Unlike an overzealous reporter, who shoves his microphone into your face in his efforts to get your take on the latest, breaking news story, there is a multitude of reasons why you might just want to keep your listening devices a secret. One of the many ways in which you can do that is by using listening devices that look like a pen.

These clever little devices are actually very sensitive pen microphones, and when worn in a pocket on your shirt or jacket, are easily mistaken for the real thing. One such listening device is permanently stowed inside the clicker part of a Bic pen and it will work with virtually any recorder that contains an external microphone input with power. Plus it is ultra high sensitive. But you don’t have to just use these great pen mikes just for covert purposes. Granted, if you are standing near someone and need to secretly listen to their conversation, these pen mikes are great.

But there are lots of other reasons to use these sensational listening devices as well. Let us say that you are attending a lecture and you want to record it so that you can carefully go over it later at home when it is time to study. By wearing this hands free device you can do so easily. Or what if you are planning to attend a live music concert and you want to make a recording, you can be sure that by using these particular listening devices, you will get an excellent recording with clear, crisp sound, and deep bass.

In the 30 -35 years following 1960 about 93% of American households had their homes protected by installing fire alarms. This was not limited to any one form but apartments, single or family homes and dormitories all got their homes installed with some kind of alarms as required by the law which was made mandatory in 1980s.

How Will Fire Alarms Help
Alarm goes off hooting and alerting you in the event of fire breakout. Very sensitive, as they are, fire alarms alert you early facilitating escape with your kin and kith to safety. It protects loss of lives and property. It has been the single most important savior of lives and properties from fire hazards over years, according to a survey; no doubts about that.

It is fine, but how will it alert the hearing impaired persons who can’t hear the hooter going off? The Federal law, popularly known as Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 makes it mandatory for manufacturers of fire alarms to include strobe lights in addition to audible alarms.

Audible Alarms
Often fire fighters complain of hearing problems early in their lives. And they are not unjustified with this especially when fire alarms making loud sounds in the range of 90 – 100 decibels. The hooter or horn is designed to produce a variety of sounds depending on the distinct purposes. For example, ‘code 3 temporal pattern’ is used only when evacuation is necessary; and thus the alarm pulses too, vary in times. Other patterns include continuous tone, march time etc.

Fire alarms get triggered by sensors which detect either heat or smoke or both in fractions of a second. You can imagine the efficiency of the systems which detect the cause of fire (heat or smoke) first and trigger the hooter to go and still giving the residents enough time to escape.

Buying Fire Alarms
While buying fire alarms you may want to consider a few points. Generally, in public places where large number of people work together, ‘code 3 temporal pattern’ suits better which can well be heard over the rolling noise generated by the crowd, and for a home purpose a continuous tone type would suffice. Buy fire UL listed alarms. In case of confusion, don’t hesitate to consult the fire department. Occasionally, fire departments offer alarms at discounts too.

Offensive fire alarm pranks in hostels or dormitories, when students pull alarms are not viewed lightly in America. Students and pranksters must understand that it wastes the precious time of fire departments and needs evacuation of entire buildings at times.

Get tips on installation and mock drills from fire department.

History

From the beginning of humankind people have felt the urge to protect what they possess. They start by covering the entrance of their caves with stones; later they hid their gold and jewels in the ground.

Then they discovered locks. These were first made of wood and rope. They served the purpose well, although they were not so nicely designed. There is a lot of historical proof which certifies the use of locks long before we could imagine. Even in the Bible (Old Testament, Books of Judges) we have frequent mention of locks and keys.

Types

In modern society we have keys and locks for everything: the house, the office, the car, the bike. We even have more than one key for the same building; keys and locks are so much a part of our daily routine that we don’t take them into consideration (or maybe we do that only when the ring of keys is too heavy to be placed in our pockets).

But we do give a lot of thought when we have to pick the type of lock or the type of key. Basically we are talking about mechanical locks (based on mechanical activation of the keys) electro-mechanical locks (can be both mechanical or electrical activated, but usually the key is replaced with numbered buttons that have to be pressed) and electrical locks (activated by a card key that has a particular code, programmed to be read by a card reader which is controlled by an automated central or a local processor).

How to pick the lock?

It is not as complicated as we think, but also not as easy as it appears in a lot of movies. Some say that this requires both art and science. We have to have a good knowledge of the lock mechanism and, some practice.

Firstly we insert a tension wrench in the lock (a screwdriver for example) and, with a slight pressure, turn the plug (the lock cylinder) like the proper key would have done (we have to figure out what is the normal direction for the key to be turned). It will help create a small place between the lock pins (placed inside the lock). Then we have to insert a lock pick in order to lift them up (like the proper key will do when inserted in the lock). Doing this and continuing to apply pressure on the tension wrench we will hear a slight click (made by the pins when they fall in the right position) and the lock will be unlocked.

For unsophisticated locks we can use a metal hair pin as a lock pick. But professional locksmiths need an adequate pick tools kit. Basically this contains a tension wrench (they have different shapes and sizes) and several picks(long pieces of metal which are curved up at one end). Some can use an electrical pick gun (contains long pieces of metal and when they vibrate push the pins up and unlock the lock).

Re keying lock

The process of re keying is quite simple (takes couple of minutes) and it shouldn’t be confused with the process of replacing a lock. Actually it consists of disassembling the lock cylinder and replacing all the old lock pins with new ones, to match the new key. Then the cylinder is reinstalled in the lock!

When for example a member of the family loses the house key we can assume that a burglar has it. We should immediately re key the house lock to prevent a potential theft. It doesn’t cost a lot in time and money, but it can spare us a big stress. The same procedure is advisable when moving into a new house/apartment.

The better the lock is, the harder it will be for a burglar to break in!

CCTV Video Equipment (other wise known as Closed Circuit Television) has been used for the purpose of security surveillance for many years. CCTV Video Equipment differs from broadcast TV equipment as that every part is linked by cables or other direct means. Closed Circuit Television is used by security teams most often where there is a high need for extra security measures. Most all banks, airports and many apartment complexes incorporate CCTV Video Equipment into their security programs.

CCTV Video Equipment was originally developed to help strengthen security in banks however lately there has been some debate over privacy issues with the usage of Closed Circuit Television. As technology has advanced CCTV Video Equipment has become quite simple and inexpensive to use making it a popular choice for home security and for use in surveillance by many private investigators.

The United Kingdom worked in developing CCTV Video Equipment systems as a result of terrorist bombings in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Today in England there are Closed Circuit TV equipment in many bus stations, public areas and apartment buildings. CCTV Video Equipment used in the United Kingdom has shown to have reduced the amount of crime in parking lots and also crimes against taxi drivers.

The usage of CCTV Video Equipment in the United States in much less common then in the United Kingdom as it’s use tends to bring strong opposition because of privacy issues.

While some say that the use of CCTV Video Equipment does help to deter crimes from happening, CCTV Video Equipment’s most notable use is in the identification and prosecution of the criminals that are perpetrating the crimes.

Closed Circuit TV has aided in the capture and prosecution of notable terrorist bombers and child abductors. Utilizing CCTV Video Equipment to track the whereabouts of abducted children has become quite commonplace with law enforcement agencies today.

CCTV Video Equipment has also helped keep many law enforcement agencies in check. For instance Closed Circuit TV aided an dismissing some of the claims made by British police when Jean Charles de Menezes, who police officials claimed was responsible for bombing a London subway, was shot to death by police officers.

CCTV Video Equipment is also proving to be useful on the roadways of both the United Kingdom and the United States. Closed Circuit Television can be used to monitor areas of possible traffic congestion and detect when an accident happens. They can also be used to identify and apprehend those breaking traffic laws such as speeding.

While there has been some strong opposition against the overuse and misuse of CCTV Video Equipment systems, Closed Circuit TV has proven in many cases to be a very useful tool in assisting with keeping individuals safe and helping to apprehend those who commit crimes against others.

If you think of intrusion detection as you would for intrusions into your home, you will find that once someone ‘breaks in’ they have destroyed much of your hard work, both physically and emotionally. They have done damage and invaded your space. Effectively detecting whether or not these ‘break ins’ are happening is very important for your business. Effective intrusion detection can protect confidentiality, integrity and availability resources.

You have two choices here. You can go with manual intrusion detection or automated. In manual, you will need to perform searches to exam log files or look for other signs that someone has gotten in. But, with automated intrusion detection, the system will take care of the work for you allowing for a more complete exam as well as one that can be counted on and done on a timely basis. They can be host based or network based. Automated systems are generally called IDS’s.

When something is found by the IDS, it will alert you that a possible intrusion has occurred. This can be done through sending an email alert, by logging relevant information or even by contacting via mobile phone or pager. It will be up to you to determine what has happened and how it happened though. Usually, intrusion detection does not prevent intrusion, nor does it fix any problems that arise due to it. But, effective intrusion detection is still necessary and relying on an automated system will make sure you are up to date as needed.

There are also many information portals now devoted to the subject and we recommend reading about it at one of these. Try googling for “intrusion detection” and you will be surprised by the abundance of information on the subject. Alternatively you may try looking on Yahoo, MSN or even a decent directory site, all are good sources of this information.

The bad news is that crime statistics, death, injuries, home intrusions, and loss of property continue to rise. It is hard to believe, but according to FBI statistics a burglary occurs every 15 seconds in the United States.
The good news is that there has never been a time when such a variety of quality security equipment has been available, and at such affordable prices. Let’s fight back!
When talking about home security equipment, one size does not fit all. Security equipment must be tailored to meet the particular needs of each house or company. One may need entry detection, while another needs camera surveillance, and another may need motion-detection floodlights. Let us look at some of the many choices available.
Home Security Systems - Many articles have been written on this subject and the basics are probably known by most readers. Systems are either wired or wireless, just as the names imply. For a renter, a wireless system is the logical choice, as the installation does little if any damage to the premises. And, the system can be taken when the renter moves. Wired is the system of choice in an owned residence, but it has its pros and cons. Because wires are run from every protected point to the alarm control panel, holes must be drilled and wires fastened. However, when done by a professional company, the work is done with care and is mostly concealed. Labor is the main contributor to the high cost of a wired system. At today’s labor rates, several technicians working in your house for a week can run up quite a bill. A money saving tip here is do-it-yourself. If you have the basic knowledge to fix a lamp cord, you can read the wiring diagrams and install a wired system at a budget cost. Your car, motorcycle, camper, or boat on trailer, can also be connected to the security system. Many types of motion detectors are available, some even “pet friendly”. Regardless of wired or wireless, ultimately either system can sound a local alarm, connect to a monitoring station, call your mobile phone, or be custom tailored to meet the exact needs of the user.
Surveillance Cameras - Like home security systems, cameras come in two types, wired or wireless. When the door bell rings, how comforting to see who is at the front door. Now, even low cost systems can view multiple points, and display all cameras on just one split screen monitor. Camera products change rapidly, offering more and more features at lower and lower prices. One of the best recent offerings is an outdoor motion-activated floodlight and color camera combination. It does not get any better than that! Disturbing statistics show that we cannot always trust persons in our house, like the baby-sitter or a serviceman. A wireless hidden camera provides an ideal solution for this case. It is, in fact, one of the most popular home security items. Other uses for an indoor camera include keeping watch on your prized possessions, and of course keeping watch over your baby.
Home Automation - Here is an area of products you will want to look at while security shopping. The evolution of security products has blended into a new category of home automation products. We have traveled well beyond the wireless garage door opener. Your home computer can now be used to control appliances, lighting, cameras, store camera video files, check on your home, turn on and off your security lighting and even your sprinkler system!

The hurricane season will be upon us shortly and it is wise to begin preparations for all consequences associated with these catastrophic events. Timely and proper planning will avoid much of the stress resulting from hurricane damage and may well avoid injury and loss of life.

The Hurricane Season

Many people do not realize that the hurricane season is lengthy and spans the six month period from June 1 to December 1 each year. The frequency of major storms has been escalating recently in cycles that increase and decrease over 10 to 20 year periods. Most weather forecasters acknowledge that we are presently in a cycle of increased hurricane activity with the potential for as many as 15-17 named storms forecasted in 2006.

Areas of Risk

Hurricanes and tropical storms are a worldwide phenomenon. The storms affecting the United States and the Caribbean are called hurricanes while the storms in the Pacific are called typhoons and tropical storms in the Indian Ocean are designated tropical cyclones. Low lying coastal areas are at increased risk but inland areas as far as 200-300 miles can still suffer heavy damage. In the United States the coastal areas of the Southeast are at risk and all areas of the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico have historically seen extensive storm damage; areas as far north as Massachusetts and Rhode Island have suffered direct hurricane hits. In 2006, at least one major storm is forecasted to hit the Middle Atlantic and Northeast states.

Hurricanes are Serious Events

Anyone who has experienced a hurricane will attest to the fact that these are serious weather events.

Hurricanes are ranked from category 1 (sustained winds in excess of 78mph) to category 5 (sustained winds in excess of 155mph); even a category 1 storm can create extensive damage. Damage from wind, flooding and storm surges can destroy buildings and cause widespread flood damage. By far the most serious cause of impairment however, is the storm surge created by wind pressure and wave action. Storm surges as high as 30 feet are not uncommon in major storms.

In 2005 a category 3 storm (Katrina) destroyed a large portion of New Orleans and, notwithstanding substantial Federal Government aid, the area has yet to recover. In 2004 a deadly category 5 storm (Ivan) destroyed many of the homes and buildings on a number of islands in the Caribbean and the coastline of the Gulf of Mexico. Ivan was particularly dangerous with 24 hours of sustained winds of 165 mph and wind gusts recorded as high as 207mph. With a storm surge of over 20 feet, approximately 1/3 of a particular island was covered by water and disappeared from radar as the storm passed.

Hurricanes generally result in at least some loss of life both at sea and on land even for relatively minor storms, however major storms can be much more devastating. At the turn of the twentieth century, an unnamed storm took the lives of between 6,000 to 10,000 people in Galveston, Texas. The worst recorded loss of life resulted from a tropical cyclone that hit East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) with over 200,000 lives lost.

At a minimum, hurricanes result in the loss of water service, electrical power and communications for a period of time during and after the storm. Frequently, this period can extend for weeks and even months in some cases.

Modern Technology is Good News

Modern computer technology and forecasting techniques have increased the period of warning that allows preparation for the impact of the storm. These types of warnings allow preparation and even evacuation in the event of a powerful, threatening storm.

For those who remain in place during a storm, advance preparation is required in order to survive the aftermath of the storm. This requires stockpiling of the proper supplies prior to the storm because demand for supplies immediately before a storm increases rapidly and shortages occur. Therefore, advance preparation is the key to survival success.

A Three Step Disaster Plan

In order to survive a hurricane disaster, proper planning is critical and takes enormous effort. In addition to assembling supplies as early as possible, a plan must be devised and also practiced. A simple but effective plan developed by The Harvard Medical School is as follows:

1) Collect disaster supplies

The devastation incurred by Hurricane Katrina is graphic evidence of just how destructive natural disasters can be. Those affected are without electricity, water, domestic gas, telephone and even shelter. To be prepared, collect the following items and store them so that they will easily be found in the event of an emergency — but not so easily that you end up depleting the supplies without realizing it. Some people store these items in a section of the basement or a closet that is used infrequently. Decide what will work best for you.

Disaster-supply list

— Bottled water (1 gallon per person per day; three-day supply ideal)
— Cash (ATM and credit cards may not work or be accepted by businesses)
— Cellular phone (with non electrical charger, such as a car charger or AAA battery pack)
— Clothing and underwear
— Phone numbers of friends and family
— Important Documents (driver’s license, passport, birth certificate, etc.) in a waterproof container
— Dust mask (one per person)
— Eating utensils (plastic or disposable)
– Emergency numbers: local, state and federal
— Financial inventory (a list of bank and investment accounts, mortgages and loans, including account numbers and location of original documents)
— First-aid kit (see "Your first-aid kit," below)
— Flashlight with extra batteries
— Food (canned goods and other nonperishable items that do not require cooking)
— Masking tape, duct tape
— Medical information (list of your medications, any chronic conditions and medical history)
– Medications (three-day supply of all daily medications)
— Paper towels, toilet paper and sanitary products
— Pet supplies and carrier (include food, water, leashes and records of shots)
— Plastic sheeting
— Radio (battery-operated) with extra batteries
— Scissors
— Sleeping bags or blankets (one per person)
— Toiletries (soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, etc.)
— Tools (can opener, knife, pliers; a Swiss army knife may suffice)
— Trash bags

2) Create a portable supply kit

In case you have to evacuate your home, it is good to put the supplies you think you would need the most in a portable container. Some people try to fit all of the supplies listed above in a large rolling trashcan with a lid or a large rolling cooler. Another option is to store the items in several small coolers or boxes. Think about what supplies you need, what you can reasonably carry or store in your car, and how many people will be available to help you transport the supplies.

3) Develop and practice an emergency plan
All the planning in the world will not do much good if you do not prepare ahead of time. Not only does this enable you to go through your plan while you are calm and thinking clearly, but it also enables you to modify it before you have to put it into action.

— Identify emergency evacuation routes and shelters in your community and near your workplace.
— Decide where family members should meet if you are separated in an emergency.
— Identify a backup location to meet at, in case the first location is impossible to reach.
— Identify a point-person in the family who will serve as the central contact to call in case of confusion.
— Choose an out-of-state friend or relative to serve as a backup contact, in the event that local lines are tied up or out of service.
— Provide every member of the family with a cellular phone or prepaid phone card to make sure they can make a call in the event of an emergency.
– Consider family members with special needs while making plans. (For example, who will help someone in a wheelchair?) Do not forget your pets, either. (For example, where can you leave pets if you have to evacuate to a hotel that does not allow them?)
— Practice the plan at least once per year.

Source: Harvard Medical School (hms.harvard.edu)

Water is Critical

Of all the supplies listed the most critical by far is an adequate supply of drinking water. Everything else (including food) is secondary to water because the body needs a large and continuous supply of fresh water. After a hurricane, water service is interrupted for lengthy periods of time because of lack of power and the fact that existing water supplies are often polluted. Pure and fresh water is mandatory to ensure proper hydration and avoid disease spread through polluted water.

Plan to collect and store water supplies that exceed the minimum and use the highest quality water possible. Ultra-pure distilled water can be stored for long periods because there are no minerals or bacteria in the water; supplies can be maintained almost indefinitely if stored in a cool dark place.

Estimate supplies for more than your immediate needs because in times of emergency and hurricanes many people move to safer structures or higher ground, which may burden existing supplies of safer locations.
Plan for the worst as your life and well being may be at stake

As more and more people are getting aware of the importance of securing their houses by using the various home security products different companies are launching new home security products everyday. It’s a new market, yet the number of options available in each category of home security products can be overwhelming for the starters. Well, here is some good news, this article was written just for you and it summarizes some of the best home security products which you could use to make your house a safer place and reduce chance of burglaries and break-ins.

The best, and sometimes most effective home security products in preventing burglary, is just a signboard saying that your house is protected by this and that securitization system. Such a strategy is not effective in catching the criminal but researchers found it to be very effecting in preventing a crime in the first place. Most of the home security products generally come with such a signboard but they are mostly small or may not be visible in the background of your house, so you might consider buying one specially customized for your house. A similar product is the dummy camera for those on a tight budget. Installing a dummy camera on a very visible location outside your house might discourage the burglars right away as they might not want to risk entering your camera protected property.

Preventive measures are good for “preventing” but sometimes the preventive home security products aren’t just good enough so you’ll need some actual home security products to completely safe guard your house. Alarms and cameras are the most commonly used home security product today, the two can be used separately or together for enhanced safety. Alarms generally go off when someone tries to force entry through windows or doors, make sound and try to attract your neighbor’s attention, while some can be linked with an alarm monitoring system which can notify the authorities after a routine check for accidental alarm.

For those who can afford high end products and need additional safety there are home security products like talking devices, master control panel, sensors, motion detectors, key pads, back up power supply for the home security products and so on.

Many different types of organizations rely on hidden cameras to bolster their security. Hidden security cameras are appropriate for businesses with many employees and sensitive information or valuable items. They are also appropriate for governmental organizations and families, among other groups.

Many businesses opt for a combination of hidden cameras and visible cameras. The visible ones serve as a deterrent to would be thieves while the hidden ones can monitor the more sophisticated thieves in the event the visible ones are disabled. Banks, casinos and large businesses use a combination of the two types of security camera systems to achieve the maximum desired results.

When employees are stealing, the hidden camera system is the most successful at catching them in the act. Clever thieves will note the angle and ability of the visible cameras especially ones that pan back and forth around a room full of people. Cameras that do this leave blank spots in their field, several seconds perhaps where a particular area is not being photographed. A clever thief will time his nefarious activities to coincide with those blank spots to avoid detection. But if he doesn’t know where the camera is that’s watching him, if he can’t time out a blank spot in the coverage, then he’s more likely to get caught committing his dirty deed. That’s the purpose of the hidden camera.

The infamous “nanny-cam” has caught more than a few nasty nannies, who were ignoring the young children in their charge, or worse, abusing them. The tapes made the rounds of various news programs on TV and a new industry was born. Now there are wireless, battery operated cameras hidden in common household items like radios, and planters that an unsuspecting nanny would never find. As technology improves and electronic items get smaller and better, hidden security cameras will become more readily available than they are today.

We all want to make sure that our homes are protected and safe while we are away for the day or for any extended period of time. There is no way to know for sure if something is going to happen while we are gone. The only thing that we can do is prepared for out homes to stay safe while we are not there. There are a few things that we can do in order to provide safety for our homes.
One way is to tell our neighbors that we trust about not being home. It is very important that we only tell the neighbors that we have trust in and that we know about being gone. We have to be confident enough that they will look out for our home and take care of it while we are away. Tell them to check on the pets and plants while you are gone as well. This will make it look like someone is their taking care of things. They can also gather the mail and the newspaper everyday as well. This will keep potential prey thinking someone is home.
You can also tell the local police department if you are going away for an extended period of time. Tell them the dates that you will be gone and ask them to patrol the home every once in a while. This is good especially if you live in a secured area.
You always want to make sure that the doors and the windows are always locked when you leave to go anywhere. Do not make it easy for an intruder to get inside your home. Keep things secure and well protected with good quality locks that will be tough for anyone to pass by.
You will also want to make sure that everything is secure inside the home too. If you are just leaving for the day, make sure that lights are off and anything electrical if turned off as well. If you are leaving for a few days, you may want to turn the water main off in the home as well as the hot water heater too. This will protect your home from an unexpected breaks or leaks that can occur at any given time. You do not want to come home to the surprise of having a flood in your home.
Check all doors in your house that lead to the outside or into a garage. These should be metal or solid wood and at least 1.75” thick. Be sure door frames are secure and cannot be taken apart easily. Make sure doors fit into frames without gaps. Even with strong locks, good burglars can get into your house if your doors or doorframes are weak.