September is finally here, and it’s time to send your little guy or girl off to college. In all of the excitement of this big moment, don’t let the importance of home security get lost in the mix. The first days of the school year are thrilling regardless of whether it’s freshman or senior year, and thoughts of safety end up abandoned amidst the hoopla. As a parent, it’s up to you to remind your children of the importance of maintaining home security, either in the dorm or off campus. Here are some tips to pass along to your kids:

Remain Aware of Your Surroundings: While the first few weeks of freshman year can seem like summer camp, remember that not everyone is as trusting and innocent as you are. Thefts happen in the dorm everyday, and once a valuable possession is gone, it’s likely that it won’t be seen again. Remember to lock your door when you leave, and make sure your roommate is on the same page.

Ask Your Landlord for an ADT Home Alarm: Many landlords are coming around to the fact that home security is their responsibility, just like fixing a broken dishwasher or a leak in the roof. Ask your landlord to install an ADT home security system. Offer to tack on a few extra dollars per month; the savings will come back in spades when a burglary is thwarted.

Keep an Open Dialogue With Your Neighbors: Let the folks living around you know that you want to hear about any suspicious behavior. Taking collective home security seriously is the best way to keep everyone around you safe, including yourself.

With some basic precautions around campus and your home, you can go a long way towards a safe school year. Contact ADT today to see how they can help.

Summer is nearing its end, and that means children across America will soon be hearing that first bell that kicks off the new school year. That makes some kids happy and other kids sad, but regardless, every child needs to understand that safety and home security take top priority. There are too many potential hazards out there to give this anything less than your full attention. Look below for tips to help ensure your child’s safety this school year.

Perform Some Bus Stop Recon: No matter whether it’s your kid’s first or hundredth ride, it pays to spend a few minutes scouting out the place where he or she will wait for the bus. If there is a walk from your home involved, take the time for a practice run.

Replay Home Security Basics: Now is as good a time as ever to go over your expectations for keeping your home protected. If your child is old enough to operate the ADT home alarm, have them show you how to do it. This is especially important if the child will be left alone.

Talk to Neighbors: Have a discussion with the folks living around you about expectations for the new school year. Consider setting up a schedule to take care of each others’ kids if an adult isn’t always available in both homes.

Lay Out Rules for Older Children: Kids in high school and college represent a whole different set of challenges. Sit your child down and have a frank talk about the dangers involved with operating a motor vehicle, especially in cases where alcohol is involved. Parents are the number one deterrent for bad behavior, so take the few minutes to speak to your kids.

As the dog days of August turn into cooler September rain showers, make sure your children are safe. Practice these home safety and school safety tips. There’s nothing more precious than their well-being, and you should take every step possible to ensure it.

Have you ever heard the expression, “a team is only as strong as its weakest link”? While not universally true, it certainly applies to home security. By banding together with your neighbors, you can greatly bolster your own property’s protection. Along with an ADT home alarm system, this can be one of the best ways to keep your family safe. Here are some tips for getting your neighborhood watch group off the ground.

Start Small: Talk to your neighbors to the immediate left and right. This is the first step to increasing the strength of your neighborhood’s defense system. Discuss mutual expectations and concerns, and delegate responsibilities.

Expand Across the Neighborhood: Now that you have the backing of more homeowners, take the campaign further by going door to door. Don’t be discouraged if you get rejected from a few homes on your way-it’s their loss. You can also print up flyers if you would prefer to move things forward from a distance.

Home Security Meetings: Once the organization has been developed, hold a monthly meeting to talk about potential threats. Encourage your neighbors to openly discuss home security issues.

As a unit, your neighborhood can protect itself against potential intruders. By banding together, you can supplement stronger locks, a home alarm system, and other individual home security measures.

Packing for safety is key. It is important to always take along things like a personal alarm, a door alarm, cash carriers and passport jackets.  It is also important to keep everything important, such as money and documents, close to your body where they’re harder for someone to steal. Not in an inside pocket or fanny pack, but a money belt or harness that is worn inside your clothing. Especially when traveling overseas.

For example, a woman in the Paris train station sat her fanny pack with her and her husband’s passports, their traveler’s cheques, and their cell phone all on top of her suitcase. When she turned sideways to bend down beside the suitcase and look inside their backpack, everything was stolen in the blink of an eye. A busy train station with people walking by and bumping into one another was all it took for someone to casually pick up the fanny pack and leave my friends stranded in a foreign country without cash and their passports.  They hadn’t even purchased their train ticket yet, so they couldn’t get to the American Embassy. Their first mistake was putting everything they had in one central location. They should have each had their own passports on their bodies.  Each of them should have had money and traveler’s cheques hidden on their bodies. Their cell phones that had all of their phone numbers stored inside them should have been separated inside luggage and a duffel bag, and they should have had a back-up system like a written copy of emergency numbers.

Personal alarms can protect you if you’re out and someone tries to mug you or if you’re in a situation where you simply feel uncomfortable. By pulling a wire out of a handheld device, an ear piercing alarm is emitted that will scare off a potential attacker and attract attention to you. A door alarm will do the same, except it is like a bumper placed at the foot of the door that will sound if someone tries to gain entry.

If you go on vacation, especially to a foreign country where you might not be fluent in the language, be careful about what you pack. Make sure you’re taking the safety items you need to make your vacation a success. Do it right and your only worries will be how much stuff you lug home!

As for the safety of your home while you are away, ADT home security has been protecting American homes for over one hundred years. Their monitoring professionals are quick to respond. Remember to travel safe, and keep your home security level up while you travel.

Summer is winding its way down, and that means Labor Day is quickly approaching. As always, June and July flew by, and Memorial Day and the 4th of July are distant memories. You’ve kept your family safe throughout the hot days and nights, and now’s no time to quit. Here are some home security tips for maintaining that same level of safety for the upcoming Labor Day holiday.

Home Alarm - Don’t Forget to Set It: Your ADT home security system has monitored your home while you were away all summer long. When you go away this Labor Day, make sure you don’t forget to arm it. Burglars know just as well as you do that summer’s last harrah means vacant houses waiting to be picked off.

Fireworks – Don’t forget about Fire Safety: Have some fireworks left over from July 4th? Be careful when lighting them off, especially if you live in a dry area. In many parts of the United States, this summer hasn’t brought much rain, which means the risk of fire is greater than at any other point. Your home security depends on the wise choices you make, so take care and don’t play with fire.

Don’t Forget About Mother Nature: Folks in hurricane-prone areas should stay cautious, as Labor Day falls right into the prime time for late summer tempests. Have an emergency action plan ready, in case disaster strikes. In any case, you can feel secure about your home’s continued protection against intrusion: ADT’s four interconnected command centers mean that even if one location goes down, the system remains up and running.

Enjoy Labor Day, and remember to share these home security reminders with your family, keeping them safe as back to school gets closer and Fall approaches.

It’s that time of year again.  Holiday vacations are on the horizon and you’re dreaming about what the sunsets will look like after a grueling day of tanning and swimming.  It’s hard to interrupt such pleasant departures of the imagination, but there’s also an element of safety to consider.

You don’t want a holiday interrupted because you failed to take some basic precautions.  You’re leaving your home for a while.  You’ve taken steps to keep your ADT home alarm system activated while you’re away, right? Once you’ve made arrangements with friends or neighbors to look after the homestead, back it up with these three steps for a safe beach holiday.

1. Make your hotel room less attractive to thieves. Hotel rooms are not private, and usually lack the security of a home security system. There are plenty of staff members passing through, most of whom are trustworthy.  However, it only takes one, so keep your hotel room free of valuable items.  There is no home alarm to sound when the chambermaid changes the sheets.  Keep your jewelry in the safe and your cash in the bank.

2. Keep the door to your hotel room locked.  Even when you have friends or your children coming and going, it’s a good habit to lock it up.  If you’re in the shower, and someone goes for the newspaper while leaving the door unlocked, it can be open season for someone passing by.

3. Remember that the beach is a public area.  Even in private beaches, it’s difficult to keep people from swimming over from different areas, or walking down the edge of the water, which is usually public property.  When you go for a swim or take a walk, don’t leave anything behind that you will miss if it disappeared.  You’ll live if a beach towel is gone — losing your wallet could spell a true disaster.

Keep these simple tips in mind as you enjoy your vacation this summer. Take a few elements of your home security plan with you on holiday. With a few basic precautions, you can safeguard your family and belongings, ensuring a pleasant stay away from home.

It looks like this summer could have the necessary ingredients for the perfect storm that will send crime rates soaring through the roof. First off, it looks like criminal activity is trending upward along with the Recession, as desperate people begin to take desperate measures. Though concrete statistics have yet to be determined, police chiefs around the country report a noticeable increase in reported crimes. Most are recommending home security systems as the most potent method available to citizens for protecting against this surge.

That still leaves the second front sweeping in, which threatens to turn the situation into an even more serious national event. Many meteorologists are counting on July and August to set new records for heat and humidity across the nation, as thermometers slowly start to creep upward.

Sociologists have long known that rising temperatures result in rising crime rates. People tend to spend more time outside of their own homes, leading to more invasions. Extreme heat also leads to a general loss of self-control and restraint. Finally, don’t forget that kids are out of school, unsupervised, and looking to cause trouble.

All of this means that there’s never been a better time to protect your property.

Consider that all of this heat will almost certainly lead to increased blackouts, as more and more folks switch on their air conditioners to beat the heat. Other home security providers limit their coverage to one command center. In contrast, ADT spreads the risk across four interconnected command centers.

This summer, give your family the protection they deserve. With a home alarm system that is reliable and ready to protect you and your loved ones.

Now that the school year’s final bell has rung, your kids have a lot more free time. You’ve probably heard the expression about the Devil and idle hands, and summer is chock full of opportunities for bored children to get themselves into trouble. The hot months of June, July, and August can be enjoyed safely both inside and outside of the home, as long as you take some simple precautions.

The Stranger Talk: It’s almost a cliché by now, but make sure your children know that they should never get into a car with a stranger. While a home alarm system can keep your kids safe while they’re hanging out at home, they’ll need to exercise more caution when in public.

Stay Hydrated: This one’s pretty simple, but often overlooked. Dehydration can lead to very serious consequences, including heat stroke and even death. Let your kids know that they should be drinking before they get thirsty, rather than after. On the hottest days of summer, skip outdoor activities and head to a movie theater or bowling alley.

Don’t Forget to Set the Alarm: When sweat is pouring down your face and you can feel your skin already starting to burn, you’ll find yourself forgetting to do things that are normally almost second nature. Whenever you leave your home, make sure to set your ADT home security system. This technology is easy enough for kids to use, so get them involved. You should also teach them how to operate the two-way communicator in case of an emergency. This device will put them in touch with a trained home security professional immediately.

Clear Expectations for Being Home Alone: Staying home alone is a big responsibility, no matter how old your child is. Make sure they understand everything that’s necessary to maintain home security, from dangers in the kitchen to how to deal with a fire.

Your kids’ safety is the number one priority this summer. With tools like a home security system and some basic education, you can be sure that they’ll be kept out of harm’s way.

Many consumers automatically think of home alarm systems  when they hear the name ADT.  The reason for this is based on the company’s long history of providing the most effective and advanced means of security at rates that are affordable to everyday consumers.  The company takes a great deal of pride in their service and their reputation for protection.  After more than 100 years in business, ADT has made quite a name for themselves.  However, there are many consumers who are unaware of just how successful and effective the company really is and what services they have to offer.

While primarily known for home security and intrusion detection, ADT provides a number of services.  In addition to preventing and responding to break-ins, the company provides freeze and fire detection, critical condition and elder care monitoring, electronic article surveillance, video surveillance, and much more.  In fact, ADT is the largest provider of electronic security service to customers of all types in North America.

In addition to protecting residences, ADT is the security provider in charge of protecting the United States and British governments.  Many federal courthouses are protected by ADT security as well as many of the busiest airports in the country.  A large number of the country’s top banks and nearly all of the Fortune 500 companies also rely on ADT to meet all of their electronic security needs. ADT has millions of customers and thousands of technicians. These facts help bring to light how popular the company is, and shows how their reputation makes them the most trusted name in home and business security.

With their five strategically located customer monitoring systems within the United States, ADT is able to handle a great volume of transactions. The centers are staffed with trained professionals who are able to assess any situation to determine what officials to contact and how to best help the customer in any given situation.

ADT’s call centers are able to interact fully with one another, meaning that in the event of an emergency situation or disaster, any center will be able to handle traffic from another center.  This means that if your local center was bombarded with calls or there was a situation that rendered it nonoperational, calls would be rerouted immediately to another call center, where staff would still be in constant contact with your local law enforcement agencies.  This is yet another way an ADT alarm coupled with live monitoring can help provide around the clock security and peace of mind to homes and businesses.

Since it was created in the late 1800’s, ADT has always maintained excellent service and helped to ensure the safety of all its customers. It is never too early to help protect what is important to you with ADT home security.

Despite the frightening figures on home invasions and property crimes, many homeowners are still reluctant to invest in a home security system.  They feel that the initial installation and monthly monitoring fee is too much to pay for the security of their home and its contents.

Unfortunately, many homeowners don’t install home alarm systems until after they’ve had a break-in.  If your home is invaded, you may be faced with thousands of dollars in damaged and stolen items.  Suddenly, the cost of installing and maintaining a home security system seems much more reasonable.

Of course, not every home will be broken into.  There are plenty of households that will never have to deal with the shock of seeing their home in disarray or the confusion of filing a police report and insurance claim.  However, those homes can benefit in other ways from having home security systems.

Just the presence of a home security system can ward off some burglars.  Faced with the choice between trying to disarm a home security system and breaking into the unsecured house next door, most burglars would prefer the easier target.  Homeowners who let it be known that their home is protected may never have to rely on their home security system precisely because it is there.

Home security provider ADT has built up an impressive home protection system.  They feature a vast network of interconnected monitoring centers all across the US to ensure that if your home is ever in danger, they can react quickly.

ADT home alarm systems can alert the authorities for you if anything happens to your home.  Their security systems offer a fire protection service which can call your local fire department if a fire is detected in your home.  Even if you are away from home when a fire breaks out, your property will be protected.  The ADT system can also call other rescue personnel as appropriate for the situation.  In many cases, the authorities can be there within minutes of the alarm sounding.

ADT’s monitoring centers are manned 24 hours a day, every day of the year.  The employees monitoring the network are highly trained home security professionals.  If anything happens to your home, they can notify both you and the police.

Besides protecting your home and its contents, a home security system can actually save you money every month.  Most homeowner’s insurance providers give discounts for homes that are equipped with security systems.  For homeowners who are concerned with the cost of maintaining a security system, this discount can help to offset the monthly monitoring fee.

The decision to install a home alarm system should be an easy one.  There’s no better way to protect your home, your belongings, and your family.  The cost of keeping a home security system is very reasonable, and it’s even more reasonable when you weight it against the potential costs of a break-in or a home fire.  You simply can’t put a price on the security of your home and family.