This time of year presents itself with many dangers including the increased risk for heat stroke. If you work outside or are simply outside during recreation, you need to be aware of the dangers of heat stroke.

One of the first signs of heat stroke is heat cramps. This can be painful as your muscles are reacting to the loss of necessary body fluids and salts. The next sign and more dangerous symptom is heat exhaustion. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include increased body temperature (up to 108 degrees), headache, weakness, dry mouth, clammy skin, rapid pulse, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and mental confusion.

If you suspect that someone is suffering from heat exhaustion, make sure that they stop all strenuous activity immediately and begin the cooling off process. If special precautions are not taken at this stage, the heat exhaustion will rapidly progress into a heat stroke.

Symptoms of heat stroke include: skin that is hot, dry, and red. Sweating will stop and deep breathing with a fast pulse will be followed by shallow breathing with a weak pulse. Confusion sets in, speech may become incoherent, pupils dilate, and hallucinations and convulsions can even occur. Remember that heat stroke can be fatal if not treated immediately, and over 4,000 people die every year in the U.S. from heat stroke.
Certain things can increase the chance of heat stroke including those who have diabetes or heart disease. In addition, the use of alcohol and increase the risk of heat stroke, and dehydration caused by vomiting or diarrhea can also increase chances.

The best way to prevent a heat stroke in someone you suspect is experiencing one is to immerse their body in ice water for 15-20 minutes. This is urgent when heat stroke occurs to prevent a fatality. Also at particular risk are children and the elderly so pay special attention to them in high heat weather.

At Connect One Security we are concerned about the overall safety of our customers. We often will provide articles on our blog that we believe will be helpful and informational to our customers. Check back with us often to read about issues that are on the forefront of staying safe in and out of your home. As always, thank you for trusting Connect One Security for your home security needs.

It’s almost time to put away the flip-flops and beach towels, and with “back to school” just around the corner, there are a few pointers that Connect One Security would like to offer our customers to keep their children safe as they head back to the classroom.
First things first: make sure that your child knows your area code and phone number (cell and home), address, your work number, and the number of another point of contact, be it a friend or relative. They also need to be instructed on how to use 911 services should the necessity arise.
You should carefully plan their walking route to school and back, and discuss whether they will be riding the bus or not. When looking at the best route to school, always stick with the most direct route that avoids parks, fields, vacant lots, or other potentially dangerous areas that are not well populated.
Whether walking, riding a bike, or riding the bus, instruct your children to obey all police officers and safety patrols, and watch for and obey all traffic signals and signs.
It’s always good to use a buddy system for the walk to and from school. Have children choose an agreed upon friend, neighbor, or sibling to meet up with for the journey.
If your children will be carpooling, drop them off and pick them up as close to the school as possible where other adults are around should a problem arise. Also, parents should watch to make sure that their children enter the safety of the school building or are being monitored by school personnel before leaving.
Make your children aware of strangers and instruct them to never talk to or accept rides from someone who they don’t know and don’t trust.

For those of you who have children at home alone after school:

1. Have agreed upon rules for answering the door or telephone.
2. Go through your house to insure that all windows and doors are locked.
3. Have established rules for what friends &/or guests are allowed in the house.
4. Tell children who they are and aren’t allowed to go visit.
5. Talk about outside playing rules for when you are not at home.
6. Always take your children’s fears and feelings into concern. Talk to them about what may makes them uneasy and people or places that scare them.
7. Tell children to trust their instincts.
8. Never ignore complaints about bullies.
9. Make sure that your child knows how to arm/disarm your home security system and answer the call from central station.

Connect One Security wants to see you get your family off to a great new school year. Let us know if we can assist you with any of your home safety planning to make your home a safe place for your children to come home to! You can call us at 713.574.1539 or contact us online for any of your family and home security needs.

Often times we feel that we are safest in our own home. We choose our home’s location based on many factors including first and foremost how safe the neighborhood is. Unfortunately, it is not enough these days to simply surround ourselves with a “good neighborhood.” Crime rates are increasing at an alarming rate, and not just in lower income neighborhoods. It goes without saying that when it comes to your home and family, it is never worth leaving their safety up to chance.

Most homeowners know that it is no longer safe to leave your doors unlocked, but additional measures must be taken if you and your family are to be adequately protected from harm.

Today’s criminals have become very savvy at penetrating even the most difficult and sophisticated locks available on the market. It is no longer enough to rely on methods such as guard dogs, padlocks, or other sophisticated locks for protection. Chances are, that if a burglar is having trouble opening a lock, he may simply break the door down. . It is because of this fact that experts advise homeowners to invest in electronic home security that encompasses motion detectors, glass breaks, and switches on all doors and windows.

There are many advantages to using electronic security in your home. Probably the biggest advantage to installing a monitored home security system is that you will have uninterrupted surveillance. Depending on your needs, you can also integrate some upgrades like cameras that will provide an added level of security. Home alarm systems can be customized to eliminate the possibility of a burglar entering your home without you knowing it. Without question, a monitored home security system is the best investment you can make in your household.

Also worth mentioning, statistics have shown that homes that are unprotected by a monitored home security system are three times as likely to be burglarized than homes with a security system.

Through the use of state of the art motion detectors, glass breaks, and door and window contacts, your home can become an environment that not only feels safe, but is, in actuality, a safe place to be. Read more from the FBI’s uniform crime report about crime facts and statistics about security.

Turn to the experts at Connect One Security at 713-574-1539 to set up a free in-home consultation so our professional security consultants can advise you on what would work best for you and your family. We at Connect One Security have your safety in mind, and can outfit your home with the latest in home security equipment. Introduce home security technology into your home and enjoy the peace that comes with knowing you and your family are safe.

As we continue in our quest for all around home safety, we need to take a look at fire safety for the home. There are many steps a family should take to protect their loved ones as well as their property from the threat of a house fire. Connect One Security is interested in the overall protection and security of your home and family. We would like to suggest the following steps for fire safety:

1) Most importantly, outline a home safety plan to be followed in the event of fire.
2) Establish exit routes and an agreed upon place to meet up outside the house such as under a tree or in one area of the yard.
3) Exercise fire drills regularly to keep everyone familiarized with the emergency procedure.

Use common sense when it comes to using your stove:

1) Never leave your kitchen while you are cooking
2) Keep any and everything that can catch fire away from the stove.
3) Don’t wear loose fitting clothes while cooking. They can catch fire easily.
4) Teach all family members how to put out a small kitchen fire by placing a lid over the flames.
5) Teach children the “stop, drop and roll” technique.
6) Make sure that everyone old enough knows how and when to use a fire extinguisher.

Also be aware of fire safety when grilling outside. Your grill should be at least 10 feet away from the house and any landscaping. Keep in mind that your grill will stay hot for a good while, so be sure to keep children and pets away.

Another big offender when it comes to causing home fires is candles. Candles should only be lit in occupied areas with an adult near. Never allow children to light candles or burn incense in their rooms. This is just asking for trouble. Also, use candle holders made of metal or glass so as to eliminate this as another source of burn potential.

One of the most beneficial additions you can make to protect your home and family from the threat of fire is smoke alarms. They should be placed either inside or near every bedroom and tested monthly to make sure they are working. Change out the batteries once a year. One advantage to the smoke alarms offered by Connect One Security is that they can be integrated into your home security system and controlled by zones on your keypad. In addition, your smoke detectors can be monitored on a 24 hour basis and alert you and the fire station if a fire occurs whether you are at home or not.

If you have any questions concerning fire safety for your home, give us a call at Connect One Security (at 713-574-1539) or contact us online and we would be happy to help you determine the best fire safety plan for your home.

As we enter the summer months and look forward to lots of outdoor activities and entertaining, don’t forget to equip your porch, patio, or pool area with the latest state of the art media and outdoor speaker equipment. Let Connect One Security and Media, Light and Sound be your resource for outfitting your home with the kind of water-resistant components that will liven up your pool parties and add to the fun of summer!

Connect One believes that you deserve only the best in technology for your Houston home sound systems, which is why we use only award winning companies in audio and video when we are designing your home audio system or the theater of your dreams. Everything we offer is fully customizable for what you need. One of our trained consultants will work with you every step of the way to best determine what those needs are.

Contact Connect One Security at 713-574-1539 to schedule your free in-home consultation so one of our professional sound technicians can help you determine what would best meet your outdoor media needs.

While you’re at it, why not update your home theater system? Our techs can look at your system and make recommendations to update what you have by switching out one or two components putting you on the cutting edge of current technology.

As we enter the “dog days of summer,” remember to take special precautions when you’re outside this time of year. Not only is sunburn and skin cancer an issue for concern, but don’t forget to stay well hydrated when working or playing outside as well. Take a look at the following article for some helpful suggestions on how to stay cool and protected from the sun during the extreme heat of late summer in Southeast Texas.

As always, let Connect One Security know how we can be of service to you with your home security. If you have any questions about a certain topic concerning home security or any other security issues, contact us so we can help you find the answers you seek.
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm049090.htm

As reported by the Houston Chronicle, a 15-year-old and his sister, 12, were alone when a pair of intruders entered their home in Houston, so he got dad’s rifle and defended their property. We think this kid showed amazing fortitude under some very serious circumstances! Good for him and his Dad for showing him what to do in the event of an emergency such as this. This type of courageous self defense definitely makes potential criminals think twice about breaking in if they were likely to be met by the end of a gun.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7087082.html

Crimes take place in Houston every day – don’t wait until your family is alone at home when intruders strike to realize that you should protect yourself with a home security system from Connect One. Call us today to inquire about the promotions we have running currently!

In light of the fact that hurricane season is upon us, it is important to discuss the use of generators and how they can be used safely as a back-up source of power. Those who have never used a generator may not be aware of certain dangers that it could pose. We would like to raise awareness of some of those dangers so that you and your family stay out of harms way.

One of the most important things to know about a portable generator is that it produces carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide or CO is a poisonous gas that can be fatal. You cannot smell it, see it, or taste it. A generator should always be placed outdoors, away from open windows and doors, and should never under any circumstance be placed in the home or garage or any other enclosed area. This causes high concentration of CO (carbon monoxide) build up and could be toxic and fatal to those in close proximity.

You should also never use a generator in your home without a carbon monoxide detector that will alert you if the level in your home becomes dangerous. At Connect One Security, we provide CO detectors and can integrate them into your monitored home security system. Be sure to be prepared for hurricane season by having your home security system ready to detect any carbon monoxide issues that may arise.

Other things to be aware of with generators:

1) Always read and follow all directions from the manufacturer carefully.

2) Refueling a generator is dangerous. Be careful and follow directions so as not to get burned or start a fire.

3) When starting the generator, wait 10-15 seconds to allow the power to stabilize. Otherwise, you invite the possibility of electrical shocks.

If you have any questions about carbon monoxide safety, give us a call at Connect One Security (713-574-1539) so we can give you some professional counsel about what might best meet the needs of your home and family.

It’s the Fourth of July time of year again, and there are some things that Connect One Security would like to recommend to help keep your family safe this season. In the midst of all of your family fun and festivities, be sure to warn children specifically about the dangers of fireworks. Probably the best way to stay safe is to go to an organized fireworks show where professionals are responsible for the show. If this is not a possibility, keep the following things in mind as you create your own fireworks show:

1) Keep an eye on children at ALL times. It is easy to get sidetracked in all the fun and socializing and have a little one slip off to the box of fireworks with a lit sparkler. The dangers of what would follow this type of incident are extreme.
2) Another tip: If you shoot off fireworks from a cardboard pipe style contraption, be aware that they are flimsy and can cause a potential hazard if the pipe blows over and detaches from the platform. The firework is still going to go off, but right in front of you instead of up in the sky. Be sure to check the integrity of the pipe and platform it’s attached to between shooting fireworks.
3) Sparklers can reach extreme temperatures that are capable of melting gold, so be sure and instruct children to keep them away from face, clothing, hair, and anything else flammable that may be near them.
4) Never light a firework while it is still in your hand and be sure that no part of your body is over them while lighting.
5) Don’t carry fireworks in your pocket. There is a danger that the friction of them rubbing together could set them off.
6) NEVER relight a dud!!
7) Keep a water hose close as well as a bucket of water that can be used to put out fires in the case of an emergency.
Don’t allow children to pick up fireworks pieces after your show. Some could still ignite and blow up in their hands.
9) Don’t forget about your pets! Animals have very sensitive ears and may become extremely fearful or stressed while fireworks are going off. It’s best to keep them indoors or away from this situation.
10) Purchase only legal fireworks. The illegal ones will not be labeled. The legal ones will be labeled with manufacturer instructions and name. Steer clear of any fireworks called a M-80, M100, quarter-pounder, or blockbuster. These types of fireworks account for many injuries and accidents, and were banned back in 1966.

Be sure to take any and all safety precautions when using explosives (fireworks), and then enjoy the show, knowing that you and your family are safe!

Connect One Security is interested in our customers’ safety across the board. We will always try to point out ways that you can protect your family and property during every day activities as well as special events such as Fourth of July. We wish you all a very happy and safe Independence Day! You can contact us to let us know if there is anything we can do to better serve you!