Home Security Tips

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You probably don't like to think about crime, but no matter where you live, your income or your lifestyle, crime is a fact of life. That doesn't mean you have to be defenseless. Put the following home security tips and home safety solutions into action along with the monitored Broadview Security system to help deter crime and help keep your family and home safe and secure. Home Security Tips: Lighten up Leave your outside lights on at night. If your neighborhood is dimly lit, ask your municipal authorities to add streetlights or replace existing bulbs with higher watt bulbs. Leave one or two lamps on inside your house when you're not at home. Lock up Home safety equipment, such as reliable dead-bolt door locks and sturdy window latches, helps prevent break-ins. Trim the hedges Tall hedges provide hiding places for potential burglars. Keep yours trimmed so that they're no higher than your windowsills. Install peepholes Home safety equipment and products like peepholes with magnifying lenses let you see who's at your door – without opening it. No notes Never leave notes on your door, even when you're at home. Don't give too many details online Be careful about what you post on social media websites. By talking about where you are, you could let a potential burglar know you're not home.  Make your mark Permanently mark your valuables to make it easier for the police to return them to you if they are stolen. Driver's license numbers with a state abbreviation work best. Keep a record of marked objects. Make noise Tune the stereo or TV to your favorite station when you leave the house. To a burglar, it means that someone's home. Don't provide access Close and lock garage doors to protect valuables stored there and to prevent access to your house. Park in the driveway Park an additional car in your driveway or ask a neighbor to park there. It gives the appearance that someone's always home and prevents burglars from backing a van into the drive for easy loading. Be careful with spare keys If you leave a spare key outside, be creative. Burglars routinely check under flowerpots and welcome mats and on window ledges. Have your home watched while you're away Ask a neighbor to collect newspapers and mail when you're away. If you'll be gone for an extended period, hire someone to take care of your lawn or even to housesit.   Get involved In addition to following these home safety tips and solutions, team up with your neighbors and form a crime watch program. Your local police can help you get started. Learn more about useful home security tips and installing the Broadview Security system. Download Home Security Tips brochure

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An important part of fire safety is prevention. Did you know Broadview Security installs and monitors smoke/heat detectors that can alert you and the fire department if there is a fire in your home? Follow these fire safety tips for home fire safety.1 • Never paint or decorate a smoke alarm, because this could keep it from working properly. • Create a home fire escape plan for your family. Try to identify two ways out of each room (one way out might be the window, the other could be the door). • Install fire extinguishers close to an exit. • Keep the stove clear of anything that could catch on fire: paper, towels, curtains, pot-holders or food packages. • Matches and lighters should always be kept out of sight and reach of children, preferably in a locked cabinet. • Avoid overloading electrical outlets. Consider plugging only one high-wattage appliance into each receptacle outlet at a time. • Place lamps on level surfaces, away from things that can burn, and use bulbs that match the lamp's recommended wattage. • Turn the clothes dryer off when leaving the home. • Any fuel or liquid that can catch on fire, like gasoline or kerosene, needs to be kept in a safe container, outside the home in a garage or shed. • Most important of all: practice your home escape plan twice a year. You never know when you'll have to use it! Learn more about Broadview Security smoke/heat detectors and other home safety solutions

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Follow these child home safety rules from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children to help keep your children safe2: • Make sure you know where each of your children is at all times. • Never leave children unattended in an automobile, whether it is running or not. • Be involved in your children’s activities. • Notice when someone shows one or all of your children a great deal of attention or begins giving them gifts. • Teach your children that they have the right to say NO to any unwelcome, uncomfortable, or confusing touch or actions by others. • Be sure to screen babysitters and caregivers through a state public registry, check references, and ask your children how the experience with a caregiver was. • Practice basic safety skills with your children. • Remember that there is no substitute for your attention and supervision. Learn more about installing the Broadview Security system

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This coloring book is a fun and educational way to communicate home, fire and child safety to your children. Download Now

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At Broadview Security we care about the safety and security of your whole family, and we know your pets are an extremely important part of that. We understand pet security is never something that should be overlooked. Losing a pet would be devastating, especially if steps can be taken to prevent such a tragedy. Help keep your pets safe in an emergency situation by making a pet safety plan. Here’s how. Pet Safety Tips Planning ahead • Make an emergency escape plan for your family, including pets, to get everyone out of the house as quickly and safely as possible in the event of a fire or other emergency, and practice it at least twice a year1 • Put an emergency pet safety decal on your windows so emergency crews know there are pets inside, especially if you’re not home2 • To help ensure pet fire safety, use monitored smoke detectors in your home instead of battery-operated ones:    • They are connected to an alarm monitoring center and can alert your security provider about potential fires    • This means emergency agencies can be notified automatically and your pets can be rescued, even if you’re away    • Click here to find out about Broadview Security monitored smoke/heat detectors • Find a place where your pet can stay in case of an emergency such as a local hotel or motel that accepts pets, boarding kennels or friends and family members willing to provide temporary housing • Put together a water-proof pet safety emergency kit Check your local pet supply stores or online stores, such as PetSmart, to find these beneficial pet safety products: • First aid kit, medications and medical records, including vaccination records (list medical conditions and special considerations) • Food, bottled water, can opener, bowls • Cat litter and pan, newspaper or crate liner, plastic bags and paper towels for clean-up • Leashes, travel carriers, toys and pet beds • List of emergency contact numbers including your vet and your pet’s temporary housing • Current photos of you and your pets in case you need to show emergency personnel2 • Make sure the info on your pet’s vaccination tags, ID tags and/or microchip is up to date in case you are separated from your pet during an emergency During an emergency • Remember your pets’ favorite hiding and sleeping places – that’s where they’re more likely to go when they’re scared, and should be the first place you look for them • If possible, put your pet on a leash or in a carrier to take them outside • Take your pets for a vet visit as soon as possible after the emergency to make sure they’re okay1 1. Include Pets in Fire Safety Programs – by American Humane Association, City of Tallahassee, FL http://www.talgov.com/animals/genfire.cfm 2. ASPCA, Disaster Preparedness http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/disaster-preparedness/aspca_pet_preparedness_full_page.pdf 3. For more great tips on pets and pet care, check out www.pets.com