HAS YOUR BURGLAR ALARM ACCREDITED BY LAW?
Due to safety precautions it is mandatory that every alarm installed in your house is registered with FARS. Before the system is placed into service you must check for the following accreditation,
• NSI (National Security Inspectorate)
• NACOSS (National Approval Council for Security Systems)
• ICON (an approval scheme run by NSI)
• SSAIB (Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board)
Registration
A non-refundable $30.00 registration fee must be paid with each initial registration. A separate registration must be obtained for each alarm user and/or location. Registrations must be renewed on a biennial (2 year) basis at a cost of $10.00. Failure to renew when required will result in no “free” false alarms and the imposition of an additional $100 charge for every false alarm.
False alarm
The main reason for the burglar alarm to be accredited by the government is because of false alarms. Each year the Oakland Police Department receives more than 30,000 false alarms! On average, each response to alarms involves two police officers and takes up to thirty minutes-costing the City in excess of 1.4 million, annually. This is equal to 14 full-time police officers responding only to false alarms.
The burglar alarm ordinance
• Authorizes permit fees (waived for alarm users age 65 and older)
• Authorizes fines and penalties for defective or misused alarm systems
• Requires alarm companies to play a greater role in how customers use and maintain their alarm systems.
Paying for your permit
What ever type of alarm you use it should be accredited by the government. If you have an alarm system that is functional and is activated, the alarm ordinance requires you to obtain a valid alarm user permit. Please remember, if you do not have a permit and the Police Department is dispatched to your location for a false alarm, you will may be subjected to a $250 fine.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Is Your Burglar Alarm Accredited?
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Is Your Burglar Alarm Accredited?
HAS YOUR BURGLAR ALARM ACCREDITED BY LAW?
Due to safety precautions it is mandatory that every alarm installed in your house is registered with FARS. Before the system is placed into service you must check for the following accreditation,
• NSI (National Security Inspectorate)
• NACOSS (National Approval Council for Security Systems)
• ICON (an approval scheme run by NSI)
• SSAIB (Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board)
Registration
A non-refundable $30.00 registration fee must be paid with each initial registration. A separate registration must be obtained for each alarm user and/or location. Registrations must be renewed on a biennial (2 year) basis at a cost of $10.00. Failure to renew when required will result in no “free” false alarms and the imposition of an additional $100 charge for every false alarm.
False alarm
The main reason for the burglar alarm to be accredited by the government is because of false alarms. Each year the Oakland Police Department receives more than 30,000 false alarms! On average, each response to alarms involves two police officers and takes up to thirty minutes-costing the City in excess of 1.4 million, annually. This is equal to 14 full-time police officers responding only to false alarms.
The burglar alarm ordinance
• Authorizes permit fees (waived for alarm users age 65 and older)
• Authorizes fines and penalties for defective or misused alarm systems
• Requires alarm companies to play a greater role in how customers use and maintain their alarm systems.
Paying for your permit
What ever type of alarm you use it should be accredited by the government. If you have an alarm system that is functional and is activated, the alarm ordinance requires you to obtain a valid alarm user permit. Please remember, if you do not have a permit and the Police Department is dispatched to your location for a false alarm, you will may be subjected to a $250 fine.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Time to Take Home Security Seriously
The latest crime statistics are, to put it mildly, quite disturbing. Crime in United States accounts for more death, injuries and loss of property then all Natural Disasters combined. According to FBI statistics a burglary occurs in the United States every 15 seconds. On top of this the victims and their relatives often experience financial problems, and time is often lost from work to handle the legal, insurance and personal problems associated with being a victim.
Home intrusions continue to rise. In the 80's when crack cocaine hit the streets crime rose an average of 26 percent in most major cities. Now, a major contributor to home intrusions is the drug Methamphetamine. Burglary and thefts from auto's are the most prevalent neighborhood crimes. Often, breaking into an auto gives the thief a bonus, access to the remote control allowing the house's garage door to be opened. Household burglary is rampant because it is one of the easiest crimes to commit, half the time with no forced entry required. Most home intrusions occur during daylight hours while homeowners are away. The burglar will in many cases watch your home for a few days to see when you are out.
While home burglary is one of the easiest crimes to commit, it is also one of the easiest to prevent. Neighborhood Watch is a good starting point, and is a proven crime-reduction program. Most police departments are very supportive of these programs and will provide information and materials on how to set up a program. Members watch out for their neighbors and report suspicious activities to the police department. A term used often in these groups is "hardening the target". Hardening the target means steps you can take to cause a thief to bypass your house and move on to an easier target. Some of these items include using quality deadbolt locks, installing impact resistant glass on certain windows so someone cannot break the glass and reach in and unlock the door, installing solid exterior doors, installing motion sensing outdoor lighting, and others tailored to your particular situation.
Most of the security items mentioned are relatively inexpensive ways to "harden your target". Also, many high tech devices once considered cost prohibitive are now affordable. For example, a wireless video surveillance system can be purchase for around $50.00. Just mount the small camera in the area to be viewed and view the image on a channel on your home TV set. Elaborate systems, however, can still be costly.
Consider installing a home security system. This is taking "hardening the target" to the highest level. Homes without security systems are 3 times more likely to be broken into than homes with security systems. 90 percent of police believe alarms deter burglary attempts. A full article could be devoted to this one subject, but lets look at the main points. You will hear the terms hardwired or wireless used when describing home alarm systems. If you are renting your accommodation, a wireless system is the best choice because you can take the system with you when you move. If you own your home, either type system can be used. Most security professionals tend to favor hardwire, but the negative side is the higher cost due to the installation time involved. Wireless, by the nature of the name, is installed in hours compared to days with hardwired systems. A negative side is having to worry with batteries. Ultimately either system detects an intrusion and sounds an alarm. The alarm can be a local siren or bell, or a silent alarm to a security monitoring company, or both. The security representative surveying your home can make recommendations for your best protection based on your living patterns.
If you are just living as usual, you are putting your family, and your property at unnecessary risk. Home intrusions have increased to the point where every homeowner must become more aware of the dangers, and learn about the latest security products available to protect ones home, family, and valuables. Make sure your home is safe and secure.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Whats The Top Burglar Alarm?
There are so many companies that manufacture burglar alarms. The most recommended and approved by the UK government are ADT systems, AGS systems and British gas home security.
ADT systems
They are the leading provider of electronic fire and security services in the whole United Kingdom. They specialize in home security, and commercial security including, electronic article surveillance (EAS), fire detection, alarm systems, gaseous extinguishing and asset tracking solutions to a wide range of people and organizations. They protect 89 out of the UK’s top 100 companies and more than 120,000 homes.
ASG systems
They have been manufacturing home securities for the past 40 years. Their company has its base in Washington. An example of their astonishing product is the digital video recording and management system. This system can be discreet or fully integrated with:
• Enterprise Level Access Control
• Surveillance
• Badging
• Intrusion Detection
• RFID Asset Management
• Visitor Management
British gas home security
They are the leading firm that manufactures and installs home security in the United kingdoms. They also give tips and information on home improvement projects. Their security systems are:
The Intruder Response/24 system: This is connected to an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) which monitors your alarm 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If there is a break-in, the ARC phones your home for password identification. If it is not given the ARC contacts a key holder and possibly the police.
The Intruder Alert/24: This immediately calls up to four telephone numbers with a pre-recorded message alerting you to a break-in. An external siren is triggered to alert neighbours and deters burglars.
The Intruder Alarm/24 triggers an external siren, alerting neighbors and deterring burglars.
