Lots of Toys & Food

Thank You to all that made donations. We collected 250 lbs. of food for the "Utah Food Bank" and 85 toys for the "Toys for Tots". We had a lot of fun with this and will do it again next year. The pictures are of our truck loaded with the toys and food and us dropping it all off. Thanks again for your generosity have a happy holiday season. I will post the winners of the drawing as soon as I get their pictures.

Toys for Tots Drive

This year we had a Toys for Tots / Utah Food Bank donations drive. Everyone that donated toys or food went into a drawing for prizes. Here is a photo of our tree with the donations. Thank You to everyone that donated this year I will post pictures of our winners next week. Happy Holidays!!

Testing Your Security System

Testing Your System
Your security system is on 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Whether you have it set for intrusion detection or not. Even when it’s turned "off", it’s still ready to respond to fire and environmental sensors. All of the sensors are constantly "checking in" with the main panel, even if your system is set to off. Combine the fact that your system never gets a "rest" with the fact that it’s performing the most important job of any appliance in your home - protecting the lives and well-being of family members from the risk of a fire or home invasion. This is why it is so importance of regularly testing it.

Even if you don't test your system regularly the system will monitor itself for many things. Those who design security systems try to design into them very sophisticated self-diagnostics. As an example, with Security Pro Wireless Systems every sensor in the system is designed so that it must send a radio signal into your main panel twice every 64 minutes. The main panel is constantly "Checking" or supervising all the devices to make sure they are all still functioning.

Let’s say the sensor at your front door is sending in it’s regular "check in" signal. It would identify itself as sensor #1 and report on the condition of its battery. This is an important part of why Security Pro Systems are so reliable. The main panel continually gets reports from all of the devices, that they are still functioning as radio transmitters, and that their batteries are still good. Of course if a sensor in your system fails to check in - or checks in with a low battery message.

But there are some things your system needs "help" to test. As an example, how do we know the switch at the basement door is still working? In order to test that switch, the door must be opened - and the system cannot open your doors and windows - so it needs your help.

Testing Your Monitoring Service

If you would also like to test the monitoring of your system you must call the monitoring station first to place your system in "test". This is a toll free number and should be located on your keypad. If you cannot find this number call our local service office 801-583-7233 and we can assist you. The monitoring center will ask you for your Name and Password. Once the operator has confirmed that you are in test, just generate an alarm signal in your system. It is easiest to arm you system like you are leaving then open a door or window that is protected. Also press the police panic on your keypad, You should hear the siren sounding. Wait about a minute and then turn the system off. Now call the monitoring station and check to be sure they received your alarm signal. If you are finished testing, just tell them to put your system back on line.

Beeping

Keypad, Main Panel Or Speaker:
Usually if the keypad is beeping, it's either a chime in response to a door or window that has just opened, or it is echoing a trouble beep from the main panel. If you have an ITI or GE Security Pro System, you will hear a series of five or six beeps every minute if the system has detected a trouble condition. You can stop this beeping by pressing the * or Status key twice. If that doesn’t work turn the system off at the keypad (even if it's already off). That will force the system to reveal the cause of the beeping and should stop the beeping for at least twelve hours. If the condition has not been corrected the system may begin beeping again twelve hours later.
What If The Beeping Still Doesn't Stop?
If you have followed the above steps and still hear a recurring beeping, it is most likely that the beeping is coming from a device unrelated to your security system. Over the years we have had many calls from customers who were absolutely certain that the beeping was coming from or related to the security system. Instead of their security system it has been: A builder or homeowner-installed smoke detector, a pager, a wireless doorbell, a carbon monoxide detector, a cordless phone or a cellphone with a low battery.

Tips for around the yard.

If you can keep your yard in order you can lower the chances that a burglar will target your home.

* Keep ladders, garbage cans, building supplies and tools locked up out of view so you don't provide an intruder with the means to break into your home.
* Put big, bold numbers on your mailbox so your home can easily be identified in case of an emergency.
* Never put your name on your mailbox. Anyone can call directory assistance, get your number, and find out you aren't home.
* Don't hide a spare key near your front door; burglars know all the hiding places. Leave a spare key with a trusted neighbor instead.
* Planting thorny shrubs, rosebushes or cacti around the outside of your home can discourage burglars from entering your property.
* Placing alarm-company signs, neighborhood-watch decals or dog notices on your property tells burglars to steer clear of your home. Having these signs as a deterrent is only good if you can back them up. Don't rely on them or mistake them as doing the job of the real thing.
* Trim shrubs and trees so they do not provide hiding places for an intruder. Remove tree limbs that could allow someone to climb to an upper-story window or balcony.
* A solid privacy fence can provide a burglar with cover to break into your home. Consider an iron railing (topped with spikes, to discourage climbers), picket or chain-link fence instead. If you have a gate, install a strong magnetic lock on it to prevent intruders from easily penetrating the perimeter of your property.
* Keep all points of entry to your home well-lit. Consider installing motion-sensor lights on the rear and sides of your home and position them in out-of-reach places so they can't easily be turned off by a would-be thief.
* Spending most of your day in the back yard may be relaxing, but it leaves you clueless as to what's going on out front. Make sure all entry points are locked in the front of your house.
* If you travel a lot, surveillance cameras around your property — with viewing access through the Internet — will allow you to keep an eye on your home while you're gone.
* Install cameras that operate off a motion sensor to keep from wasting valuable hard-drive space for your video files.
* Consider buying a wireless annunciator, which will alert you — anywhere in your home — when someone comes up your driveway or otherwise enters your property within 50 feet of its range

This tip from http://dsc.discovery.com

Valuables and Your Identity

There are many things that you can do to protect your valuables to make them harder for someone to sell and easier for you to get back if they end up with your stuff.

* Having photos, videos and serial numbers of your valuables can be extremely helpful in identifying your stolen goods.
* Contact the manufacturers of some of your valuables, as they may have advice or additional products on how to better secure and protect them from thieves.
* Get your driver's license number (NOT your Social Security number) engraved on any expensive electronic equipment. Doing so can not only assist in their return, but can actually dissuade theft: Marked property is difficult to sell or pawn.
* Invisible-ink pens can be used to identify your property. Again, using your driver's license number as an I.D., a simple ultraviolet light on stolen property will show the police who the real owner is.
* Photocopy receipts of expensive items and store them in a safe place so you have proof of purchase for insurance reasons.
* Use a bolted-down safe or a heavy-duty filing cabinet with a lock that cannot be carried out of the house to store important documents, information and valuables. It's a simple investment that will protect vital possessions.
* Shredding documents with personal information (such as bank and credit-card statements or anything with a Social Security number on it) will keep a burglar or someone looking through your trash from finding your information and assuming your identity.
* Credit cards are immediate cash — keep records of what cards you have, always keep them signed on the back and any surplus cards should be kept in a safe.
* Keep equipment for expensive hobbies (boats, Jet Skis, golf clubs, etc.) covered up — even better, keep them locked up out of sight.
* What you think is well hidden is nearly always easy pickings for burglars, so lock things up instead of keeping them in "clever" hiding places like the freezer, the bag of sugar or the cookie jar.
* Leaving empty boxes from your new computer, DVD player or TV on the curb for trash pickup advertises that you have things worth stealing in your home. Break boxes down or cut them up to conceal what they contained.
* A computer lock is an easy and inexpensive way to protect valuable personal or customer information. Computers are expensive items to replace.
*If you have an alarm always make sure it is being used regularly.
* Blank CDs are a cheap and easy way to back up information on your computer in case it's stolen.
* Instead of keeping jewels hidden in your home, a safe-deposit box is a smart place to keep valuables secure from theft. If you insist on keeping them in the house, lock your jewelry and other valuables in a bolted-down floor safe.
* Keep information about your safe-deposit box separate from any personal identification documents such as passports or Social Security cards. If these documents are stolen, you could suffer further losses if someone is able to use them to gain access to your safe-deposit box.
* Secure furs like you would any other valuable: Keep them in a closet with a dead bolt, and be sure to monogram or write your name on the skin of your fur to aid identification and recovery in case it is stolen.
* Be sure to lock your bikes and four-wheelers to a bolted-down surface.
* For pricey heirlooms, get serious about securing them. First, invest in an appraiser to have a firm dollar figure on your valuables. Then photograph, catalogue and put them on your homeowner's policy. So if a heist ever goes down, you're covered.

This tip from http://dsc.discovery.com

Vacation Prep.

This picture was taken by our office manager while taking a well deserved vacation in Cancun. So if you find yourself going on vacation do these things to ensure you come home to a secure home:

* Set lights on timers or light sensors to turn on and off in the evening. A TV or radio can also be set on a timer to add to the illusion that someone is at home.
* Suspend newspaper delivery so papers do not pile up in front of your house.
* If you have a separate mailbox, rather than a mail slot, put your mail on hold.
* Ask a neighbor to keep an eye on your house and pick up any mail, fliers, newspapers, packages, etc., left outside, and shovel your walkways if it snows.
* If you use a yard service, make sure they come to your house while you're away. An overgrown lawn is a good sign that no one is home.
* Leave a car in your driveway, or ask a neighbor to park there.
* Don't record a new message on your home answering machine indicating where you are or how long you'll be away. You'll be issuing an open invitation for someone to rob your house.
* Leave shades, curtains and blinds in their normal positions. Covered windows during the daytime indicate an empty house.
* If you have an alarm system make sure your emergency contact list is updated. Also instruct anyone that may come in your house how to use your alarm.

Fire Safety Tips

Fire Safety Tips When Cooking
• Stay by the stove when the burner is on. A stove fire can erupt in seconds, so it is important that you are nearby to put out the flames. The most dangerous and flammable cooking ingredient is oil, so never leave hot oil unwatched. It can burst into flames within seconds.

• Wear tight-fitting clothing while cooking. Oversized or long, draping clothes can easily brush against a hot burner and catch fire.

• Aim pot handles towards the center and away from traffic. This fire safety tip will prevent one’s elbow from knocking against the handle and spilling food, or even worse, hot oil or fat onto yourself or the burner.

• Clean the grease off the stove regularly. One major fire safety no-no is allowing grease to build up, because large amounts of grease can ignite.
• Try to wipe the stove top after every cooking session.
• Heat oil up gradually. This fire safety measure will prevent hot oil from splattering onto your skin or in your eyes. Never pour oil into a hot pan, because it can burst into flames within seconds. It is safer to pour oil into the pan before you turn on the burner. 
• Place a rubber or non-slip mat on the floor. If your floor frequently gets wet from spilt liquids or oil.

Extinguishing Stove Fires
• If grease or oil in the pan ignites, turn off the stove & smother the fire with a lid or a damp towel. Never use water, which causes grease fires to spread.

• Do not remove the lid or put it under water until it cools!

Extinguishing Oven / Microwave Fires
• Leave the oven or microwave door shut and turn off the heat. If the flames don’t go out right away, leave immediately and telephone the fire department from a neighbor's house. Be sure to have your microwave or oven checked by a maintenance person before you use it again.

Smoke Detector Fire Safety Tips
• Install a smoke detector. This affordable important device doubles your chance of surviving a fire.

• Never remove the batteries from your smoke detector.
• If you must remove them because a large amount of smoke during cooking caused the detector to go off, open the windows and turn on a fan to clear the air, and reinsert the batteries as soon as possible.

Last thoughts on Fire Safety in the Kitchen
• Store flammable items far away from the stove. This includes: pot holders, dish rags, towels, curtains, and food packaging.

• Never use the oven or stove range to heat your home. This is not only a fire hazard, but if you have a gas oven / stove, you are letting gas into the air.

General Security Tips

Here are some general tips that will help you and your family be safer.

* Getting to know your neighbors will help them to immediately alert you of any suspicious behavior on your property. Notifying them when you're going away and how you can be contacted in case of emergency will allow you to be aware of a crisis as soon as it occurs. However, although your neighbors may be trustworthy, they may not spot anything different if a robber is at work in your house. Don't solely count on them to protect your home while you're away.
* Don't be fooled into thinking that just because your neighbors can see local comings and goings that they will question anything unusual. Good thieves make themselves blend in.
* Be careful to whom you disclose personal information. Don't discuss vacation plans or expensive hobbies in public places — you never know who's listening!
* If you're a professional working out of your house, rather than use your home address on your business cards or Web site, rent a post-office box instead.
* Becoming involved in a neighborhood association or neighborhood watch will give you information you need to know about any suspicious activity in your area.
* Be informed: Check your local newspaper for crime reports in your neighborhood.
* It doesn't matter what environment or community your home is in, thieves are impervious to them.
* If you come home and something looks questionable — a slit screen, a broken window, an open door — don't go inside! Call the police from your neighbor's or from your cell phone.
* If you are new to homeownership, contact your local crime-prevention organization for advice on how to start securing your home. With no super to rely on, all those jobs will need attention from you now!
* Burglars often target the elderly, so be friendly and keep an eye out for local retirees.
* When living with multiple people, make sure everyone understands the importance of home security. It only takes one person to leave everyone else vulnerable. But don't rely on others; keep your private possessions locked away.
* If you have had a bad experience already with a crook — learn from it — don't just think bad luck won't strike twice!

Sign in Washington DC

Today to sign was in Washington DC with Ry and his friend Tanner. It was a fun day they saw many sites and brought back this photo in front of the Lincoln Memorial.