Security Base Blog

Stay Safe This Upcoming Halloween

October is the month of Breast Cancer and Fire Safety Awareness. But we all know that October is the month to prepare for one of the most anticipated holiday events of the year. Halloween is celebrated among all ages. Whether you’re taking the kids out for some good old trick-or-treating or having your own Halloween costume party, it’s a day to dress up as your favorite cartoon or movie character. Before you get all excited and are ready to party, there are a few things you should remind yourself and prepare for when you go out. Halloween has always been one of the most celebrated annual events, but your fun can be ruined by not thinking safety first. Many tragic accidents have happened in the past that prevents people from enjoying the holiday. That’s why remembering to take all the safety precautions will keep you and your family safe and enjoy the rest of the evening. Here are a few friendly reminders to stay safe this upcoming Halloween.

First, we’ll talk about a few costume ideas. Many of us would love to go all out with our costumes, adding every detail to make it look more authentic and noticeable for everyone. But we also have to consider the safety of our own costumes.

Costumes:

• Try looking for costumes that have bright colors or are reflective. This will make it easier for you or your kids to be seen at night when crossing the streets or in dark neighborhoods.
• If your costume isn’t bright you can try other alternatives such as adding reflective tape to your costumes or on your trick-or-treat bags. This will provide better visibility for everyone to see.
• Wear comfortable shoes and costumes that are primarily short. You wouldn’t want your costume to be touching the ground that could cause you to trip and fall or even catch on fire.
• Vision is also very important for all costume participants. Sometimes masks don’t fit right blocking or limiting your eyesight. Other alternatives to consider is trying make-up or wearing hats. Make sure the hat is the right size so it doesn’t obstruct your vision.
• As October is also fire safety month, it’s only necessary you search for fire resistant costumes. Other accessories such as wigs should be flame resistant and usually has a label indicating that it is.
• We all love to carry props with our costumes. It’s what makes the costume complete. If you or your child is carrying a prop like a sword, cane or stick, you just want to make sure it’s not too long or sharp. In case your child trips they can hurt themselves or others around them.
• Most importantly, carry a flashlight with you and make sure you test it to see if it works. Insert some new batteries if it doesn’t work. You don’t want to end up going out, especially in dark areas without a working flashlight.
• If any of your children get lost or have an emergency, make sure they know how to call 911.

 Homes:

• As much as you want to show off how scary the front of your house looks by making it dark, you might want to consider providing a decent amount of light for the trick-or-treaters, especially for the children.
• Also make sure there’s a clear pathway to your door. You wouldn’t want anyone tripping over toys, plants, bikes or garden hoses.
• If you have any pets, make sure they are restrained and not running over children. They might get the wrong impression because of people’s costumes.

Trick-Or-Treaters:

• Parents and responsible adults should always accompany children when going out to trick-or-treat.
• If you have older children who plan on going with friends, make sure they have a cell phone to contact you in case of an emergency. Have a specific route they must follow and a specific time they should be home.
• Never go to homes that don’t have lights on their porch.
• Always use the sidewalk and try to stay on a well-lit path.
• Always use the crosswalk when possible and cross in groups.
• If you have younger children, it is recommended that you try to start early while there’s still sunlight. It won’t be too dark and you’ll get home earlier.

October is Fire Safety & Prevention Month

As a provider of security and safety supplies, we acknowledge the importance of Fire Safety and Prevention month. We want you to become more aware and acquainted to many of the fire safety measures. Even though some places are more prone to fire dangers such as warm climate areas in Texas, Arizona and Southern California, fires can happen anytime, anywhere.  Whether you leave your stove on or a gas leak in your home, they can happen wherever you are unexpectedly. Not only can fires happen in your home, they can also happen at school or work. That’s why knowing the extra safety precautions to prevent and save you from fires is of the utmost importance.

When you’re inside a building, it is necessary that you have an escape plan in case of a fire emergency. Make sure you that there are at least two different routes with which you can exit the building. Always have a leader or someone who is assigned to help in case of a fire emergency to direct and help those in need. You need someone to keep everyone calm and composed so that everyone leaves the vicinity in a timely manner instead of scattering around in panic. Have one person call 911 to report the fire. You should have an assigned meeting area to keep track of every individual in the building as people leave. This will make it easier to find out who is still in the building and who is safe outside. Taking roll call is the best way to keep track of people.

If you don’t have a smoke detector in your home, then you should immediately buy and install one. The Fire Department recommends installing the smoke detectors usually in the hallway and bedrooms of your home. When purchasing a smoke detector, make sure that it has the Underwriter’s Laboratories seal that ensures it has been tested and approved for quality and performance. Many homes are already installed with smoke detectors, but you’ll be surprised to how many of them actually don’t work. Why is that? It’s because sometimes we forget to change the battery and no longer operates. Remember to always check and test your smoke detectors every week. You never know when an unexpected fire will occur while you are asleep in bed, in the front lawn or backyard.

Here are a couple of other fire safety measures that we should pay close attention to:

• Be Prepared and Ready. The simple safety measures can save your life.
  • Install and make sure that you have a smoke detector in all rooms, hallways, and other important areas of your home.
  • At least test them every week or every month to make sure they work properly.
  • Have a safety plan for getting in and out of the building. Fire drills are very important, especially if you have children.
• Smoke is also an eminent danger!
  • We always think about the fires, but smoke is usually the first killer when it comes to fire dangers.
  • Smoke sucks all the oxygen from the air causing you to pass out and leave you vulnerable.
  • Smoke contains poison gases and can get extremely hot very quickly.
  • Smoke is sneaky and usually won’t even know until its too late, which is why having a smoke detector is needed for every home.
• Preventing Fires
  • When cooking in the kitchen, never leave it unattended. If you do need to leave, make sure you keep the heat low on the stove and return as soon as possible.
  • If you smoke cigarettes, first run water over them before you dump them into the trash. Keep the area clean of any dropped cigarettes; they can potentially start a fire.
  • When lighting candles, always have an adult do it and blow it out. Make sure you have candles that won’t fall and are contained in a fireproof holder. Always place candles away from children, pets and out of reach where it might fall and cause a fire.
  • Keep any flammable items such as chemicals, sprays, matches or lighters in a safe and secure place.

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Burglary Statistics: By The Numbers

We’ve posted some very haunting stories and articles about burglaries that happen around the United States. We try to keep everyone informed of the dangers and thefts that occur. We know that everyday there is some type of theft or burglary happening to someone whether it is in broad daylight or late at night. We make sure everyone is aware of their surroundings and that you can never be too safe. Burglaries take place when you least expect it, which is why being prepared beforehand can save you the hassle and stress. Sometimes stories or articles aren’t enough to persuade people into investing in a high security surveillance system or high quality safes. Most of the time people will take that risk in being unprepared, but once they become a victim to theft or robbery, they’ll regret it and start investing.

Why learn the hard way and take that risk in becoming a victim to theft? Why not save yourself the money, stress and trouble of losing all your valuable items? Sometimes it isn’t even the money or jewelry that are the most valuable. Some valuables are irreplaceable like collectibles, family photos or other rare items. You also don’t want to lose sensitive information such as passports; social security, insurance or deeds that can be extremely difficult to replace and even worse, have your identity stolen. We never really discussed statistics or numbers when it came to how many burglaries actually happen within the United States every year. Instead of trying to research and look up the statistics, our good friends at Authority Safes have created an awesome graphic/chart that proves and clarifies some interesting burglary statistics in the United States.

The illustration and statistics chart shows that from reports by the FBI, there are approximately 2,222,196 burglaries that occur annually in the United States! That means if you spread the amount of burglaries evenly over 365 days, about over 6,000 burglaries occur every day.  That statistic alone is astonishing and you usually never realize its significance until you see the facts. Not only does this awesome graphic explain and break down the significance of burglaries that happen everyday, but it provides interesting comparisons too. One of the tidbits on the graphic says that “the average person reads at approximately 300 words per minute; as you’ve been reading, another home was just burglarized.” Just reading that statement can give you the goose bumps. It’s pretty ridiculous how many burglaries do occur annually and it gives you a better understanding of the bigger picture. According to the chart the most common items that have been stolen are cash, jewelry, firearms, electronics and silver. These are usually what most residential homes hide and store in their bedrooms. By that fact alone, you can see how important it is to keep your valuables safe. Thieves have only one thing on their mind, and it’s usually either cash or valuables that they can sell for more money. The time is now to start protecting your belongings and be prepared when the unexpected happens.

Residential & Commercial Security Systems Can Be A Huge Benefit

Last year an estimated worth of $37.1 billion was accumulated in employee and shopper theft, supplier fraud and inventory mismanagement. The data was gathered by the nonprofit organization of the National Association for Shoplifting Prevention. According to the Organization’s Director of Communications, Barbara Staib, she says, “Celebrities shoplift, organized gangs do it and ordinary folks do it.”

With that being said, more awareness and extra measures are being taken in order to reduce the amount of theft and burglary, as well as increasing child safety. In order to do so, more businesses and homeowners are investing in video surveillance systems that are not only necessary to catch the suspect on video, but also keep them away. Having a security surveillance can help deter criminals from your business and home. It’s similar to having your own dog in your backyard to keep trespassers away, they’ll be less likely to invade your home or business if you have some type of protection or security.  You can purchase surveillance cameras for a few hundreds dollars that are able to record and capture images for weeks on end.

Depending on your budget and the type of security surveillance you will need, there are couple things you should know before you purchase. Here are some tips and a few things you may need to know.

• Each surveillance system stores different amounts of data depending on the frames per second, motion and resolution. It also depends on the capacity of the system and the amount of activity being recorded.

• Most security systems come standard when wanting to recall a specific time and date of an event. It’s very easy to go back and see what went on during that time of day because the recorder usually has it stored in memory. Most systems allow your data to be stored into your existing computer or laptop to log in the activity and events. Nowadays even some systems allow for remote viewing, providing you the convenient ability to check the activity wherever you are through your smartphone.

• The owner can typically install smaller surveillance systems. However, when purchasing larger surveillance systems with multiple cameras and additional high-tech accessories, it’s recommended that you have a licensed and professional electrician to install it for you.

• The placement of cameras is very significant so that the person is being able to see the cameras. If you are a storeowner, you have to keep in mind the customer’s privacy. Cameras are not allowed in areas where privacy is required such as fitting rooms and restrooms. In order to keep people informed that there are cameras, typically stores will post a sign in front of their store, for example, “premises are being watched by the surveillance cameras.”

• You’ve probably seen homes with a sign that says “Beware of Dog” on their fence to deter intruders and trespassers. You want that same authoritative statement and effect with your surveillance cameras. According to the Operations Manager of Advanced Technical Security Solutions, John Kass says, “Surveillance cameras that can bee seen provide a few minute of thought for anyone considering foul play in a home or place of business.”

• Not only is having a security system in your home beneficial in keeping burglars away, but also for those who work in your home. Babysitters can have a peace of mind and become more relaxed knowing your home has surveillance cameras.  It can also make your workers become more responsible and dependable knowing that they are being monitored.

• Other notable questions to ask yourself and to remember before purchasing your own system for a business or home is:
  • What will I be monitoring?
  • Will it be used for the home or for a business? Usually home security systems use between two to eight cameras around the perimeter of their property. For businesses, it might take up to 16 or more cameras.
  • How will I be monitoring my home or business? Some surveillance systems allow you to use your existing computer to store all the data either using a PC or MAC. Other systems even allow you to monitor your home from your own smartphone.
  • Which areas do I want to monitor the most? Make sure you utilize each camera to the fullest. (E.g. one for the backyard, front yard, side of the house, garage)
  • What are the camera capabilities? Some cameras are limited to how much depth they can monitor. Most feature pan and tilt capabilities to be used.
  • Do I need night vision cameras?

Source: http://www.costcoconnection.com/connection/201109?pg=24#pg24

September Sellout Sale!

Discount Hardware Tools!

Security Base is now having a huge September Sale on a large selection of cordless drills, screwdrivers and grinders. The 18 volt cordless drills come with a keyless chuck and are brand new. Each drill is very versatile providing convenient and easy functionality on several driving and fastening tasks. The high-performance motor of each drill combined with a variable speed and light-weight compact design provides power and simple handling. The drills and other power tools also feature a nice soft grip for easier mobility and user comfort.  It also comes with an exchangeable battery to recharge when not in use and a wrist strap to prevent the drill from falling out of your hands when operating.

Most of the cordless screwdrivers are 3.6 volts. They are very compact, lightweight and easy to manage providing quick and easy functionality to unscrew and screw multiple objects. It’s compact size allows you to work in very small and closed areas where larger drills are not capable of reaching. Most of the screwdrivers have an LED light for operating in dark areas or poor light lighting conditions. It also comes with a separate LED battery indicator that notifies you when the battery is running low. The textured rubber grip allows for maximum comfort and control.

Shop our wide variety of drills and screwdrivers at a very affordable and low price.