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Safety at Home – Your Basement
I think we can all agree – no two basements are alike. Whether your basement is a livable space or rough around the edges, it’s important to keep in mind that basements require a little extra attention than the main living areas of your home.
Below are some tips for basement safety.
Flooding
Basements are a magnet for moisture and flooding. Many homes store the water heater, which can leak after so many years of service. Protect against costly damage with a flood sensor or water bug. You’ll be alerted when any water is detected.
Radon Detection Kits
Radon is a radioactive gas that comes from the soil. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking, and since it’s odorless and invisible, it’s impossible to detect without equipment to test for radon in the house. If levels are higher than what’s deemed safe, you can hire a radon remediator.
Carbon Monoxide
Anything that burns emits carbon monoxide—that includes your furnace and hot water heater. It’s important to install carbon monoxide detectors in your basement, otherwise this odorless, invisible, and poisonous gas accumulates undetected. EMC Security monitors for carbon monoxide at no additional monthly cost.
Storage Areas
Basements are a stockpiling station for our excess belongings. If you have shelving for storage, double check weight limits, so your stuff doesn’t come crashing down onto your kids, pets, or yourself. Proper storage of hazard materials such as paint and aerosols is crucial to prevent fire and poisoning.
Burglary Prevention and Detection
Basements doors and windows are popular areas for intruders to enter a home. Ground floor doors and windows (including those in the basement) should be protected with entry sensors that communicate with the alarm system. If a door or window is opened, the alarm will alert you, and authorities can be dispatched. EMC Security offers alarm systems for as low as $199, with monthly monitoring from just $16.95 with no contract required.
Contact us today to get started.
EMC Security Referral Program
We understand the importance of having a company you can rely on and would like the opportunity to offer the same level of protection and professional service to your friends and family.
And now, refer a friend between now and February 29 and get 2 months free if they become a customer. We’ll also give your friend 2 months free to get started.
Complete the form below to refer your friend now:
5 Garage Safety Tips
Garages are home to our cars, lawn mowers, and—usually—lots of chemicals. Depending on how you secure your garage, it can be easy prey for burglars and for fire.
Below are some tips for garage safety:
1. Garage Door Locks
Garage doors are often overlooked when it comes to home security. Always remember to your garage door closed – even when you’re home. But sometimes, that’s not enough. Tech-savvy thieves can break into automatic garage doors in under six minutes if given the chance. Prevent intruders from getting into your garage by adding a smart plug that you control from your mobile phone.
2. Hazardous and Flammable Materials
If you do have to keep hazardous materials on-hand, store them high up on shelves away from children and direct heat sources. Read more about what constitutes a hazardous material to determine the best way to store and dispose of items.
3. Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide is an odorless, poisonous gas that’s produced when you burn coal, wood, charcoal, oil, kerosene, propane, and natural gas. Carbon monoxide becomes deadly when confined, so you should never leave a car running inside of the garage. Without proper ventilation, toxic levels of carbon monoxide build up, seep into your home, and cause illness or worse.
4. Car Security
Protect your car while it’s parked in the garage or driveway with the help of steering wheel locks and car alarms.
5. Door to the House
Protect the garage door into the house with a security system that will sound the alarm and notify you when the door sensor is triggered. This is the best way to deter would be thieves from entering your home if they happen to breach your garage.
EMC Security’s Dispatch Procedures
EMC Security monitors for the following Residential emergency conditions:
- Burglary
- Fire Alarm
- Carbon Monoxide
- Medical Emergencies
- Panic/Duress/Hold-Up/Keyfob
EMC Security’s response from the time we receive the alarm signal is received by the customer in an average of less than 14 seconds. It is important to note that if dispatch of authorities is required, EMC Security can’t control how timely the authorities will arrive at the property.
Dispatch procedures are outlined below for each emergency signal.
Burglar Alarm Signal
Once EMC Security receives a Burglar Alarm Signal that has not been canceled in the home on the keypad, one of two things occur:
1. Optional EMC Text-Alert
- All emergency contacts enrolled in EMC Text-Alert will receive an automatic text notification of the alarm.
- The contact can dismiss/cancel or dispatch authorities directly from the platform.
- If no one responds within 90 seconds, or is unable to provide a correct password to dismiss the alarm, the phone call procedure below will begin.
2. Phone Call Procedure – 2-call verification
- The EMC Security monitoring center operator will attempt to reach the emergency contacts to notify of the alarm. If the emergency contact requests to dismiss the active alarm signal, the password will be required.
- If two emergency contacts are unable to be reached and/or unable to provide the correct password, dispatch will be made to the Law Enforcement agency listed.
- Remaining emergency contacts will then be attempted and their instructions will be followed including cancellation of dispatched agencies if they are able to provide a valid password.
Burglar Alarm Signal with Abort/Cancellation from the Keypad
If you are unsure if the alarm is a false alarm, do not silence the alarm at the keypad until you receive a call from EMC Security.If you opted into EMC Text-Alerts, a free text notification platform, and the alarm is cancelled at the keypad, indicating a false alarm, a text message will be sent to the first 2 phone numbers on the account with a notification that the alarm cancellation signal was received, and confirming no further action will be taken.
Fire Alarms
- The EMC Security monitoring center operator will attempt to reach the emergency contacts to notify of the fire alarm. If the emergency contact requests to dismiss the active alarm signal, the password will be required.
- If the first two emergency contacts are unable to be reached and/or unable to provide the correct password, dispatch will be made to the Fire Department. Remaining emergency contacts will then be attempted and their instructions will be followed including cancellation of dispatched agencies if they are able to provide a valid password.
- Voice mails are not left when calling on fire alarms due to keeping the time spent verifying to a minimum in the event of an actual emergency.
- Remaining emergency contacts will then be attempted and their instructions will be followed including cancellation of dispatched agencies if they are able to provide a valid password.
- EMC Text-Alert and the abort/cancel at the keypad procedure do not apply for fire alarms.
Carbon Monoxide Alarms
- The EMC Security monitoring center operator will attempt to reach the emergency contacts and advise that the premise should be vacated until the Fire Department arrives.
- Dispatch will be made to the Fire Department regardless of any password verification and instructions received from any person(s) on site.
- In the event of a request to cancel dispatch, the operator will update the responding agency with new information. Cancellation will be at the discretion of the responding agency and cannot be guaranteed.
Medical Emergencies: The medical emergency button is pressed on the keypad
- If applicable, the monitoring center operator will attempt to verify the situation via the two-way keypad device.
- If a valid password cannot be obtained from person(s) on site, or the keypad is not a two-way device, the operator will attempt to reach emergency contacts and follow their instructions.
- If the first two emergency contacts can’t be reached, dispatch will be made to the EMS agency listed then an attempt to notify additional emergency contacts will be made.
Panic/Duress/Hold-Up/Keyfob
- Dispatch to the Law Enforcement agency listed will be made immediately and will be the sole action taken.
- No further calls will be made to premise, responsible parties or other contacts listed to avoid complicating a potentially dangerous situation.
Text/Email Notifications: System signals such as Low Battery, Power Loss, Communication or Sensor Trouble
If we receive a trouble signal from your system indicating possible battery or power loss, you will receive a text and phone call from 833-700-0294 with a link to request EMC Security technical support.
Contact EMC Security at 770.963.0305 with any questions regarding the dispatch procedures.
How to Prevent Security Camera Hacking
Have you seen the latest news about the popular security cameras and doorbell cameras being hacked?
Cameras are supposed to create peace of mind. Instead, these cameras enabled creeps to view the home (and occupants) and speak through the speakers. Young children have been traumatized. Their parents have lost faith in what should help them sleep better at night. “This is our first house,” the mother said. “It’s really sad to not feel safe.” Read full article here.
Among others, on Dec 30, a class action lawsuit was filed in California targeting Amazon Ring’s alleged negligence with regard to security practices. The filing shows that hackers created a tool specifically for compromising Ring cameras.
Amazon has responded to the various incidents blaming poor password practices and warning customers to change their passwords frequently. This might sound like a convenient excuse but it’s always a good idea to understand the technology in your home and how to protect yourself against hackers.
How to protect yourself from security camera hackers
1. Purchase cameras from a company you trust. EMC Security offers the latest in camera technology that employs multiple security techniques at different layers of our network(s) and ecosystem to maintain the integrity of services, such as:
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- The devices do not have an external addressable/reachable interface from the Internet and are accessible only via a private network that is extended into and through a cellular carrier.
- All information between the communicators to and through the service platform is encrypted using either 128 or 256-bit encryption keys.
- Data traversing the cellular network is segregated (private) within the carrier traffic group and is routed via VPN connection to the network and service platform.
- The devices attach to a mesh network where traffic is decrypted, analyzed, and routed accordingly.
- We employ both industry standard and proprietary mechanisms (firewalls, proxies, port redirects, secure ports and sockets, etc.) to isolate traffic and/or data from public networks at the physical and logical network boundaries and demarcations.
- Additionally, EMC Security offers personalized service with professionally trained security consultants and technicians that coach and counsel customers through the sales and installation process. This will help them prevent hacking.
2. Change your password. Amazon blamed poor password practices for the hacking. It sounds like a cop-out but in many cases, hacks are indeed a result of poor management on the part of the user. One of the biggest things you can do to prevent home security camera hacks is to educate yourself about malware, password security, and Wi-Fi network security. And change your password. Frequently.
3. Instead of giving your Wi-Fi password to friends and guests in your home, create a “guest” network. This way, no one but you will have access to your computers or personal data. Many Wi-Fi routers allow you to configure a guest access for this purpose.
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- Change your Wi-Fi password every few months. Use random and unique passwords that would be difficult to breach.
4. Never use the same password across different accounts. Many of us are guilty of this because of the convenience. But it is a big no-no. If your security camera password the same as your email, Facebook, or online banking password, you’re greatly increasing your risk of a security breach. For your security camera (and all of your accounts), use a password that’s different from the one you use for any other account. View more tips.
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- Use 12 characters minimum.
- Avoid any personal info in your password, like birthdays, kids’ names, anniversaries, etc.
- Your password should be completely random.
- Include upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols.
5. If available, always use two-factor authentication to secure your account. Three methods of authentication are used: username and password, something physical like a mobile phone or card, and something unique like a fingerprint or other biometric trait. When two of these factors are required for authentication, the security becomes much more entrenched, making it more difficult to hack.
6. Consider using a secure password manager such as LastPass (offers free credit monitoring, two-factor authentication, a password generator, and a secure master password). These programs use a digital vault that lock up your passwords and other login credentials. The information is also stored on remote servers and encrypted on a local machine so there’s no way for a middle-man to compromise your credentials.
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Georgia’s 50 Safest Cities
Safewise, an independent review site, just released their 50 Safest Cities Report in Georgia for 2019.
Unfortunately, Georgia’s overall crime rates are higher than the national average. The violent crime rate is 4.77, barely higher than the national rate of 4.49. But the property crime rate is 10 points higher at 37.57 incidents per 1,000, compared to 27.11 nationally.
See how your city ranks:
(per 1,000) Violent Crime Rate Property Crime Rate National 4.49 27.11 Georgia 4.77 37.57 1. Senoia 0.00 9.11 2. Summerville 0.00 11.07 3. Milton 0.00 7.57 4. Flowery Branch 0.27 17.49 5. Johns Creek 0.29 6.76 6. Peachtree City 0.40 16.74 7. Alpharetta 0.51 17.79 8. Grovetown 0.65 18.86 9. Byron 0.77 35.96 10. Glennville 0.79 23.79 11. Springfield 0.93 18.11 12. Locust Grove 1.00 69.34 13. Pooler 1.02 35.61 14. Holly Springs 1.03 12.36 15. Woodstock 1.08 18.61 16. Duluth 1.11 18.69 17. Braselton 1.12 8.74 18. Roswell 1.13 16.90 19. Sandy Springs 1.17 21.00 20. Loganville 1.18 27.00 21. Rincon 1.19 34.75 22. Adairsville 1.24 27.00 23. Dunwoody 1.28 40.61 24. McRae-Helena 1.33 17.24 25. Social Circle 1.34 18.93 26. Dallas 1.35 20.56 27. Auburn 1.43 18.19 28. Thomasville 1.54 52.58 29. Suwanee 1.59 25.76 30. Jefferson 1.60 16.42 31. Tyrone 1.65 8.68 32. Hazlehurst 1.68 53.85 33. Decatur 1.71 22.71 34. Acworth 1.76 25.45 35. Cumming 1.89 46.98 36. Fayetteville 1.92 26.37 37. Snellville 1.95 34.88 38. Hampton 2.10 11.94 39. Kennesaw 2.11 14.05 40. Camilla 2.13 37.87 41. Cormelia 2.34 52.31 42. Lawrenceville 2.34 30.37 43. Canton 2.49 25.95 44. Kingsland 2.49 22.02 45. Temple 2.50 29.98 46. Hiram 2.53 96.86 47. Port Wentworth 2.60 17.87 48. Palmetto 2.74 24.45 49. Milledgeville 2.78 36.59 50. Lilburn 2.80 37.29 – Least safest city in Georgia (ranked #133) – College Park (Violent – 14.67, Property – 74.34
View cities ranked 51 – 133 here.
No matter where your city ranks, we recommend adding extra security to your home with monitored security services (from just $16.95/mo.) provided by Georgia’s own EMC Security. View systems here.
View methodology here.
Insurance Benefits From A Security System
There are many incentives to having a security and or fire monitoring system installed in your business or home. Obvious ones include 24/7 watch over your possessions and loved ones, and peace of mind.
But many people don’t realize that spending the money upfront to get a system installed can ultimately save money in the long run through insurance discounts.
Insurance Benefits
Insurance companies like to stack the deck in their favor. For instance, a healthy person is more likely to have cheaper premiums because they are at less risk of a health episode. The insurance company rewards the person with cheaper prices because the person is less likely to use the insurance.
The same goes for home and business owners. You can receive up to a 20% discount on your homeowners or business insurance policy by installing a security or fire system in your property.
A study conducted by the UNC Charlotte concluded that 60% of would-be burglars wouldn’t break into a home if they knew it had an alarm system. Insurance companies look at these statistics and see the potential of a potential break-in significantly drops when a property has the protection of a security alarm monitoring system. Thus, the insurance company rewards the person with a discount, because this ultimately helps the insurance company. It’s a win-win for both parties.
Consider this scenario:
- Your policy is $428, or $36 dollars a month.
- With a 20% discount, you’ll save $85, or $7 a month.
- You can look at it like your new policy costs $343, or $29 dollars a month.
That might not seem like a lot now, but over a ten year period, you’ll have saved $850 dollars on your policy. That is a substantial amount. Free money is free money. You should take advantage of these potential savings.
Additional Benefits of Having a Security & Fire Alarm System
According to the Insurance Information Institute, Fire accounted for 11.1 billion dollars in property damage in 2018. That was the result of 499,000 structure fires that year. Fires can happen anywhere at any time.
The benefits of having a fire alarm monitoring system can’t be ignored. A fire alarm system provides 24-hour protection from a fire. Houses and businesses with fire alarms are more likely to get dispatch faster to the property than places without. This reduces the potential amount of property damage and can save lives. EMC Security monitors for fire at no additional monthly cost.
A security system, like a fire alarm system, provides 24-7 protection for your family and belongings. Having a system literally prevents over half of all burglaries and provides peace of mind that you, your valuables and your loved ones are protected.
5 Surprising Statistics About Home Break-Ins
Every year there are 2.2 million burglaries in the United States, which equals one burglary every 14 to 15 seconds.
This statistic is shocking, but an even more surprising statistic is that >87% of burglaries are considered preventable. Simple solutions such as locking the doors every time you leave the house, not broadcasting when you’ll be away from home on social media, and investing in a professionally monitored home security system will help protect you from becoming an unfortunate statistic.
We’ve outlined 5 surprising home break-in statistics that you should know. In addition, we’ve also included solutions for how EMC Security can protect you in each of these cases.
1. Most burglaries take place during daylight hours
Although many of us envision burglars lurking in the night, the majority of home break-ins actually take place between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. The reason for this is that most people are away from their homes during these hours, whether at work or school.
Solution: Video surveillance options allow you to keep an eye on your home while you’re at work using an app installed on your smartphone, tablet or computer, on which you can watch live video and receive alerts and clips of any motion detected.
2. 34% of burglars enter through the front door.
Surprisingly, most burglars enter your home through its main entry point. Whether they walk in through an unlocked door, kick it in, or pry it open, most break-ins occur through the front door.
Solution: In addition to keeping your front door (and all other doors) closed and locked at all times, EMC Security’s video doorbells are a great way to deter criminals from targeting your home. For added protection, consider installing home automation features such as a timed or motion-sensor light near the front door.
3. Home security systems really do thwart criminal activity.
According to a recent study by Fox 5 Atlanta, home security measures work. Some of the more interesting statistics from the study include: 60% of burglars reported they would leave immediately if a security alarm was triggered; 66% responded that a visible security camera would deter them from breaking in; and 60% responded that lights turned on inside the home would make them think twice about attempting to break in.
Solution: It’s never too late to invest in a home security system from EMC Security, which offers a number of options that will best fit your needs:
- DIY Self-Install Security System – our most advanced and our most affordable system starting at just $179.
- Professionally Installed Home Security System
- Home Automation
- Security Cameras
4. Burglars target the master bedroom first.
The master bedroom is an easy target for criminals, considering many families store jewelry, important documents, cash, weapons and other valuables in this location.
Solution: Consider investing in a safe that can be bolted to the ground, or hide valuables in unlikely places. EMC Security also offers motion detectors that can add an extra level of protection. These motion detectors use a passive, infrared motion sensor to detect motion inside your home.
5. Someone is home during 3 out of every 10 burglaries.
A household member is reportedly home during nearly 28% of burglaries. While coming home to find your house has been broken into is scary enough, being home when someone targets your household is even more traumatic.
Solution: Make sure your home security system is activated even when you are home, and keep doors and windows locked. Visible security cameras, motion detectors, and other home security safety measures can also help stop a break-in before it happens.
Give EMC Security a call today at 770-963-0305 to discuss your needs and how we can build a Home Security System that’s right for you.
Top 10 Holiday Safety Tips
Holiday Fire Safety Tips
The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) together with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) put together some tips for staying safe during the holidays.
1. Inspect electrical decorations for damage before use. Cracked or damaged sockets, loose or bare wires, and loose connections may cause a serious shock or start a fire.
2. Do not overload electrical outlets. Overloaded electrical outlets and faulty wires are a common cause of holiday fires. Avoid overloading outlets and plug only one high-wattage into each outlet at a time.
3. Never connect more than three strings of incandescent lights. More than three strands may not only blow a fuse, but can also cause a fire.
4. Keep trees fresh by watering daily.Dry trees are a serious fire hazard.
5. Use battery-operated candles. Candles start almost half of home decoration fires.
6. Keep combustibles at least three feet from heat sources. A heat sources that was too close to the decoration was a factor in half of home fires that began with decorations (NFPA).
7. Protect cords from damage. To avoid shock or fire hazards, cords should never be pinched by furniture, forced into small spaces such as doors and windows, placed under rugs, located near heat sources, or attached by nails or staples.
8. Check decorations for certification label.Decorations not bearing a label from an independent testing laboratory such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL), Canadian Standards Association (CSA), or Intertek (ETL) have not been tested for safety and could be hazardous.
9. Stay in the kitchen when something is cooking. Unattended cooking equipment is the leading cause of home cooking fires.
10. Turn off, unplug, and extinguish all decorations when going to sleep or leaving the house. Unattended candles are the cause of one in five home candle fires. Half of home fire deaths occur between the hours of 11pm and 7am.
Stocking Stuffers That Put Safety First
It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
This season, when shopping for your loved ones, consider gifts and stocking stuffers that put safety first.
The following list has 20 ideas to help you get started.
- Motion activated safety lights ($10-$20) – Battery-operated LED lights to illuminate your doorstep, driveway or backyard.
- Auto-light ($30-$50) – When you’re not home, use these lights to randomly turn on in order to simulate an occupied house.
- Two- or three-story fire escape ladder ($50-$150) – Usually holds up to 1,000 pounds in an emergency.
- Fire-safe security box ($50-$90) – Protects documents and other valuables from fire and water damage.
- Flameless candles ($10-$25) – Or sturdy candle holders to prevent accidents.
- Dryer safety alarm ($55-$70) – Provides audible and visual cues when lint builds up in the clothes dryer’s exhaust system and restricts airflow.
- Carbon monoxide detector (approx. $30) – Your pet or loved one’s safety could depend on this device that detects the silent killer.
- Wireless key finder ($15-$25) – Helps find keys up to 60 feet away.
- No-battery flashlight ($10-$25) – These small lights can be charged by plugging into your car outlet, shaking the device for 30 seconds or using a hand crank to illuminate your way.
- Bike lock ($20-$30) – Great for any age.
- Glowing pet leash ($20-$30) – You can also find LED dog collars and leashes that are visible up to 1,000 feet away and are weather-resistant.
- Reflective gloves ($15-$25) – To be safe, warm and visible at night.
- LED light-up shoelaces ($5-$10) – Available in fun colors, they can be used on running shoes, boots and skates and come with a replaceable battery that’s good for 70 hours.
- Cord and power strip covers ($10-$50) – Tie up loose blind cords and cover potentially dangerous electrical outlets.
- Emergency Alert Pendant ($99 – $149) – Call for help at the press of a button.
- Pepper Spray ($15 – $20) – Perfect for anyone mature enough to use it.
- Automated door lock ($199+) – No key needed to enter with a passcode or mobile app controls.
- Video Doorbell ($199) – See, hear, and talk to whomever is at your door from the kitchen or across town with a video doorbell. Motion activated with alert notifications and video streaming to a mobile device.
- Security Camera ($99+) – Never miss a moment! Stay in control with live streaming video and alert notifications right to your mobile device.
- Wireless Remote Control for Security System ($65+) – With panic button. Arm or disarm your system.
For the ultimate gift of peace of mind, give the gift of home security. View systems and shop online here.
Contact EMC Security today at 770-963-0305 for more information.
