With technology these days, having a fully charged cell phone on hand is the quickest way to get in contact with someone. Some cars don’t charge cell phones while they aren’t running so if you notice that your phone is low on battery, charge it while driving. 2. Jumper Cables You come out from work, put the key in the ignition and your car doesn’t start. What do you do next? The smartest thing that you can do when finding a parking place at work or at any store would be to park where another car can park in front of you. Never pull through because it makes it harder for any one to help you out. Plus, it blocks car drivers from backing out. 3. Flashlights Flashlights come in handy for when you need to check under the hood or if you get stranded when it is dark outside. Again, your sense of security is very important. 4. Roadside Flares Roadside flares are the best form of light signals to have when it is dark out and you are on a busy road or thruway. Many people won’t see you or your car right away if it is a dark color. Having the roadside flares will allow other drivers to see you and your car ahead of time and give them enough time to move over to another lane, if possible. Keeping jumper cables in your automobile in case of an emergency, may not only keep you safe but others as well. 5. Blankets You should have one blanket for every person that is in your family. Even though you are in the car where it might be slightly warmer than it is outside, you want to be sure that everyone in your car is warm, especially if you have little ones. 6. Bottles of Water Keep one or two bottle of water for every person that is in your family. You never know how long you are going to be stranded for. Water is better for you and lasts longer than juice or soda. Keeping water in your automobile in case of an emergency, not only can keep you safe, but you could also use it to help another person or animal. 7. Food Granola bars are always a good food to keep in your car. Like Water and Blankets, you should keep one to two per person in your family in the car. 8. First Aid Kit Whether it is cleaning up a head wound from scattered glass or cleaning a boo boo for your three-year-old, a good stocked first aid kit always comes in handy. The first aid kit should have bandages, white tape, gauze, cotton balls, medical gloves, Neosporin, and anything else that you would think would be helpful during a medical emergency when on the road. Having a first aid kit in your automobile in case of an emergency, could keep someone safe until more help arrived. 9. Ice Scraper It is 5am and you are outside in the cold scraping your car windshield with a credit card. That is not always a good idea. Having a least two scrapers in your car would benefit you just in case one of them breaks. 10. Gloves (both work and winter) Both work and winter gloves are key essentials to your car kit. Winter gloves are not going to be safe if you need to check under the hood of your car. Buy safety work gloves in case you or someone in the car with you knows what it is that can be fixed under the hood. No matter what season (winter, summer, spring or fall) it is, always revamp your car kit based on the season. Sometimes you might not need the winter gloves or ice scrapers anyway, but you need extra water bottles because it is 90 degrees outside and there is always the possibility you’ll break down. When taking things out of the car kit, make sure that you have a bin to place all your off-season car items so you know exactly what it is that you took out. This keeps you equipped and organized. Contact Your Rochester Security Experts All in all, having a car safety kit is one of the most important things you can do for you and your family. You never know what is going to happen on your daily routine. Keep your insurance information and a good reliable towing service number handy in case of any emergency. To extend safety measures to your home, SPS Fire & Security can help you. Call us at 585-770-0348 to learn more.
New Parents: Using Home Security Products for a Safer Home
Using Home Security to Keep Babies Safe It is exciting to be a new parent. You have expectations and plans for your child. You want them to grow up to be a good person and to make something of themselves. You also want to keep them safe in every area of their life. Home security is where that safety starts. Keeping your child safe starts at home. There are several home security products that will help you make your home as safe as possible for your baby and you. This will give you what you need to be safe and feel safe. Peace of mind is a powerful thing when you are taking care of a new human being. The Usual Products in Home Security Of course, there are the usual products that you can use to make your baby safer. It won’t be long before your baby is crawling, so you want to put locks on toilet seats and covers for electrical outlets. You will also need safety gates to keep your baby from wandering all over the house. Pressure mounted gates can fit any size doorway and keeps you from having to permanently install hinges and latches in the door facing. It is entirely up to you, as babies eventually figure out how to knock down pressure mounted gates. You also need to childproof cabinets. There are some great locks you can buy at your local department store that are easy for you to figure out, but they aren’t so easy for the baby. This can keep them out of cleaning supplies and other harmful items. Lastly, a baby monitor that you can carry around the house with you while your baby naps or sleeps at night can help you keep your ears peeled. You know what’s happening in the room. Motion Detectors are Gold Motion detectors can be useful anywhere in the home. You can place them in your child’s room so that you know if anyone is trying to break into the house from that room. In fact, motion detectors can be useful around any doors and windows in the home. If you are a heavy sleeper at night and there is a possibility that you will sleep through the baby monitor, motion detectors are a good tool. Video Surveillance Video surveillance is another one of the best home security products you can opt for. This is because you can monitor your baby’s room while they sleep. As your baby gets older and begins sitting and playing on his or her own, you can monitor your little one in the room while you clean the house, do the dishes, or simply take a load off for a few minutes. Video surveillance is also useful for when you have a babysitter come to your home to watch your baby. You can keep an eye on things while you’re gone by accessing the system through your smartphone. If the babysitter doesn’t do their job or they are mean to your child, you can intervene or never hire them again. A video surveillance system can be just a camera or two or you can have many. Another area where video surveillance is useful is outside so that you can see who is at your door. This keeps your entire family safe. The Almighty Home Alarm System Motion detectors and video surveillance can be components of a full-scale home alarm system. If someone breaks into your home, you are going to know about it. The alarm will sound and it will most likely make the burglar leave very quickly, keeping your family safe. With video surveillance in place, you can get a glimpse of who the culprit is, increasing the chances they will get caught so they aren’t on the street to try and destroy another family’s sense of security. You can secure all doors and windows so that you have peace of mind, but also so you are much safer than you would be otherwise. Enjoy Your New Life With that said, enjoy this new life that you have with your bundle of joy. They grow up before your eyes and, of course, keeping them safe through every phase of their life is extremely important. With so many home security products that can secure the home and keep all of you safe, you take control away from anyone who would even think about interfering with your safety. SPS Fire & Security Can Help You with Your Security Needs To give your home the added security that it needs so you and your family can be safe, SPS Fire & Security offers state-of-the-art equipment and exceptional service so that you know you are much safer. To learn more about how we can help you, call us at 585-770-0348 for a free consultation.