Dallas, Texas, June 5, 2009 – When Deb Makowski left her home for work, she could not have foreseen the impending danger that might have quietly taken her daughter's life. Due to wintery conditions, carbon monoxide began to fill Ms. Makowski's home as her daughter lay resting in bed. As the emergency situation developed, neither Ms. Makowski nor her daughter were able to detect the danger in their home, but they did not need to because Brink's Home Security did.
As the leading cause of accidental poisoning in the United States, carbon monoxide is an odorless, tasteless and colorless gas produced by many common household appliances. When not properly ventilated, carbon monoxide can easily build up over time, causing serious injury and possibly death. The US Center for Disease Control estimates that carbon monoxide poisoning claims nearly 500 lives each year, and is also responsible for over 15,000 emergency room visits.
When Ms. Makowski's home began to fill with carbon monoxide emitted from her heater, her monitored alarm system went to work. Detecting a significant rise in CO levels, the carbon monoxide detector sent a signal to the Brink's Home Security monitoring station and monitoring operator Cindy Satterlee. Satterlee quickly contacted the home to verify the emergency. With no response at the residence, Satterlee contacted Ms. Makowski's mobile phone and notified her of the emergency situation. When informed that Ms. Makowski's daughter was home alone, Satterlee contacted local emergency services to request an emergency dispatch. Within minutes, emergency crews arrived at Ms. Makowski's home to find her daughter unconscious with carbon monoxide poisoning. Emergency personnel rushed her to the hospital to begin oxygen treatments, and her life was saved.
In honor of this quick emergency response by Satterlee and Brink's Home Security, the National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association (NBFAA) has presented Brink's Home Security with the 2009 First Line of Defense Award. The First Line of Defense Award, presented annually by the NBFAA, was instituted to publicize emergency response success stories and to provide consumers with an awareness of the value of alarm systems.
"I am extremely grateful to all of the Brink's employees who went above and beyond to help me and my family during this time," stated Makowski. "Not only did they help coordinate everything once the alarm was received, they even called me back later that day to make sure that everything was alright. Brink's Home Security saved my daughter's life and I will never be able to repay them for that."
The National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association (NBFAA) recommends the following safety tips for protection against carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Install CO alarms outside each sleeping area of the home and on each floor of the home. For greater protection, connect the CO alarms throughout the home so that when one activates, they all activate.
- Adhere to all manufacturer's guidelines and instructions for installation.
- Identify and store all local emergency contact numbers for a CO alarm emergency. Program these numbers in your cell phone as well, in case you are not at home when an alarm activates.
- Test monthly and confirm that each CO alarm is operating properly to the manufacturer's instructions.
- If the CO alarm activates, immediately relocate everyone in the home to a safe location outdoors, or move into an open doorway that leads outside.
- Call for help only from a safe location, and remain in the safe location until emergency personnel arrive.
- Never start and run an automobile in an enclosed area such as a garage. Simply opening a garage door is NOT sufficient ventilation.
- In the event of a large snowstorm, ensure that all exterior dryer, furnace and/or stove vents are clear of any debris or packed snow.
- A gas-powered generator should only be used in a well-ventilated outdoor location.
- Never operate gas or charcoal grills indoors. Use in only outdoor manufacturer recommended locations.
Unlike smoke, which can be detected by sight and smell, carbon monoxide can fill a home without any warning. Installing a monitored carbon monoxide detector in your home not only give you peace of mind, it could also be your first line of defense.
About NBFAA
NBFAA, a non-profit 501(c) 6 trade association, is the nation's oldest and largest organization dedicated to representing, promoting, and supporting the electronic life safety, security, and systems industry. Member companies specialize in a wide spectrum of services to commercial and residential consumers, including security and fire alarms, video surveillance, access control and monitoring. In cooperation with a federation of state associations, NBFAA provides government advocacy and delivers timely information, professional development tools, products and services that members use to grow and prosper their businesses. The NBFAA may be reached at (888) 447-1689 or on the Web at  www.alarm.org.
Receiving a panic signal from Julie but getting no response when she placed a return call, operator Dianne Robinson immediately requested a dispatch from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. Police arrived within minutes of the request and began negotiations with the assailant, Julie’s ex-boyfriend. Eventually, Julie was released and the ex-boyfriend ended the hours-long standoff by shooting himself.
Because of their rapid response, Brink’s Home Security was awarded the First Line of Defense Award by the National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association (NBFAA). The First Line of Defense Award is presented annually by NBFAA to the company that goes above and beyond the call of duty to save lives and property.
“The quick action of Julie in hitting the panic button, and our operator in working with the police, were critical in saving Julie's life. The fast response by the police made the difference in an extremely dangerous situation that in an instant could have turned out more tragically,” said Carole Vanyo, Brink’s Home Security Senior Vice President of Customer Operations.
NBFAA congratulates Brink’s, Dianne Robinson and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department for their roles in saving Julie’s life. As winners of the First Line of Defense Award, Brink’s representatives received an expense-paid trip to the 2008 Electronic Security Expo where they were presented with their award and met an emotional Julie Bender face-to-face. Brink’s will also receive a local media campaign facilitated by NBFAA.
About Broadview Security, Inc.
Broadview Security, Inc., headquartered in Irving, Texas, is one of the largest and fastest growing providers of monitored security services to single-family residences and commercial properties in North America. Broadview Security operates in more than 250 metropolitan areas, and services more than 1,300,000 customers throughout the United States and two provinces in Canada.
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