Tip 12: Alarms
Alarm systems are the best deterrent against burglaries. According to a recent study of 6,343 residential burglaries in the city of Calgary, only 74 of them occurred in homes with an alarm system. And of 15,505 residential break-ins in Toronto, only 2% occurred in homes with alarm systems.
Further, in cases where burglaries were committed in homes with alarm systems, the average haul was considerably less than when no system was in place.
Alarm systems are designed to both deter and detect intruders. A basic security system will consist of perimeter and space protection to secure your premises. Perimeter protection takes the form of door and window contacts, which are used to detect opening, and glass-break detectors that listen for the sound of breaking glass. Space protection is provided by motion detectors, which look for movement. When the alarm system is armed, any such detection initiates an alarm.
When choosing a system that is right for your needs, make sure to discuss both when and how you will use the system with your alarm company representative. If you intend to arm your system when you are home, a system based solely on motion detectors isn’t the proper choice for you. Similarly, if you have a pet, you need to be careful with the use of motion detectors, since their misapplication is often a source of false alarms.
With few exceptions, alarm systems should be monitored in order to be effective. When a system is monitored, alarms are transmitted to an alarm receiving station where they can be acted upon promptly by the appropriate response authority — police, fire, or medical. Systems that are not monitored rely solely on a siren to attempt to scare an intruder away. In rural and industrial areas, this simply doesn’t work. And even in residential areas people often ignore the sound of auto alarms completely.
When deciding on a company to install your alarm system, always check for the following qualifications:
1. A qualified company should perform a site inspection and discuss your individual security needs. Every person and every home is unique, and the system should be tailored to fit your needs, lifestyle and budget. Deal only with companies that are licensed by the Solicitor General’s department. If you are unsure, ask to see their representative’s license.
1. The company should give you an evaluation of your home, highlighting the measures that you can take to improve your security over and above the addition of a burglar alarm system. If they are only trying to sell you an alarm system, chances are they don’t care about your overall security.
1. Find out if the prices quoted are for purchase, rental or lease. When comparing quotes, be sure to make a true comparison by thoroughly reviewing the quantity and types of sensors recommended. If there is a discrepancy, make sure that you understand the impact that it will have on your home’s security.
1. Find out who will be installing the system. Will it be the company who sold it to you, or do they simply sub-contract the installation to another company? Potentially, this can lead to service problems down the road, and that’s when the finger-pointing starts.
1. Check the warranty on parts and labour. The industry standard is one year; however, reputable companies will extend the manufacturer’s warranty for up to five years.
1. Find out if your system will be monitored locally or in another province. Out of province monitoring may lead to service problems.
1. Look for companies that can provide you with complete protection including emergency response, holiday patrol checks, and 24-hour service.
2. Look for established, reputable companies that are registered electrical contractors and members of CANASA (the Canadian Alarm Association).
Security system design and consulting
In order to design the most effective security system, we first determine your goals and needs. Then we present a customized set of options, costs and specific strategies for a supported, well maintained system. And after sign-off, we do extensive testing and training.
Paladin works in thorough ways. We provide turnkey solutions, take a holistic approach, work in partnership with you throughout, and even train your staff to make sure every part of the security systems strategy is effectively implemented.
Customized security officers
We know from our experience that providing the best security is about having the right people for the specific job and environment. At Paladin, we don’t believe a guard is a guard, but practice strategic staffing, where we determine the specific mix of skills and attributes needed for the each position.
We invest considerable time and resources into recruiting right. Superior people want to work with a superior company — one that cares about quality, treats their people well and offers personal growth and advancement — so we are fortunate to receive many applications. We then use our stringent hiring to processes filter out the most ideal candidates, which is approximately one successful new hire out of twenty applications.
Training is what differentiates us, and it’s why we lead the industry. Once we have the right candidates on board, we start by conducting extensive pre-employment training and certification for each new staff member, which surpasses all legislative and regulatory requirements and standards across the country. Each Paladin security officer then undergoes pre-assignment training and site training unique to each position and its respective industry. In total, we provide 35 different courses through our University of Paladin, including ongoing training.
To ensure our people continue to perform above expectations, we have a multi-faceted field management model and provide various employee support programs.
GPS-enabled mobile patrols
We have the largest mobile emergency response fleet in the industry, with trained, licensed and bonded emergency response officers. Our mobile patrols can keep any type of building and premises safe. Our personnel can perform fixed-time and or random checks to look for unusual activities or problems, which can keep you and your property secure; in one patrol of high-rise under construction, we discovered a leaking pipe, which saved the client hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Access control systems
We provide access and intrusion detection systems that offer the best protection. Only Paladin offers complete, end-to-end service: we design, implement, install and service our systems, which means more efficiency, security and convenience for you.
Card systems are more cost effective than traditional locking systems. Most businesses recognize the costs of re-keying, for example, but with a card, a client can simply cancel an individual user. In addition, our access control systems can provide detailed information for workforce time management.
We can maintain your access system remotely, including adding and deleting users, controlling lock and unlock times, backing-up the database and performing system diagnostics. This eliminates the need for on-site computer staff to maintain your system.
24/7 security system monitoring and response
Paladin has the most state-of-the-art technology and advanced central monitoring stations in the country, with multiple back up systems in place. Unlike other security companies that contract out to a third party, we operate our own alarm and remote video monitoring stations across Canada. That means you benefit from a faster response to all of your alarm signals. Our stations meet and exceed the highest industry standards through our ULC AA listing and our CSAA 5 Diamond certification.
Temperature control monitoring
We install and monitor the most effective temperature control systems for protection against freezing pipes or over-heated server rooms.