Each year over 3000 people die in house fires. Smoke detectors are a great prevention for house fire deaths. But which smoke detector is best? Watch this short video and learn the difference in ther common smoke detectors you purshase over the counter.
Thanksgiving is almost us. It’s a time for us to give thanks for our blessing and celebrate with family over a wonderful meal. Sadly, the kitchen is also the place where two out of every five home fires start. What should be a wonderful time can turn into a tragedy for families. As you approach the holiday cooking season, use the following tips from ESFI.com to make your holiday cooking safer.
Use the above holiday cooking safety tips to make your holiday celebrations safe and happy.
Last week a friend shared with me that their credit card company called about 2 strange charges for jewelry from China. Based on a conversation with the credit company, he initiated a fraud action which meant that the credit card issued him a new credit card.
My friend was frustrated because like many of us he uses his credit card for auto pays like utilities. He had to contact each of these business to change his credit card information.
These types of frustration have now become part of living in the digital age. Here are some tips from Trace Mayer for keep your credit card safe.
Keep these privacy tips in mind and you will protect your identity and financial information.
Is your commercial business secure? You have building security in place. Your parking lot has security cameras. You have established a firewall to protect your data. Did you know that your employee’s desk maybe a huge hole in your commercial security?
Here is what a security company found when they did an afterhours check of their employee’s desks and their suggestions for plugging these security holes.
Writing passwords on sticky notes. Employees may have a difficult time keeping track of all of their passwords, writing that information down on a piece of paper and leaving it out for all eyes to see is never a good idea. Keep in mind that after the office closes, many strangers can access the work space. One can never tell when a person might try and use employee passwords to compromise an account.
Writing sensitive information on a white board. Staff often brainstorm together and write down their ideas on a whiteboard. Several offices here at CSO had whiteboards. We found one with client names and billing information written on it. The information would have been very valuable to any potential competitors. After a work session, employees should put information in a less obvious place and put it away after hours. Advise staff to erase all whiteboards regularly.
Leaving sensitive documents on the desk. Also on several desks, we spotted detailed client contracts with billing terms. Like the whiteboard, the information might be valuable to competition. But depending on who views it, the client’s information might also be used for ill-gotten gains. Any documents with sensitive data belong in a locked drawer. Bottom of Form
Leaving a calendar or day planner out on a desk. One day planner we found contained private sales-related information. But a calendar might also contain the agenda or travel itinerary of a member of the staff. Depending on the company, that staff member (an executive, for instance) might be a potential target. All calendars and day planners should be locked up or taken out of the office at the end of the day.
Leaving an access card out. We found one desk with an access card hidden under a keyboard. That’s not much better than leaving it in plain sight – it’s like putting your house key under the welcome mat, the first place a thief will look. Access cards are used to protect staff from an unwanted intrusion. If an access card gets into the wrong hands, it can allow unauthorized people to roam around freely. Staffers should keep possession of their cards at all times.
Forgetting the printer. The printer in our office had several vendor contracts discarded in a pile of papers. After staff finish with printing jobs, they need to be mindful of any documents that were printed, even the ones that aren’t needed, and dispose of them appropriately.
Do a check on your employee’s desks for security holes in your commercial security. Then incorporate polices to plug the holes.
As the weather gets colder mice will look to entry your home! Mice can invade your home and damage your property, contaminate your food and spread serious diseases. Here are some housekeeping habits fromEHow.com that will help to keep your home safe and rodent-free.
Inspect your home thoroughly for any openings or holes that are more than ¼ inch in diameter. Seal any holes you find with concrete, metal or steel wool. Keep doors and garages closed, as well as any other doors that allow entry to the house.
Put food away. Keep it sealed in plastic containers, and clean up any spilled food that might draw a mouse’s attention.
Remove structures that a mouse could live in. This includes trash, tall grass and woodpiles. If you have a fireplace, store your firewood at least 12 inches off the ground.
Set traps around areas that mice are likely to run through. These can include cupboards, attics and closets. Check the traps on a regular basis, and remove dead mice as quickly as possible to avoid germs and odors.
Place poison baits outside the home, such as the garage or storage area. This prevents your children from gaining access to the baits. Also, be careful to place them where your pets cannot access them.
By following these tips you can keep your home secure from mice and rodents.
College students are vulnerable to threats to their personal safety. This is my third post in a series of three posts about school security. The Department of Education reports that on average 20 aggravated assaults and 25 forcible sex offenses were recorded per 100,000 students on college campuses and dormitories. Enhancing personal safety is a top concern for students and their parents alike. Here are 7 top common-sense tips for protecting your personal safety:
1. Keep dorm room doors locked at all times.
Keeping your dorm room locked is a first line of defense against unwanted visitors and threats against personal safety. Always lock the door when you are in your room or away from it, and never give out spare keys or door codes.
2. Whenever possible, walk with a friend or a group.
There is safety in numbers. When you are walking on campus, especially at night, walk with a friend or with a group whenever possible. Let your roommate know your schedule and when you’ll think you’ll be back in the dorm room.
3. Don’t allow strangers in your dorm room.
If someone is at the door that you don’t know or aren’t expecting, don’t let them in. It’s always best to be safe. Many attackers will force their way in when you open the door.
4. Avoid stairwells.
Attackers often lurk in dark or dimly lit stairwells, waiting for an unsuspecting victim. If you are walking alone, it’s best to avoid dark stairwells in buildings and parking garages whenever you can. When possible use the elevator instead.
5. Carry mace, pepper spray, a loud whistle or other personal security item.
You can ward off a would-be attacker and protect yourself by carrying a loud whistle or personal alarm. Mace or pepper spray can also be useful; you just need to be careful that you use the sprays properly. It’s also a good idea to take a personal defense class, which will prepare you for what to do if someone tries to attack you.
6. Limit walking on campus at night.
The majority of attacks on campus happen at night. Avoid walking alone on campus when it gets dark. And if you have to, walk in well-lit populated areas or walk with a friend.
7. Don’t post personal information on social media.
College students love social media. However, posting a lot of personal information such as your location, phone number, date of birth, personal photos and your whereabouts—can put your personal safety at risk. Posting personal information can leave you vulnerable to stalkers, attackers and identity and other people who may jeopardize your well-being.
Following the above tips can enhance your personal safety and keep you safe on campus. I hope that you have found these posts on school security useful for you and your children.
Since 2005, KMT Systems has been providing Atlanta area homes and businesses the finest security systems and alarm monitoring services.
