Alarm Definitions....A Refresher course

Congratulations on your alarm purchase!

You have made a wise investment in the protection of your home, business or property.

If you are not familiar with security or alarm systems, you may not know that there are lots of different words used to describe your alarm system and it's operation and capability.
To help you understand, the following are a list of alarm terms that you may encounter during the operation of the alarm system. Take a moment to become familiar with them.

• KEYPAD: The device you use to enter a code to arm or disarm a security alarm system. You can also see what device caused an alarm. An installer will use the keypad to program your security alarm system. This device is sometimes confused with the word "panel".
• KEYPAD CODE/USER CODE: This is the 3 or 4 digit number or "user code" that is entered into the keypad to arm/disarm your security system.
• ZONE: The area in which an alarm device covers. It's a way of describing or seperating the devices (glassbreak, motion detectors, smoke detectors etc.) that are attached to your alarm panel. For example, if a Zone 1 is programmed as garage door, everytime the garage door is opened, then the "Zone 1" light or display would light up on your panel. If an alarm comes in from "Zone 1", then the monitoring station would know that the alarm came from the garage door and would be able to identify the alarm to the police or homeowner.
• DEVICE:  The wired or wireless pieces of equipment that when activated, send a signal to the alarm panel which notifies the monitoring station. Example would be Motion Detector, Smoke Detector, Glassbreak, Water Sensors etc.
• PANEL:  The metal box that holds the circuit board or "Brains" of your alarm system.It also holds the backup battery that powers your alarm during times of main power loss.  Panels are typically located in either a basement, closet or above a drop ceiling, near a circuit panel and typically somewhere where it cannot be tampered with.
• ALARM:  A condition on the system that occurs when a device is activated. The system condition is sent as a signal to the monitoring center or central station where an operator can take action on the alarm.
• TROUBLE:  This is a signal (System condition) that indicates anything *but* an alarm. Examples would be a Phone Line Trouble, AC Power Loss, etc.
• RESPONSIBLE PARTY:  Persons on the account who should be notified in the event of an alarm or trouble condition on the system. A responsible party or contact should have access to the premise or the ability to contact the premise owner.
• PASSWORD: Sometimes confused with "code", passwords are used by the monitoring center to verify identity. The Monitoring Center will ask for your password when they make calls on any alarm or trouble conditions. Also, when the Responsible Party needs to make any changes to the account such as changes to a Notification List or Phone Number or when a system needs to be placed out of service, the Password will need to be given.
• TEST/OFFLINE/OUT OF SERVICE:  To test or work on the alrm system without having the police or fire department dispatched, the system will need to be placed into "test" mode. The owner or responsible party must call the monitoring center and give them the account number and password. Tell them you need to place your system on test and let them know for how long you would like the system on test. They will put your alarm on test mode for the length of time specified. Example, a school needs to have their monthly fire drill and will be setting off the fire alarm. However they do not want the Fire Department to dispatch trucks. They would contact their monitoring company and let them know they would like to have a fire drill scheduled for today from 10:00 to 10:30 am. Once the monitoring center verifies and places the system on test, the school is free to sound the alarms and test their student and teacher evacuation proceedures without worry of the fire department being dispatched on a false alarm.  If you are complete with your test before the test time is up, simply call the monitoring center back, give them the account number and password and let them know you are done early and the system will be placed back on line immediately.
• MOTION SENSOR:  Small transmitters placed in each room that detect motion and signal back to the security system.
• NOTIFICATION DEVICE: The device that gives the signal to the panel when an alarm condition is detected. A Notification device can be either auditory or visual.
• SMOKE DETECTOR: A device that detects the presence of smoke and transmits an alarm signal in the event of a fire.
• HEAT DETECTOR:  A device that detects the presence of excess heat and transmits an alarm signal in the event of a fire.
• STROBE:  A notification device that gives a visual signal when an alarm condition is detected on a fire alarm system.
• HORN:  A notification device that gives an audible signal when an alarm condition is detected on a fire alarm system.
• WINDOW OR DOOR SENSORS aka"GLASSBREAK": Small sensors attached to windows or doors that send a signal to the security system when their circuit is broken.
• CCTV:  A closed circuit camera system connect to a security system which records video of intruders, also called a Surveillance System. 
• WIRELESS SECURITY SYSTEMS: Security systems that work on batteries, and don't require any cabling or electricity to operate. A Wireless security system refers to how the devices communicate with the control panel within the home or office where it is installed.
• WIRELESS OR CELLULAR MONITORING: Refers to how the system communicates with the Monitoring Center. A Cellular System contacts the Monitoring Center on alarm or trouble conditions via the wireless or cellular network and does not rely on POTS or Plan Ole Telephone Lines to transmit the signals. A Cellular system comes with its own built-in cellular device in the control panel.

Hopefully, this list of common security terms will be of help to you.

If you have any questions on these or any other security, fire, surveillance or access control issues, please contact SAS Security Alarm Service at (972) 312-1700.

 

Cyber Security and Tips for Safe Computer Use

Are you "Social"? Do you use Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Foursquare or any other number of social networking websites? Is your computer protected?

With the tremedous growth in popularity of social networking sites and the trend towards living more and more of our lives online, the risks of being spammed or hacked grows exponentially.

Here is a quick look at five simple steps you can take to reduce your risk of attacks from malware and hackers.

1. Always Use Anti Virus Software:  Many web users still do not have even a basic anti-virus software program installed on their computers. This leaves you vunerable and open to attacks, data loss and most worrysome, identity theft. If you do have an anti-virus program installed on your system, take a look and make sure that it is current and up to date.
2. Update your computer: Pop up notifications.. Annoying right? But how much time would it take for your to get your life and financial matters back on track once your identity has been stolen? The patches and security fixes are vital to ensuring that your system stays safe and secure and your information remains guarded from cyber criminals.  Restarting your computer takes a lot less time than trying to remove a Trojan virus.
3. Routinely Scan your System and Connected Devices: Threat's may come and go in the matter of a few hours or days only to be replaced by another version. That's why it is important to routinely scan both your computer as well as any other devices (USB Drives, backups etc) that you connect to your computer. They are all capable of spreading infections. Most anti-malware products have settings avilable to run daily scans automatically. Take a look and make sure yours is setup to do so.
4. Strengthen and Change Passwords: Even the most amature cybercriminals can gain access to your accounts if they can get ahold of your passwords. If you don't think a website or email offer is genuine, then don't divulge your passwords. Treat it as gold. Make a phone call to check out the site if you think it's questionable. Also, when setting a new password, maximize your security by using a combination of letters (Upper and Lowercase) as well as numbers. Avoid anything expected like a birthday, child's birthday, pet name, addresses etc. Get into the habit of changing your password every three months.
5. Secure any business interests: If you are a business owner, unprotected computers can result in lost revenue and employee productivity. Make sure all networks and sensitive data is secured. A small investment in solutions that protect the points of entry (Email servers, Web servers etc) will save time money and frustration. Also note that the sources of computer infections are changing at a rapid pace.  Panda Security conducted a recent survey on Social Media Risk Index and found that 33 percent of small to medium sized business have been infected by virus's contracted via Social Networking websites.

Cyber security should be on the forefront of everyone's mind the minute they log into any website or computer. Threats are constantly changing and cyber criminals are always coming up with new ways to steal your data and exploit any open opportunities.  Make Cyber Security Awareness month  the primary time to review your computer security and keep your information safe and secure.

Avoiding The AppTrap

You've probably seen the ads or news stories for the new Smartphone Applications or "Apps" that allow you to monitor and control your alarm system remotely.

Are apps fun? Absolutely! Are they 100 % fail safe? Unfortunately No.

Apps can take time to load and run, some by nearly a minute to connect. At the edge of your phone coverage area calls my be dropped and apps may not work.
Alarm system apps typically run through communication and processing links, any of which can cause the app to run slowly or even fail to load.

Currently only about 30% of cell phones today have the ability to run and use apps.

But almost everyone who has a cell phone, whether it is a smartphone or standard phone, shares one tool in common - Text Messaging.

With Text Messaging, customers can connect to their alarm panel in seconds and begin interacting immediately. Text messages are simple and conpact and easy for anyone to understand and use.

DMP Alarm Systems skip the app trap and allow you to easy access to control and monitor your alarm from any location. With a text message, you have a direct, cellular link to your panel. This means fewer opportunities for security breach and less chance for communication problems.

Text Messaging is faster, more secure, more reliable and compatable with every cell phone in use today.
What's better than that?

Call SAS Security Alarm Service today and let us show you how we can give you peace of mind and security for your home and family.

McAfee's 12 Scams of Christmas - 2010

Before you head out to the malls on this upcoming Black Friday or log on to your computer on Cyber Monday, take a quick minute to check out McAfee Inc.'s recently released "The Twelve Scams of Christmas" -- the 12 most dangerous online scams this holiday season.

“Scams continue to be big business for cybercriminals who have their sights set on capitalizing on open hearts and wallets this holiday season,” said Dave Marcus, director of security research for Santa Clara-based McAfee (NYSE:MFE) Labs. “As people jump online to look for deals on gifts and travel, it’s important to recognize common scams to safeguard against theft during the busy season ahead.”

1) iPads: With Apple products topping lots of shopping lists this holiday season, scammers are busy distributing bogus offers for free iPads. McAfee Labs found that in the spam version of the scam consumers are asked to purchase other products and provide their credit card number to get the free iPad.
In the social media version of the scam, users take a quiz to win a free iPad and must supply their cell phone number to receive the results. In actuality they are signed up for a cell phone scam that costs $10 a week.

2) Help me! This travel scam sends phony distress messages to family and friends requesting that money be wired or transferred so that they can get home.

3) Fake gift cards: Cybercrooks use social media to promote fake gift card offers with the goal of stealing consumers’ information and money, which is then sold to marketers or used for ID theft.
One recent Facebook scam offered a “free $1,000 Best Buy gift card” to the first 20,000 people who signed up for a Best Buy fan page, which was a look-a-like. To apply for the gift card they had to provide personal information and take a series of quizzes.

4) Job offers: As people seek extra cash for gifts this holiday season, Twitter scams offer dangerous links to high-paying, work-at-home jobs that ask for your personal information, such as your e-mail address, home address and Social Security number to apply for the fake job.

5) Smishing: Cybercrooks are now “smishing,” or sending phishing SMS texts. These texts appear to come from your bank or an online retailer saying that there is something wrong with an account and you have to call a number to verify your account information. In reality, these efforts are merely a ruse to extract valuable personal information from the targets.

6) Holiday rentals: Cybercrooks post fake holiday rental sites that ask for down payments on properties by credit card or wire transfer.

7) Recession scams: Scammers target vulnerable consumers with recession related scams such as pay-in-advance credit schemes. McAfee said it has seen a significant number of spam e-mails advertising prequalified, low-interest loans and credit cards if the recipient pays a processing fee.

8) Greetings: E-cards are a convenient and earth-friendly way to send greetings to friends and family, but cybercriminals load fake versions with links to viruses and malware.

9) Price traps: Shoppers should be cautious of products offered at prices far below competitors. Cyberscammers use auction sites and fake websites to offer too-good-to-be-true deals with the goal of stealing your money and information.

10) Charity scams: Common ploys include phone calls and spam e-mails asking you to donate to veterans’ charities, children's causes and relief funds for the latest catastrophe.

11) Downloads: Holiday-themed screen savers, jingles and animations are an easy way for scammers to spread viruses and other computer threats especially when links come from an e-mail or IM that appears to be from a friend.

12) Wi-Fi: During the holidays many people travel and use free Wi-Fi in places like hotels and airports. This is a tempting time for thieves to hack into networks hoping to find opportunities for theft.

McAfee advises Internet users to follow these five tips to protect their computers and personal information:

• Stick to well-established and trusted sites that include trust marks (icons or seals from third parties verifying that the site is safe), user reviews and customer support. A reputable trust mark provider will have a live link attached to its trust mark icon, which will take visitors to a verification website of the trust mark provider.
• Do not respond to offers that arrive in a spam e-mail, text or instant message.
• Preview a link's web address before you click on it to make sure it is going to an established site. Never download or click anything from an unknown source.
• Stay away from vendors that offer prices well below the norm. Don't believe anything that sounds too good to be true.
• Make sure to use trusted Wi-Fi networks. Don't check bank accounts or shop online if you're not sure the network is safe.

Read more: Full Story at Biz Journal

THANKSGIVING SAFETY TIPS

Thanksgiving....A day full of good food, family and friends and the chaos that goes with trying to feed and entertain a large gathering. In addition to your cooking and entertaining, remind your families and loved ones to take a minute to focus on safety so that your holidays are happy ones.

• Cooking fires are more than three times as likely to occur on Thanksgiving Day than on any other day of the year.
• An estimated 2,000 Thanksgiving Day fires in residential buildings are reported to US Fire Departments each year. These fires cause an average of 5 deaths, 25 injuries and $ 21 million dollars in property damage and loss.
• Smaller confined fires account for 71% of Thanksgiving Day fires in residential buildings.
• Thanksgiving Day fires occur most frequently in the afternoon hours from 12 to 4 p.m. with the peak time from noon to 1 p.m.
• Cooking is the leading cause of all Thanksgiving Day fires in residential buildings at 69%. Nearly all of these (97%) are small confined fires with limited damage.

SAFETY TIPS FOR THE KITCHEN:
Although you get busy with the preparations, make sure safety is still a top priority:

• Keep the cooking range free of clutter. Even though you have multiple dished to prepare, don't overload a cook top with too many pots and pans. Grease can be more easily spilled onto a range and cause a fire.
• Do not try to hold children while cooking. Holding a child while cooking is an open invitation for a burn for either the child or the parent or both. It's best to keep children out of the kitchen while all of the cooking is going on.
• Never put a glass casserole dish or lid over a hot burner. If it gets overheated, it can explode and send shards of glass in all directions.
• Evaluate all appliances and look for the UL mark. When purchasing electronic appliances such as slow cookers, warmers or electric knives, be sure to look for the UL or Underwriters Laboratory mark. The UL Mark is one of the most widely recognized and trusted symbols among consumers.  Manufactures use it to indicate that their products have met specific safety standards and passed rigorous testing procedures.
• Avoid using Turkey Fryers. Turkey fryers pose a number of distinct safety measures, not limited to burns and fire hazards. For those reasons, Underwriters Labs does not currently certify any turkey fryers. If you choose to use a turkey fryer for your Thanksgiving feast, be sure to take all recommended precautions and check the UL website for turkey fryer safety tips here.
• Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and know how to use it. Make sure the extinguisher is UL listed and rated for grease and electrical fires. Read the directions carefully and know how to use it *BEFORE* an emergency occurs.
• Remember, P.A.S.S or Pull the pin, Aim the spray nozzle low at the base of the fire, Squeeze the nozzle to spray the contents, Sweep back and forth as you spray the base of the fire.
• Always keep a potholder, oven mitt and lid handy while doing any cooking.  If a small fire starts in a pan on the stove, put on a flame resistant mitt and smother the flames by carefully sliding the lid over the pan. Turn off the burner and do not remove the lid until the pan and food has cooled.
• Never wear loose fitting clothing while cooking.  Long, open sleeves can easily ignite and catch fire from a gas flame or hot burner. Wear short, close fitting garments or tightly rolled sleeves. Remember to wear long hair pulled back from your face.
• Keep smoke detectors connected while cooking. Smoke alarms save lives. Make sure your smoke detectors have fresh batteries and that the unit is working.
• Stay in the kitchen while food is cooking. Most kitchen fires occur because food is left on the store unattended.
• Turn pot handles away from the edge of the stove. Make sure that pot handles are not hanging over the front of the stove. Pot handles can be to easily bumped or grabbed by small children. Turn all handles toward the back of the stove for safety.

By keeping the above tips in mind, not only on Thanksgiving but everyday, you will keep your family and loved one's safe. Don't become a holiday fire statistic - Have a Safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

Keep Kids Safe and Happy this Halloween

Costumes, candy and scary things, can it get any better for a kid?

To make sure your little witches, goblins, scarecrows and princess' are safe this Halloween, Nationwide Children's Hospital offers these quick safety tips.

COSTUMES:
 Be sure your child's costume is large enough to be worn over warm clothes, if needed, but not so large that they could trip. Bright colorful costumes that reflect light and can be seen by drivers are best.
Add reflective tape to costumes or trick-or-treat bags. Reflective tape can be found in hardware or sporting good stores. Choose costumes and accessories that are flame resistant. Shoes should be comfortable for walking. Choose face paint or make-up over wigs or masks as they can interfere with a child's vision. To be seen more easily, have your child carry a flashlight.

PEDESTRIAN SAFETY:
Young children should always be accompanied by an adult or an older responsible child. Walk from house to house and use the sidewalk. Cross streets at crosswalks or well lit intersections. Remember, don't walk between parked cars and avoid crossing thru lawns or yards where ornaments, furniture or objects present dangers.

SAFE HOUSES:
Children should only go to homes where the residents are known and who have outside lights on as a sign of welcome.  Never enter a home or an apartment unless accompanied by an adult. If you are expecting trick-or-treater's remove anything that could be an obstacle from lawns, steps and porches. Candlelit jack-o-lantern's should be kept away from landings or doorsteps where costumed children could brush against the flame. Never leave a lit pumpkin unattended. One option for your jack-o-lantern is to use a flameless candle. Leave both indoor and outdoor lights on if you want visits from trick or treaters.

POISON PREVENTION:
Check your child's treats and throw away anything that is not securely wrapped. Do not allow your child to eat any candy until you or another adult check it for tampering. The  wrapper should be intact on all candy.
Fruit should be undamaged, washed and cut before eating. Do not allow your child to eat homemade treats unless you know and trust the person who made them. Young children should not have gum, nuts, seeds, hard candies or other choking hazards such as toys with small parts. If you suspect tampering with any of your candy or treats, contact the police.

Have a safe and Happy Halloween!

Have an EXIT strategy - Work, Live, Play

Imagine you are in a crowded place and a fire breaks out.... do you have an exit strategy?

Many people overestimate the amount of time they might have to escape from a fire. Many mistakenly believe they have at least six minutes to escape before a fire becomes life threatening. Fire and toxic smoke spread much quicker than you might think.

A small fire can grow in a matter of seconds into an inferno, creating thick toxic smoke. Temperatures can quickly soar to 800 degrees or more. Flashover, the point in a fire when superheated gases cause everything in a room to ignite, can kill occupants within 2 - 4 minutes.

In any fire, seconds count. Once a room becomes thick with smoke, it is difficult to see. In the panic, people rush to the only way they know out, the entrance. However, that may not always be the best or quickest way out.

Whenever you enter a building, any building, be it a mall, your child's school or day care, the local post office, plan an exit strategy. Notice at least two different exits that you can use in the case of an emergency.

Why two exits? Any one exit can become blocked in the event of an emergency, so having at least one and preferably two alternative exits, can save your life.

EXITS: Make a mental note of where they are located. Not just doors with lit exit signs, but windows as well, if you are on the first floor.

DOORS: Take notice. Are they blocked or locked? Sometimes, restaurants or retail managers lock doors to keep people from sneaking in or out. In a club, bands may stack their equipment off stage. Trash or boxes may be stacked in front of a door. If you ever see a door blocked, bring it to the attention of the owner/manager and local authorities immediately. Objects in exit ways (halls leading to an exit), boxes, stacked merchandise, equipment, trash, can impede the exit pathway in case of an emergency.  Keeping exit pathways clear of any obstacle enables people to exit a location, quickly and safely.

CROWDS: Clubs, restaurants, public establishments have capacity limitations put in place by the local authorities for your safety. If people are jammed in to a location like sardines, move close to an exit. If doors or halls are also packed, report it to the local authorities. Often times like new year's, birthdays, weddings, Fourth of July - when people get together to celebrate, especially if alcohol is involved, safety is forgotten.

Keep a level head, don't panic and be confident that you have an exit strategy in place.

** The Have a Exit Strategy was the result of a study conducted by the Texas State Fire Marshall's office in 2004. They conducted fire safety inspections of bars, nightclubs, lounges and dance halls in eight Texas counties. Of the 189 establishments that they inspected, 182 of them had means of egress violations. For more information and resources, visit Texas State Fire Marshall - Have an Exit Strategy.