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Protecting ones home and its contents has been something that has been around for a very long time. Mind you the methods used were somewhat crude but seemed to work for the era they were used in. The question is when did the home security really become popular the way we know it today?

Aside from protecting your land and home with a shotgun home security evolved over the years to something far more sophisticated. Even at its beginning of modern technology there was some simplicity to it. Good locks like deadbolts on the doors and sound locking windows were considered to be the most positive security measures. These still didnt provide much comfort for those who were away from home and were concerned about thieves that were aware of this. Since the use of smart home security and the electronics that are used for security measures today it seems that nobody has to worry about how secure their home is, even if they are out of the country.

Basic security systems have been around for a very long time. In fact they were really becoming recognized following World War l. So many people started to rely on these systems and the results in the reduction of crime concerning home theft and breakins was being noted. Some insurance companies started rewarding home owners who were utilizing this type of security. They would do this by offering them lower premiums. This spurred even more people to take advantage of them wanting to get the good deals on their insurance.

Again though the problem of not being home and worrying about home security still existed. The temporary solution during that time was to utilize door shakers. There were men who were paid to go around to vacant homes and check to see if the doors were locked. Following this a crude monitoring system can into existence which was really a step forward towards the security measures of today.

This is definitely a strong indicator of the important needs that security systems of today meet. Fortunately with there being so many choices almost anyone can find the perfect home security system to meet their needs. They can then expand upon this with add ons if they feel they have a need to. Plus, there is security that fits into every budget.

While there are a lot of opportunities to buy all kinds of security items off the shelf of some of the local stores, the best approach to home and business security needs is to place this in the hands of the professionals like those at Pre-Lock. These are the experts who can identify your exact security needs.

We could talk about home security options but really most of what we are going to cover here are home security necessities. Some will depend on your lifestyle and where you live, while others are really something everyone should have to enhance their security.

Home Alarm Systems

This is one of the priorities and it would be fair to say that any homeowner should have at least a basic home alarm system installed. What can be options is the choices that comes with these systems. For example you can go with wired or wireless and just the basics. The basics would be protecting your home from break-ins. The add ons could be adding on conveniences of being able to use your device to monitor what is going on at home. Or using a monitoring center to oversee your security. These are just a few of the additional options.

Fire Alerts

Again really a must have and in fact depending on where you live you may be compelled by law to have a fire alert system installed. Aside from that these are life savers. While a lot of people will purchase a fire detector from their local store they often forget about the other aspects of fire. The detectors are critically important and will certainly serve their purpose when you are at home to respond to them. What you need to consider is who will respond if you are not there or if you have pets in the home that need rescuing. This is where home monitoring serves another important purpose.

Protection Against Other Perils

Often what you cant see can be extremely dangerous. This includes substances that can cause carbon monoxide poisoning, natural gas fumes or radon gas. You need to weigh out the importance of the protective measures that you can take against these. In some areas, you are now compelled to have a carbon monoxide detector installed.

Flooding

If you live in an area that is prone to flooding then you may want to consider some alert systems for this. Even those that now live in some of the Toronto areas have to be concerned about this. You can utilize a sump pump that has an alarm system attached to it to ensure that it’s doing its job.

Additional Security

These are some of the major concerns and really the basics when it comes to the average home security needs. Aside from this, there are many other important security products that you may want to consider depending on your specific wants and needs.

You may feel that you want to have some security cameras installed. Or you may have a need for more external security lighting. Then you may have a disabled individual or a senior living with you where a life alert system would be beneficial.

There is a lot to think about when it comes to your security. It can be easy to overlook some important elements of it. To avoid all the confusion that comes with protecting your home and family why not give the experts at Pre-Lock a call. Paul Seidman is the owner of this very well known and reputable security and Toronto Locksmith Company. He is the go to person for many people both for home and business security needs. His team of expert security consultants can develop a security plan for you that is going to be highly effective, affordable and strictly based on what your specific requirements are.

It is commonly accepted that most seniors need to have some extra home security protection in place. There are additional hazards that they face. Some of the older adults are more trusting when it comes to answering the door. Or, they tend not to keep their doors locked because they feel safe in their environment. Then there is personal safety concerns from accidents and mishaps that have to be considered.

There are some seniors that suffer with medical conditions such as Alzheimer’s that really need to have extra home security protection in place. Depending on what stage the individual is at with their Alzheimer’s this will dictate the increased security that is needed. If they are still functioning on their own then they will need constant reminders concerning their safety measures.

Some of the steps you can take are making sure that they are able to access all of their emergency numbers. This should include family and friends that can respond immediately. Leaving these contact numbers clearly posted near the phone will help.

Another thing you can do is leave a key with a trusted neighbor. This way if any emergency responder or contact person needs to gain entry they can do so.

Ideally having a medic alert that the individual can use in the case of an emergency is often something they can remember to use in case of need.

As this disease progresses it usually means that someone has to be there to take care of the individual. This is a difficult time for family members in having to choose someone they can trust. It is similar to choosing a babysitter and the concerns are many. Webcams can be used to help monitor the care they are giving.

With todays modern technology and being able to use smart phone security it allows even greater monitoring and protection to be put in place for the person suffering with this debilitating disease.

There are many other safety measures that can be taken around the home to protect the individual. Ideally, the first and best step to take is to talk to the professionals at Pre-Lock to get their advice about your particular security circumstance. These are professionals that can do a quick analysis and suggest additional security measures that may be of great assistance to you.

Safety Tips for The Upcoming Use of the Swimming Pool

If you are like millions of people across the globe, who enjoy taking a cool dip in the local pool once in awhile, or even in your own, if you are lucky enough to afford one, there are many precautions you should take and a number of rules that must be established before anyone even enters the water. Now obviously if it is a local community pool, the staff should be responsible for making sure everyone adheres to the rules that must be enforced to ensure everyone’s safety at all times.

When kids are in the pool, it is always advisable that there is an adult close by at all times to keep an eye on what is going on in the water. Accidents can happen very quickly, and even experienced swimmers can run into difficulties that may impede their swimming abilities. A severe cramp, for example, can happen to anybody, at anytime, and this can turn into a really dangerous situation if it is not dealt with immediately.  If there are young kids, and especially infants in the water, then there should be a capable adult in the water within arms length to them at all times. It is sadly estimated that over 200 young children alone suffer an accident in a pool or hot tub that resulted in their tragic deaths every year, and this is why the American Red Cross has put together some guidelines that may help in making your swim spa environment safe for all those that want to enter the water.

You always want to make sure that there is adequate barriers around the pool or hot tub, so there is no chance someone could accidentally fall into the water. This means the barriers should be around 4 feet or higher, and there should be a self-closing and self latching gate, so again there is no chance of someone getting into the area of the water by mistake. Always keep the pool or hot tub covered when not in use, and some individuals actually have installed an alarm that lets them know when anyone enters the water at any time, which is quite comforting to them.

Learning how to swim is a necessity if people want to use a pool, and there are online sites through the Red Cross that can help you with teaching your children how to swim, as well as teaching them basic skills of first aid, such as CPR for example. These sites also provide you with a checklist of how you can work to prevent any type of tragedy around the water area.

Rules like having all types of toys away from the pool when not in use, and if you are using a blow up pool, always make sure it is emptied after you are done using it. Obviously keep all electronic devices away from the water at all times, and this means any type of music device, like a ghetto blaster for example. Never allow people to dive if the water is not deep enough, and always enforce the rule of no running anywhere near the deck of the pool.

Keep your water always at the proper PH level and make sure the water is kept clean at all times with the proper amount of chemicals, making sure never to overdo it, as this is just as bad as not doing it at all. If you have questions, there are many sites online, including the Red Cross that can help you out with all your needs when it comes to providing a safe and enjoyable swim spa experience for you and your entire family.

Be sure to check out the Safety Turtle Pool Alarm that is available at Pre-Lock.

New Security Products on Display at ISC in Las Vegas

The security industry had their wares on full display at the recent ISC show in Las Vegas and the products introduced there were the absolute latest in technological advancements and show the world exactly where the emphasis will be placed on security in coming years and for future generations.

A very important theme that took center stage this year was the increased challenges in cyber security realm that may not have had the same importance in past years.

The emphasis on preventing security cameras from being used as potential gateways to gain access to the full I.T system was used as part of the planning process for multiple demonstrations by the camera manufacturers to show exactly how serious they see the issue and the ways they are changing their products and software to combat this ever growing security concern.

Both ComNet and Razberi introduced new products designed to fight this issue by both alerting the admin when a breach has occurred and simultaneously shutting down that port from a particular camera so that the bad actor cannot go any further and access anything from that port.

Another very prominent component on display this year was the growing amount of biometric solutions to both business and residential security.

One of the new products, and the winner of the SIA New Product Award was the BACS or Biometric Access Control System that uses a full five different cameras contained in a single orb-like device that instantly captures the images of the users fingerprints, palm print and iris without the need for touching the orb, you simply need to hover the hand over the orb for it to perform its functions.

In addition to the access security that this will provide it also performs a secondary function by stopping the spread of potential contaminants or germs in wider public areas like hospitals and universities.

This and other technological advancements on display show the entire world just how much emphasis and progress is being made on developing security systems that will further protect our business and our homes and families both now and in the future.

If you want to talk about this or any other security issue or product be sure to contact Pre-Lock Security Services and we will be happy to answer any and all questions you may have with regard to security devices or procedures.

Our exceptionally knowledgeable and courteous staff never tires of talking security and we would relish the chance to discuss any concerns that you may have with regard to your own security issues or product needs.

Taking a Look at What the Legalization of  Marijuana will mean

Crime, any crime, whether violent or not is threatening to the communities that are experiencing it.

Even so called victimless crimes such as drug related crimes have a massive impact on those communities that are involved as the impact is almost always felt by the folks who live in those particular areas.

Drug addiction fuels crime because the people who are addicted have to support their drug habits and the way the vast majority of them do that is by committing what are commonly referred to as “property” crimes.

Break and enters of businesses and residential houses in addition to random “opportunity” thefts are in a high number of instances related to the need of drug addicts to generate some form of “income” in order to fuel their drug taking habits.

There are many who feel that the legalization of marijuana will help to curtail those types of activities and have actually used that as plank in their platform to try and get the dreaded/glorious weed (depends on your perspective!) finally legalized.

While the legalization of marijuana WILL help to curtail certain types of crimes most of those have nothing whatsoever to do with the abovementioned property crimes.

Cutting out the “middleman” by legalizing pot will most certainly help to stem the involvement of organized crime in the growing and selling and even importation of marijuana, unfortunately the crimes committed by the drug addicted will not be affected in the way that some were led to believe.

The primary reason for this is that marijuana is NOT habit forming in the same way the say opioids are.

Opioids are the class of drug that include both Heroin and Opium and prescription drugs like Oxycontin and Fentanyl.

These types of drugs and even cocaine to a much lesser degree are the true cause of the vast majority of property related crime as the nature of the addiction is such that when you are unable to “score” your drug because of lack of funds you WILL do just about anything to get the money required to feed that habit.

The main reason for that is that opioid drug addiction comes with a huge PHYSICAL component that marijuana use simply does not have.

In essence, if you partake in the use of marijuana you cannot become physically dependent on it the same way you would with an opioid class of drug.

You CAN however, become mentally dependent and feel like you NEED the drug but it will not manifest itself with the horrible physical withdrawal symptoms associated with Heroin and its cousins Oxycontin and Fentanyl.

There are apparently many good things about the use of marijuana from a medical standpoint, but if anyone tries to sell you on the fact that legalization will reduce street crime tell them that that is simply NOT true.

YOUR security is the #1 priority of the staff here at Pre-Lock Security Services.

For any questions relating to security or security systems be sure to give us a shout, we would be happy to answer any and all questions you may have!