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.

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

Yes, it’s true. There was recently a man in the Dallas who posed as a possible home buyer to gain entrance into some of the finer homes in the area so that he can have access to their valuables.

Police already have a suspect, but this case poses a great opportunity to make a point about home security and the importance of awareness for would-be burglars. If you are trying to sell your home, be sure to use a trusted Realtor, and never let a potential home buyer have access to your home alone.

While it should go without saying that a Realtor should always be present, at times we are too easy to trust people who appear to be honest and sincere. At one of the Dallas burglaries the suspect was believed to have stolen over $20,000 in jewelry. Don’t let this type of needless crime happen to you. This could have easily been prevented had the burglar not been left alone. Fortunately, people with their homes for sale in this area have been put on alert, and by simply being more aware of the problem, it should decline.

It is also important to emphasize; however, that Realtors should always walk the homes with their clients and not allow them to wander through the home without supervision. In the past it has been customary to let potential home buyers have some time in the home to look for themselves and evaluate whether or not the home would work for them. However, with these sorts of crimes on the rise, we can no longer afford strangers the ability to roam through our homes alone.

Be proactive instead of reactive in potential crime circumstances such as this. Don’t allow yourself to be vulnerable, and be sure to let your realtor know what you expect when they are showing your home so that you don’t become yet another crime statistic. Contact us today at Connect One Security with questions or for a free consultation. Let us show you how home monitoring can keep your family and home secure.

Here at Connect One we are in the process of opening up new communication channels like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn (like Facebook, but for professionals), and a Connect One Security blog (in addition to our website) so that we can better meet your needs as our customers. We are interested in creating an open dialogue with our clients so that we can keep our finger on the pulse of what your security needs are, and answer any question you might have.

If you have any technical questions, or need to order a service call, you can contact us using any of these platforms, and we will respond to your request within 24 hours. The following will direct you to each of these forums so we can both dialogue and/or set up an appointment for someone to come to your home to assist with your residential home security needs.

Website: www.connectonesecurity.com
Facebook: Become a fan!
Twitter: Follow us!http://twitter.com/Connect_One
Blog: Just leave a comment on any of our posts

Don’t hesitate to use these social media resources. At Connect One Security we look forward to hearing from our customers and are anxious to take care of any questions or problems for you. If you would prefer to speak to someone in person, feel free to call our office at 713-574-1539.

Thank you again for choosing Connect One Security to address your home security needs!