Al's Blog Finds a New Home

After a good bit of thought, I decided to move Al Colombo's Safety & Security Blog to another server owned by Thunder Promotions of Canton, Ohio. To view this blog on Tpromo's server, go to www.tpromo.com/allancolombo/.

Personal: Taking the Plunge Again

"Yesterday (Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012) was my wedding day. I married a wonderful girl whom I've had the pleasure of knowing for more than 45 years. We have always been the best of friends, and now we've taken our best friend status to the next level. I am so happy to have her as my wife. I can hardly believe that I'm a married man, and to such a wonderful and beautiful woman. I am such a lucky man." --Al Colombo

Routers and Poor Factory Service

There are times when you'd like to tear your hair out. Today was one of those days I'm sure for Shane, one of my technicians who was working on an IP Communicator on a burglar alarm panel. The first problem is that you can't always control what make/model of router that a client buys. The second problem in this instance was the 90-day support policy that NetGear imposes on their customers.

When Shane called me this afternoon, he was riled and upset. Evidently he called NetGear support and got a woman who could barely speak English. To make matter worse, she told him she was going to charge his phone number $199 for the tech support. Despite his telling her "No!, No!," over and over, she continued down that path. Shane said that she was practically yelling at him.

What I have decided to do is put together a list of routers along with the ports that must be opened and the procedures used to open them. This will take time, but it will provide our technicians with immediate help when they encounter a router they do not work with.

What I would like to do is post this document on my blog. If you would like to participate in this effort, please send me an email at allan@wmml.info. I'll gladly list you in the acknowledgement section. Thank you in advance.

Al Colombo

The Power of Mobile Computing in Security

There is no doubt that mobile computing is the thing of the future, if not today.  Using mobile Internet-connected devices, service technicians can perform a variety of things that their older brothers with a hardline phone were not capable of.  One of these capabilities involves the ability to access service manuals of almost any type.

Through texting, techs and their managers also can shorten the time necessary to confer information. In relatively short order a service manger can provide his technicians with subscriber information as well as updates on central station signals. With SMS texting, managers also can dispatch technicians must sooner than in the old days when these men and women were forced to do everything from hardline telephones located at a client's place of business or residence.

Another benefit is the ability to access other critical information by logging onto the Internet. Examples include programming manuals and live-chat-type systems that allows people speak with tech support without the traditional telephone issues. All in all, most of us take these benefits in stride today. Younger technicians really know of no other way of interfacing with upper management. Is there any doubt in your mind that we're now living in one of the most interesting times in modern history?

For that latest news on mobile computing and other issues related to Internet connectivity, go to http://www.SecurityeNews.com.

Al Colombo

Being Followed on the Highway

In my last blog post I spoke on the issue of situational awareness, which I often do. In this case it involved the issue of locking your car doors while sitting in a public parking lot. In this post we'll discuss the issue of being followed on the highway.

Although it's not everyday that you or I would encounter a mobile stalker, they do exist. If you're a woman, it could be someone who knows of you, someone who has met you somewhere at some time, an ex husband, or someone else. If you're a man, it could be your girlfriend's husband or boyfriend, or perhaps an investigator working for a rival corporation.

In any case, there are things you should do and other things you should not do. The following article provides some helpful tips for those who might one day encounter this kind of problem: (What To Do When You Believe You're Being Followed).

If you would like to go one step further, if you would like to know for sure whether someone is tailing you, take three consecutive right hand turns. If the car behind you is still there when you do this, then they are likely following you. Now, here's the crux, be sure you know the area you are in enough to assure there are three consecutive right hand turns you can take. The last thing you want to do is find out that the first or the second turn is a dead end.

Hope this helps. If you have questions or suggestions related to this subject, or ideas for future blog posts, please send them to allan.colombo@tpromo.com.

Al Colombo

Situational Awareness When Out and About

You have to think like a criminal to avoid criminal action

One of the most important aspects of crime prevention that I strove to instill in my children was this: "Bad things happen to good people."

Here is what I told my girls over and over throughout their teenage years: "If someone knew they were going to get hit by a bus on any particular day, do you think for one moment they wouldn't have just stayed home in bed that day?"

This leads me to the crux of this post: SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.

Last evening while out with my fiance, I happened to go into a McDonalds to use the restroom. I hurried as I knew she would be sitting in the parking lot alone with all the doors unlocked. When I got back, that is exactly what I found. When I mentioned the idea of locking the doors and why, she replied, "I never gave that a thought."

Always be aware of your surroundings and think like a bad guy. If you do those two things, you should stay safe when you're out and about. However, if you go through life with your head buried in the sand, you will likely end up a victim. Criminals look for people who look like victim material. Don't be one of them. --Al Colombo

About this Photograph: This photograph is of an elevator control system atop a building in Akron, Ohio.

Security E-News at Your Fingertips

The security industry as a whole is changing every day in some way, be it methodology, philosophy, or the equipment and tools that we use.

A number of years ago I decided to build a news portal on the Web that offers the latest and greatest in security and life safety news. When I was done, I called it Security e-News.

Security e-News is built on RSS (Really Simple Syndication) technology. Another name for this is electronic news feeds. It consists of titles, summaries, and links to the latest and greatest news articles found on specific web publications and organizations, such as Security Park, Security System News, Gov't Security News, Security Watch and many, many more.

If you want to stay current in the physical security market, Security e-News is the place to be. It's a great way to start your day. We put the all the news you need right there at your fingertips.

Go to: http://www.Securitye-News.com.

Here's a short review of Security e-News:

14 Main topics

100 Individual news links

A Security Equipment Manufacturers' links page

Law Enforcement Resource Links

Commentaries

and more...

Not only will you find links to security and life safety publications and organizations, but you will find links to popular news outlets, such as The Consumerist, Business Wire News Service, eGovNews, U.S. State Department, Washington Post, and many, many more.

If you have a favorite news site that you would like to see on Security e-News, or if you find a bad link on the site, please send it along to allan@wmml.info.

Thank you,

Allan B. Colombo

Happy New Year!

Hope you have a wonderful 2012 my friends.

I hope all of us can say 2012 was a wonderful year when we get to January 1st, 2013.

"Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man." --Benjamin Franklin To view all my quotations, click here. You can also catch them as I post them each day on the front page of this blog. The very same quotes also appear on my facebook wall. --Al Colombo

Al Colombo Create Your Badge

Assuring the Procurement of a Quality Alarm Company

The notion that "bigger is better" is actually a misguided one. In this picture you will see that the bigger-is-better alarm firm installed a common ordinary PIR (passive infrared) detector in such a manner that the wire is exposed to view.

While it's true that the wire is nice and straight, even neatly installed from top to bottom, it goes without saying that you would not want to look at this in your living room any more than I would. But this sad client will be forced to do so for many years to come.

The question that I'd like to address in this blog post is this: "How do I assure that the alarm company I hire does a good job for me instead of a shoddy one?"

As the early portion of this blog post indicated, you cannot assume that bigger is better. The alarm firm that installed the motion detector in this picture is nationally known. And yet the quality of their work, as you can see, is not always what you would think it ought to be.

In the past I've also witnessed similar jobs where the same firm installed plastic conduit up a wall to a motion detector. In due time the sticky substance on the back of the conduit lost its holding power, which allowed the conduit to sag and bend. Needless to say, it actually looked worse than the plain old wire up the corner of the room shown in the picture above.

I think what's even more alarming (:-) is the fact that the technician who installed this conduit was misguided enough to put his firm's window stickers and yard signs up for all to see. Now, if I had installed either of these jobs, I would have been embarrassed to do so.

One way to assure that you get a quality job is to carefully scrutinize and select the alarm company you hire to install it. There are several steps that you should follow in order to accomplish this task:

How to Buy an Alarm System
By Allan B. Colombo

How do you know a good alarm system when you see one? This is one question that many homeowners ask when they go in search of an alarm system for their home. How do you compare one company's alarm system against another when you don't know anything about alarm systems? Probably the worst way to choose a system is to toss the dice and take a chance. Although this may work okay in Los Vegas, it doesn't work very well when buying an alarm system.

One way to buy an alarm system is to first study and research the various alarm systems that are currently on the market. There are several ways to do this, but the best way is to have a number of alarm companies come into your home and evaluate your security needs. They also will demonstrate the alarm system that they sell, giving you a first-hand look at some of the features of that particular system.

Another way to buy an alarm system is to attend crime prevention meetings where you can ask knowledgeable crime- prevention proponents questions about alarm systems. You can also call your local law enforcement agency and ask a police officer or sheriff deputy what kind of alarm system that they recommend. Although asking crime-prevention and law-enforcement "experts" questions will probably help you understand alarm systems better, it may not provide enough detailed information for a final decision.

A third avenue is to visit a local library where you can learn about alarm systems from technical books and various trade journals. Formal training in the field of alarm systems is also available from the National Fire and Burglar Alarm Association, Washington, DC and select colleges and correspondence schools. You can also obtain instructional books and other materials from a Radio Shack store in your area.

Alarm Systems Detect, Not Stop
The best place to begin is at the beginning, so let's examine a few facts and myths concerning alarm systems.

* ALARM SYSTEMS WILL STOP CRIMINALS FROM BREAKING IN: This is false! Alarm systems are made to detect criminals, not stop them from entering homes. At the same time, merely having an alarm system is sometimes enough to disourage unauthorized people (criminals) from breaking in.

* I'D BUY AN ALARM, BUT I HAVE TOO MANY KEYS AS IT IS HANGING FROM MY KEY RING: Most alarm systems today do not require the use of a key. Instead, they use keypads that have alphanumeric buttons and textual readouts.

Each user is given an authorization code that enables him or her to enter their home without triggering their alarm system. This special code number must be entered into the system via the keypad. Typically, homeowners have a predetermined period of time from the instant they open a select entry door until the time the alarm goes into alarm. Entering the right code number cancels the alarm.

* I DON'T PARTICULARLY WANT A BELL HANGING ON THE OUTSIDE OF MY HOUSE: Professional alarm installers usually do not use bells in residential applications today. Instead, they use siren speakers, many times mounting them inside an attic pointed out a gable vent or on a roof top where they're not so easily seen or tampered with.
Sirens do a better job of reporting unauthorized entries because of the sound they make. They especially attract attention better in rural settings where the high- frequency sounds they make carries further than that of bells and buzzers.

* ALARM MONITORING IS TOO EXPENSIVE: Although monitoring can cost, on the average, $240 a year, this feature provides an enormous benefit by assuring that help is on the way when your alarm system detects an intruder. Monitoring hinges on a 24-hr. central stations where operators work day and night to dispatch the police, fire department and paramedics to homeowners in trouble.

* ALARM SYSTEMS COST TOO MUCH: Putting a price tag on your home and its contents is one way of deciding whether to buy an alarm system. But, putting a price tag on the well being of your family members is impossible. It's also impossible to place a price tag on the peace of mind that results when you have an alarm system.
For example, from my own personal experience, one of my children--who literally grew up with an alarm system of one kind or another in our home--use to express how they felt like a prisoner in their own home. One day, after spending a night at a neighbor friends, she told me how uncomfortable she was all night long in a house that did not have any kind of protection, other than a lock on the door. After that she never complained about an alarm system; I suppose because it made her sleep better knowing it was there.

* IF I HAD AN ALARM SYSTEM I JUST KNOW MY CHILDREN WOULD SET IT OFF CONTINUALLY: False! Children historically learn how to operate alarms faster than their parents! In fact, it's usually the children who keep reminding their parents how to use it. And then it's usually the kids that venture beyond merely turning it on and off-- teaching their parents afterwards.

Do-It-Yourself Alarm Systems

There are essentially two levels of alarm protection in the security market: "do-it-yourself" and "professional."

Do-it-yourself (DIY) systems are understandably simple to install so the average do-it-yourselfer (DIY) can install them. This is because most do-it-yourselfers (DIYs) do not have the electronics background to install the sophisticated alarm systems used by professional alarm installers. Although these systems are usually inexpensive, beginning as low as $100, most of them are not usually as effective at protecting homes as professionally-installed systems are.

DIY systems, however, do fill a need in the protection of certain kinds of homes in certain situations. For example, DIY alarm systems are ideal for homeowners who cannot afford to buy a professionally-installed system. DIY alarm systems also are good for people who do not own their own home, as in the case of a tenant who rents an apartment. DIY systems also provide adequate protection when the risk of loss is significantly less than what it costs to have a full-sized, full featured alarm system installed by a professional.

For example, in the case of young newly-wed couple, they may not have enough expensive items in their apartment/home to warrant the cost of installing a professionally-installed alarm system. A DIY system will provide adequate protection in their situation. Another factor might be where they live. For example, a DIY alarm system may also be adequate when they live in a rural environment or one without a history of violence or crime.

You can usually identify a DIY system by how it looks in a home. Most DIY systems are designed to sit on a counter or a bookshelf. Most of them are also "wireless," which means there are no wires to connect them with the remote sensors that make up a professional alarm system--other than a plug-in power cord and speaker wire. The draw back to this approach, however, is obviously the ease at which criminals can circumvent them.

For example, most DIY alarm systems provide a delay when entering a home. During this delay a small electronic device (called a piezoelectric or just piezo) sounds a low-level warning alarm, reminding the homeowner to disarm the alarm system. Because the piezo is usually located in the DIY unit itself, a criminal only has to follow the sound to find the brains of the system. To defeat it, all he usually has to do is unplug the power cord and cut the outside speaker wires.
Some DIY systems are designed to use wireless transmitters to convey open reports from each door and window switch. Miniature transmitters also are built into interior motion detectors, smoke detectors, and other sensory devices. This nearly eliminates the need to install wire.

Some DIY systems come with motion detectors built into them. Thus, the same cabinet that houses the brains of the system also acts as a motion detector, sometimes eliminating the need for additional interior sensors. In other DIY systems, "hardwired" connections are also provided--just in case someone wants to install both hardwired and wireless devices.

There is also another type of wireless system on the market that requires no wires, no transmitters, no door/window switches and no interior motion detectors. One version of this type of DIY system detects burglars by sensing sudden changes in atmospheric pressure inside the home when a window or door is opened or a glass pane is broken. The technology that makes this happen is called "infrasonics."

Although infrasonic systems do work, this technology was abandoned by professional alarm manufacturers a few years ago for a variety of reasons. One manufacturer confided that the technology involved was not stable enough for professional use. There is at least one consumer-grade alarm system on the market today, however, that uses infrasonic technology. I cannot attest to its reliability, but will suggest that perhaps in unmonitored, low-risk applications (those applications where an alarm system only rings at the protected premises and where the risk of monetary loss or the loss of life is low), infrasonics may provide adequate protection.
Another type of wireless DIY system detects the entry of unauthorized people (criminals) by listening for the sound of breaking glass and splintering wood. These devices, again, are shelf-mounted and they plug into a 110 volt receptacle in the home--often with battery backup.

Professionally-installed wireless and hardwired alarm systems, on the other hand, are usually wall-mounted, which means the sensor, power, and telephone wires can be concealed inside the wall behind the alarm box or inside a metal conduit. Getting to the circuit boards inside the box is made all the harder because most systems require the use of a key to open the box. This makes it a lot harder for criminals to defeat them.

For an example of what it is like to install a typical DIY alarm system, view How To Install a Typical DIY Alarm System.

Professional Security Systems

Professionally-installed alarm systems will accommodate either wireless, hardwired, or both technologies. Wireless systems, for example, usually use sophisticated radio-controlled equipment that not only sense the presence of unauthorized people, but also send open-and-closed status (alarm) and low-battery (supervisory) signals to the main alarm unit on a transmitter-by-transmitter basis.

The technical advantages of this type of wireless system over that of a DIY system are obvious. The most important difference, however, is the ability of this system to report alarms and supervisory signals to an alarm panel on a transmitter-by- transmitter basis, pin pointing where a criminal has entered. Interior motion detectors equipped with radio transmitters also enable central station operators to follow criminals through a home, giving the police the assurance that someone is still inside, even though the doors and windows may appear to be secure.

Pin pointing the origin of an alarm is also essential when there are false alarms (nothing made by man is perfect, so ALL alarm systems will eventually generate a false alarm sometime). A professional wireless system enables both the homeowner and professional alarm installer to quickly determine the source of a "troublesome" alarm, eliminating the problem before it begins to annoy the police. This is also important because more and more communities are instituting fines against homeowners when their alarm system repeatedly causes false alarms. Worse yet, in some cases, the police has placed false-alarming systems on low priority, sometimes eliminating police response altogether.

By contrast, most DIY systems cannot pin point the origin of "troublesome" false alarms. In addition, they do not monitor the status of their batteries, sometimes allowing them to go dead without warning anyone of their low power condition. Professional-grade wireless systems, on the other hand, provide a low-battery warning up to 6 weeks prior to a battery's failure.

Although wireless is gaining in popularity among professional alarm installers, the most common professional alarm system on the market today is the "hardwired" system.

Because these systems use wire to connect remote door and window switches, as well as motion detectors, smoke detectors (when used), and other sensors, there is less sophisticated electronic circuitries to malfunction. In addition, larger systems can quickly identify false-alarm sources so the alarm installer can quickly solve a false-alarm problem.

Another sign of a professional system is an integral central- station connection. These systems usually contain a device called a digital communicator that communicates with a special computerized receiver on the other end at the central station. Although add-on digital communicators are available, these devices usually are inherent in the design of a professional alarm system. In some cases, the manufacturer provides an add-on digital-communicator board that simply plugs into the main circuit board inside the alarm box.

Conclusion

The first decision to make is whether to buy a DIY alarm or a professionally-installed security system. Those who sell DIY systems often point out the difference in cost. If you are an apartment tenant, you have very little to loose inside your home or apartment, then a low-cost DIY system will probably fulfill your needs. On the other hand, if you own your own home and you intend to stay there and you have many fine things in your home, a professional-grade alarm system is probably the best way to go.

In some cases, it's not only a family's valuables at stake, but the welfare of family members that must be considered. In this case, a professionally-installed system with several keypads inside the home (one in the master bedroom, for example) is a must because this type of system will quickly identify a criminal's point of entry, as well as his current location in the home. This is important especially at night when the alarm system suddenly goes off.

The next decision is whether to pay for professional 24-hr. central station monitoring. One criteria for this decision is, of course, the money it will cost you to have your alarm system monitored. It's also important to note that in situations like the one in the last paragraph, central-station monitoring assures you that help is on the way without you even making a phone call.

There are other ways to report alarms too. One of them that's often used in DIY systems is called a "voice dialer." This technology came into existence in the 1960s in the form of a modified mechanical tape recorder that automatically dials out on the telephone lines to a police station, sheriff office, fire department, or ambulance service. Today, voice dialers are electronic--storing voices digitally inside their circuits.

Although voice dialers do not require a monthly charge like 24- hr. central stations do, this technology is not as reliable at transmitting alarm signals because there is no way to positively verify that an emergency call has been received at the other end. In addition, many police and fire departments have outlawed their use. In the Chicago area, for example, stiff penalties are levied against homeowners who use them. Thus, the bottom line is to check with the authorities in your community before you plug one of these devices into your telephone line and begin sending your own voice over the phone line.

New Alarm Systems Deserve Special Consideration

Everyone knows that false alarms are a problem for law enforcement and fire departments across the United States if not the world. Everyone also knows and expects to take a new car back to the dealership because there are almost always bugs in the rugs that need attention. And yet cities across the nation fail to apply this same understanding to new alarm installations.

PRESCOTT - Over the course of about a month this past summer, local charter school Kestrel High racked up more than $1,000 in fines from the new security-alarm ordinance that the City of Prescott had just enacted.

The school's board President John Baudek appeared before the Prescott City Council Tuesday to protest those fines and to suggest that the city impose a more moderate false-alarm ordinance.

Read it here.

In the case of Kestrel High, the city in which it resides allows two false alarms before fining the alarm owner.

Cities should allow some slack when a new alarm system is installed. There should be a good deal of leeway in order to assure that all the bugs are worked out of the system. There are many reasons for bugs to exist, such as unforeseen air currents, unexpected rodents, and other issues that affect motion detectors.

One of my own clients experienced several additional false alarms and was fined by the local community enforcement folks. I wrote a letter to the police department explaining that it was a new alarm system and that there had been some unexpected issues that resulted in unintended/unwanted alarms. I asked if they would kindly exempt the client from the fines because of extenuating circumstances. Much to my surprise, they did!

Communities should be sensible in their false alarm policies. This ploy should not be revenue driven, although it does add considerably to the bottom line. The first and primary purpose should be to encourage owners to fix their alarm systems. Therefore, it's my opinion that new alarms should be considered separately. --Al Colombo