The Security Blanket

Covering Everything in Home Security

April 16, 2012 • 5:13 pm 1

List of Home Protection Providers in America

When choosing a provider for your home protection, there are a number of different choices. In the U.S. alone, there are over 13,000 regional and national companies focusing on home protection and security. Here’s a list of the best so you can make an informed decision…

The Logo for Protect America

One of the largest home protection providers in the United States, Protect America Inc. has been in operation since 1992. The company focuses entirely on wireless home security systems, which they say offers substantial savings for customers. Along with security systems, Protect America also provides security solutions for vehicles, fire, flooding, and carbon monoxide.

The Logo for Stanley Security

Owned by hardware giant, Stanley Black & Decker, Stanley Security Solutions primarily operates in the commercial security sector but they’ve been making substantial gains in home security. The company offers intrusion detection, fire monitoring, and more. Stanley Security Solutions also handles government contracts with clients at the local, state, and federal level.

Logo for Monitronics

With approximately 800,000 customers across the U.S., Monitronics International is one of the largest home security companies in the country. Owned by the Ascent Media Corporation, Monitronics offers a range of security solutions for small businesses and homes. The company is one of the few in the home security industry to utilize celebrity spokesmen having used Chuck Liddell and Deon Sanders for marketing materials.

Filed under: Home Security Information, Home Security News, Home Security Tips, , , , , , , , ,

April 4, 2012 • 3:56 pm 0

Crime Prevention Tips from Colorado Cops

A burglar about to enter a house.

As a recent crime wave appears to be moving out of one Colorado town and into the surrounding counties, police in Greenwood Village are offering residents tips to protect against possible future break-ins.

Home security systems are great, and can provide peace of mind when people are away from their homes for an extended period of time, local police officers told KUSA. Automatic timers on lamps can also create the illusion that someone is home when they are not. To avoid the possibility of a would-be burglar figuring out the lights are on timers, police recommend having a neighbor or friend change the location of the timers periodically.

Residents should be sure to lock doors and windows, police told KUSA. Motion sensing yard lights can deter criminals at night. And never leave spare keys in obvious places like under a doormat.

Coloradans experienced more than 26,000 burglaries during 2010, according to FBI statistics.

Filed under: Home Security Information, Home Security News, Home Security Tips, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

March 6, 2012 • 7:31 pm 0

Burglar Alarms Can Lead to Lower Crime Rates, Say New Orleans Police

A home alarm system

Home security systems can lead to lower crimes rates, say New Orleans Police.

In the wake of a series of recent burglaries, police in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, are telling local residents to be on alert, and to beef up their home security systems.

Burglaries in the area have spiked 13 percent over last year, according to local reports from the Times-Picayune. While most of the burglaries have involved unlocked vehicles, area residents have also reported an increase in the number of home invasion burglaries. Area businesses have also been hit by criminals stripping facilities of copper wiring and other valuables.

Having an audible security alarm – and advertising its presence to would-be criminals – is a great crime deterrent, local sheriff’s officers say.

“If somebody sees the signage, there’s a good chance that unless they’re crazy, they’re not going to try to go into that particular home,” Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office spokesman Colonel John Fortunato told the Times-Picayune.

Orlando Police Chief Paul Rooney recently told a CNN affiliate that crime in Orlando would fall by 10 percent if every homeowner invested in a security camera.

Filed under: Home Security Information, Home Security News, Home Security Tips, , , , ,

January 30, 2012 • 4:51 pm 1

Home Security Camera Busts UPS Driver

Jobs are stressful. Everyone knows that. Apparently, being a UPS driver is just a little more stressful than the average gig. To prove that point, here’s a still image captured with a home security camera.

UPS drivers throws a package at a door.

Maybe she was trying to beat her previous distance...

This photo was uploaded to the popular link sharing site, Reddit, by a user whose friend had a home security camera installed on their front porch.

“He then made the mistake of ordering a package via UPS,” said user chrisc2683.

Some reddit users (known as redditors) questioned whether or not the image was of an actual UPS driver. The original post of the photo identified the person as a UPS driver. The reddit community is notorious for vetting images such as these for accuracy and the debate can often be intense and shockingly informed.

“My dad works for ups, that is not a ups driver,” said user Null_Zero. “White socks are not allowed, shoes other than brown and black are not allowed. Non uniform items are not allowed. That thing in her hand is not a UPS DIAD. I’m not sure who this is being delivered by but it isn’t UPS.”

No matter what the amateur investigation of Internet sleuths reveals, one point is clear: home security cameras can provide valuable evidence when your property is damaged or burgled.

Filed under: Home Security Information, Home Security News, Home Security Tips, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

January 27, 2012 • 9:06 pm 0

ICE Your Family and Friends: In Case of Emergency Numbers

This phone is frozen.

I know I hate it when my phone freezes up...

It’s really easy to overlook security and safety. Crime has been on the decline for decades but it doesn’t stop. People need to vigilant of danger and prepared at all times.

There are literally a million things people can do to make themselves safer but trying each and every one would be overkill. It’s always best to start with the easy things and there is something incredibly easy you can do NOW that could very well save your life.

ICE someone on your cell phone.

What does that mean? ICE is an acronym for “In Case of Emergency”. Simply put ICE next to anyone you want to designate as your emergency contact. If there’s an accident that incapacitates you, paramedics and first responders already know to look for the ICE acronym in a patient’s phone. Pro tip: Make sure your phone can be easily unlocked. Complicated passwords or security screens will deter police or hospital staff from using your phone and your ICE contact might not get notified.

So remember, what’s cooler than being cool… ICE cold. Sorry, I had to do it. Guess, I should put the puns on ICE.

Filed under: Home Security Information, Home Security Tips, , , , , ,

Check out Protect America on Twitter

BlogSurfer

Enter your email address to follow The Security Blanket and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 935 other followers

Meta

Blogroll

Partner Companies

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 935 other followers