There are those of us out there who are not remotely opposed to an individual citizen’s right to keep and bear arms, particularly for the purpose of defending themselves when it is necessary–but for ourselves, we would rather not level a gun at someone and pull the trigger, knowing we could take a life.

Whether it’s just not in our nature, our constitution (no pun intended), or our personal ethics, we would just not able to do that, even in a moment of desperation.

I am one of those individuals. I am at peace with this part of me, as I know that it comes from a very personal decision that I would rather not take someone else’s life, even if my own was threatened. But that does not mean I would not take measures to defend myself in a dangerous situation.

If you are like me and want to know what steps you can take to defend your life, your family, and your property, let me tell you about what I do and have done. This may ease your mind so that you can face a crucial moment with confidence.

I carry a can of pepper spray with me wherever I go. This may seem paranoid, but I have a small canister I keep on the zipper of my purse, making it unobtrusive, but still there if I should ever need it.

Pepper spray actually acts on an assailant to inflame the capillaries in the eyes, causing temporary blindness. Other types of deterrent sprays literally cause pain to your attacker, but if he or she is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, this sometimes is not effective. Pepper spray, however, actually incapacitates one of their most vital senses, making it much easier for you to call the police or flee–or both.

You may be opposed to carrying a handgun, but consider that a twenty-two millimeter is actually not a lethal weapon unless you choose to make it one. It can do considerable damage, but you can use it without killing someone else. If you are attacked, use it to shoot the shoulder, the knee, or even the stomach–the attacker will be in enough pain that they will likely abandon their crime.

If you live in a residence that allows dogs, you may want to consider adopting a breed that is intelligent, friendly to its family, but will guard against home invasion by strangers. My uncle bred German shepherds, and having them in our home was a great privilege.

They were wonderful with my siblings and I from the time we were young children, but they at times went great lengths to keep us safe.
These are just a few things to consider as you seek to keep yourself and your family protected. This is a scary world we live in, but there are no rules that say you have to be willing to take someone else’s life to defend your own. There are other ways. Just think about these suggestions.

Encom (http://www.pepperspray.com/) on line, selling a variety of personal safety and security products to people across the United States. Art Gib is a freelance writer.

[tags]mace pepper spray[/tags]

Living in a flat or apartment is a popular way of life for people in many cities around the world. We have all heard of the trend for loft apartments in New York and transforming warehouses in the East End of London into individual dwellings. Many find that this is a cost effective and space saving solution to a shortage of reasonably priced houses, especially for first time buyers. However, living under a shared roof means that there are other people to consider. We take a look at specialist flat insurance essential for tenants.

Residents who live in flats and apartments often overlook the need for contents insurance, under the belief that this is covered by a generic flat insurance purchased by the property owner or manager. In fact, each tenant needs to ensure that they purchase their own flat insurance to cover the cost of replacing personal belongings. This often covers items that are stored in communal areas such as sheds and garages, which are areas of great concern for residents.

The fixtures and fittings are covered by a separate flat insurance which is usually arranged by the landlord or manager, which each tenant will contribute to through a maintenance charge. As all tenancy agreements differ to some extent, it is recommended that details of the insurance that is included in any charges is discussed prior to signing a tenancy agreement.

It is the safety of belongings in shared and communal areas that residents often worry about. In smaller apartments where residents know each other well, the concern is more for accidental damage than theft. However, in larger buildings where it is possible for hundreds of residents to be living, the safety of items left in such areas is reduced.

It is well known that opportunistic thieves target multiple occupancy buildings for a couple of reasons. From the thief’s point of view there is likely to be a greater number of expensive electrical goods under one roof compared to a house, therefore, more can be gained from breaking and entering a block of flats to steal goods. In addition to this, because so many residents are coming and going, it is less likely that neighbours will notice that a burglary is taking place, as the thieves could well be a resident moving their own belongings.

Of course, this could work the other way; if tenants make efforts to know one another, an opportunistic burglar will be more easily spotted and apprehended in a close knit group of residents. Ultimately, it is down to the occupant to ensure that they purchase flat insurance that meets their needs, and we highly recommend talking to a professional broker to find out what the best cover may be for the circumstances.

Dominic Donaldson is an expert in the insurance industry.
Find out more about Flat Insurance and how the services available can help with protecting your home.

[tags]Flat Insurance, Insurance, Property Insurance, Block of Flats[/tags]

It seems as though home invasion, or as some are now calling it home robbery is gaining in popularity throughout the country. Part of the reason is homeowners make it so easy. Most home invasions happen with the bad guys coming in thru the front door. How hard is that?

Another reason is the growing threat of drugs and gangs. There is a lot of evidence that shows drugs as a major causal factor for home invasions.

Finally many former targets are “toughening” up and beefing up security. I am talking about convenience stores and liquor stores particularly who have undercover agents in place and a wide array of surveillance gear to thwart the bad guys. So what is a bad guy to do? How about robbing homes?

Home invasion is basically a burglary committed when the homeowners are present. It is a dangerous crime because it places all home occupants at risk for far more serious a crime than just burglary.

It is generally done by two or more bad guys under cover of night who are usually armed. They frequently go right thru the front door which is often opened by unthinking homeowners.

One way to prevent a home invasion is to get a surveillance system. The four channel USB DVR has 4 cameras that can be used indoors or outdoors. Hook one up to watch the front door. The capability of the system hooked up thru the internet will allow you to see who is there on your computer monitor.

Another idea is a home security system that has motion and door sensors. The door sensor can be operational while you are at home. Both of these ideas will go a long way to prevent home invasion and keeping you and your family safe.

Colorado Springs has gotten so bad that several local police stations are giving classes on home security specifically designed to thwart home invasion.

If you think crime can only happen to the other guy you are wrong. The “other guy” is thinking the same thing and to him you are that “other guy”. There is a reason why they call it self defense. You have to protect yourself, your family, your home and business!!

Chances are if you are reading this that crime has touched your life in some way or you consider yourself at risk. Take the next step and do something to protect yourself! Your life and safety is worth far more than the cost of home security device.

Jack Krohn owns Security Solutions and is the author of over 400 articles on self defense and home security.

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[tags]Prevent home invasion, surveillance cameras, home invasion prevention tools, preventing home invasio[/tags]

As the developed world runs out of space to construct individual houses, the need for building compact living areas increases. Living in a block of flats is normal for residents in built up areas such as major cities, and apartment living is a desirable lifestyle choice for many people throughout Europe. We take a look at the health and safety issues and specialist insurance cover needed for such dwellings, which usually rest with the property owner or maintenance manager.

With so many people living under one roof, and with communal areas to take care of, the manager of a block of flats certainly has their work cut out. As it is not possible to monitor or control the activities of individual tenants, it is up to the manager to ensure that risks are kept to a minimum and adequate insurance is in place should an accident occur.

The major concerns that govern the safety of residents living in a block of flats is the proper maintenance of shared areas such as stairwells, walkways and access doors, and safe operation of boilers, gantries and other fittings and fixtures of the building.

Insurance companies who specialise in providing cover for flats offer specialist policies that cover wear, tear and accidental damage of such areas. It is the responsibility of the manager of the building to ensure that the safety of the residents is covered through regular inspections and through ensuring that each occupant knows what to do in case of an emergency.

Fire escapes and walkways must be kept clear at all times, and it is essential that building managers carry out routine inspections. These should include testing fire alarms and making sure that all access areas are not only free from obstruction but that the doors are working. In addition to this, dates should be checked on all fire blankets and extinguishers.

Regular inspections are mandatory and any recommendations that an inspector makes must be followed up otherwise the insurance cover may be invalid. Some maintenance managers opt to hold a regular residents meeting to ensure that everyone is aware of safety procedures and as a way for residents to report anything that they believe is a health and safety issue.

As residing in flats becomes more common, this way landlords, maintenance managers and tenants communicate to work together effectively will become ever more important. This is an essential factor in maintaining a safe environment for all.

Dominic Donaldson is an expert in the insurance industry.
Find out more about insurance for a Block of Flats and how the services available can help with protecting your home.

[tags]Flat Insurance, Insurance, Property Insurance, Block of Flats[/tags]

There are different types of automatic gates to meet all of your needs. In this article we are going to go over the different types of automatic gates. Automatic gates usually operate in three different ways. They can either slide, lift or even swing open.

They are more commonly made out of certain materials. They are made out of aluminum, steel or wood. The more affordable gates are made out of aluminum. Besides aluminum wood would be next. Hardwood gates can get pretty expensive. Another expensive gate would be steel. They are amazing gates but they are also very expensive.

When you are short on space than a gate that lifts would probably be the best option. You are more likely to see this type at a business. When you do get this type installed in your home. They typically open by raising up and then raising out. Using this type will only take up some space from the driveway.

The next type of gate that you could get is the slide gate. This is the best type to get f you are un-level area. They are great for this type of area because they can work at an angel. If the ground is un-level than using this type can save you money because you don’t have to pay to have the area leveled out. You might prefer this type because it opens twice as quickly as the lift.

If the area of your property is for the most part level and you are on a tight budget than the swing gate might be the best for you. Only if the ground is level than this is the type that you could install yourself. This type is also great because they have one of the simplest mechanics.

Whatever gate you choose to go with an important thing to keep in mind is that the opener should be the appropriate one for the gate that you choose. The opener has to be able to with stand the weight of the gate. If you choose to go with a an opener because it is is cheaper and it can not withstand the weight of the gate then the gate will cause damage to your property.

When deciding to install an automatic gate before you install the gate you should decide how you want to be able to open it. There are many options in which you can choose from. For example you can get a gate with a sensor so that you can have the gate open as you are pulling up.

Do the research to find out which type will suit your needs. Get all of the information so that there are no surprise costs later.

Click on the links provided for more information on automatic gate opener, electric gate opener and automatic gate barrier.

[tags]automatic gate opener,electric gate opener,automatic gate barrier[/tags]

Whether you are thinking about getting an alarm system or if you haven’t given it any thought let me give you a few facts that might help you put some thought into a home security system.

1.Per the FBI reports a burglary occurs in the United States every fifteen seconds. Think about it, what things do can you do in fifteen seconds? Do you ever count to three for your children? Only counting to three five times means that another home is being broken into.

2.Back in 2005 nearly 3% of all households were burglarized according to the U.S. Department of Justice reports. Think about your neighborhood. Are there a hundred homes in your neighborhood close by your home? With those statistics three of those homes were burglarized in 2005.

3.Going to the U.S. Fire Administration they estimate that there were over one and a one half million household fires in 2007. They figure that the property losses equaled over $14 billion.

With these things in mind do you think that your odds are on your side that you won’t have a fire or a burglary in your home over the many years that you live in your home? We would all like to think that that it won’t be us, but it is more important that we are proactive so that our odds are better that we won’t be affected by a burglary or give us the best chance to save our home from a house fire.

One of those proactive things we can do is to get a home security system. There are several different options from installing our own to having a professional install our home security system. There are pros and cons, but from personal experience it is nice to put your peace of mind in a company that has years of experience had has a history of protecting their clients.

ADT home security systems can provide several different options and can customize the system to meet your needs. They recognize that everyone has a different need and concern and treats your own security just like it was their own.

When going with a professional home security system provider such as ADT for your home security system you can get a discount on your homeowners insurance. Then there is the benefit of knowing that your home is protected 24/7.

Whether you are at home or away there is someone looking out for you. ADT home security systems has many different benefits and the list goes on, but the number one benefits is that you have a much greater chance of not being a part of those statistics listed above.

Gaylord Industries (http://www.gaylordsecurity.com/) sells home security alarm systems. Art Gib is a freelance writer.

[tags]adt home security system[/tags]

Hidden cameras are used to catch anyone doing something wrong like stealing from a business or your home, child abuse by a nanny, infidelity etc. Hidden cameras can be used successfully at homes or businesses.

In the past wires, receivers, transmitters, big DVR’s and cumbersome connections, not to mention how expensive they were all were impediments to owning one-but no more.

The fabulous ten stationary models are perfect for keeping an eye on things around the home or office when you can’t be there. For the office, business or your warehouse there is the Exit Sign model. An 8GB SD card is included with each camera. Many of these tools have both home and office or business applications.

To record just aim the hidden camera in the direction you want to record and use the remote control to start recording. Up to 144 hours of recording time is available on the stationary models depending on the speed and recording quality you select.

You can record everything in color on an 8 GB SD card. To playback the recording just plug the SD card into your computer SD slot or plug the RCA cord in the back of the hidden item and plug the other in into the RCA connection of your TV to view video

There are also four other hidden cameras that do the same thing but with less memory. They are a functioning wrist watch, ball point pen, keychain and the stick camera. These four are considered body worn applications and thus have audio recording ability.

The ball point pen hidden camera received some notoriety recently with videos coming out of the “riots” in Iran. Many of them were shot with the pen hidden camera

These are perfect surveillance tools for home or office and especially for the surveillance professionals in law enforcement and Private Investigators who love them because of their discreet audio and video recording capabilities.

When you need to find out what is going on at your home or business the easiest, best and most cost effective way to do it is with an all inclusive Hidden Spy Camera with built in DVR. Hidden cameras have never been easier to use. Nor have they ever been more covert.

When you need a no brainer way to record audio and video of an undercover nature this is your tool. As always technical support is available at no extra cost.

Jack Krohn owns ‘Security Solutions’ and has written over 400 articles.
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[tags]Hidden spy camera with DVR, surveillance, business, home, security, nanny cam, PI, law enforcement.[/tags]

Maybe you remember the video that made a big splash several months back of an actual home burglary caught in progress in Boynton Beach Florida. The home owner was upstairs working in her home office. Downstairs she had a hidden camera hooked up to the internet so she could watch from anywhere in the world.

As she was silently working away, on her computer monitor images of her dogs becoming restless and pacing the living room appeared. Then the curtains to her sliding glass door began moving and lo and behold the bad guys appear. So much for guard dogs!

She immediately called 911 for a burglary in process and got a fast response. The police actually got the guys as they were leaving the property with the stolen goods in hand.

That scene is replicated time and again all over the country by folks who are catching on and using surveillance cameras. Once a luxury used by government and the wealthy, surveillance cameras are now almost a necessity to protect your home or business.

First and most important, a well placed home surveillance camera can send an awesome signal to a savvy burglar. And don’t fool yourself-burglars are smart. Why would they knowingly plan on robbing a home with a surveillance camera and risk getting caught when down the street there is a home without one?

If they are unfortunate enough to not see the surveillance camera and burglarize the property they will get caught. You’ve seen it yourself on the evening news-the masked burglar doing his thing at a bank, liquor store or convenience store-they always get caught don’t they?

How They Work:

Unlike analog cameras, IP cameras can plug directly into your computer or DVR. They use an IP address to transmit video through a network using Ethernet/CAT5 cable. Because IP cameras can connect to any computer, DVR or existing network little to no additional hardware is required, reducing your system cost.

Because IP cameras can connect into a network you can login remotely and view or playback video. You can also set-up email to notify you of motion.

This gives you amazing capability and flexibility to view the recorder area from anywhere in the world via the internet. Want to watch your business at night from your home? Want to watch your kids during the day from work? Want to see what is going on at your vacation home in Hawaii from your main residence in Cleveland? This is how you can do it.

When you can’t be at your home or business 24/7 but still need to see what is going on thi sis how to do it.

Jack Krohn owns ‘Security Solutions’ and has written over 400 articles.

Take 10% off your order using Code FTV at checkout.

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[tags]IP camera, remote surveillance tool, spy camera, surveillance, home, business, security[/tags]

So often in life we get up in the morning running. From running from work to children activities to a date to home to the store to the post office and then all of the other things in our lives that consume most of our lives. Then there is the news report or something sad that happens to a friend or family member that causes us to stop and reflect on our lives. We reflect on the things that we can do to make sure our home, loved ones and belongings are safe. We want to make sure that whatever happened to someone in the news or your loved ones doesn’t happen to you.

One of the things that is important to reflect on is the safety of our home and family. With those precautions in place it can help you feel safe and give you a greater chance of not having bad things happen to you and your family. There are several different things you can do to protect your home. One of the common things is a security alarm system. When I say a security alarm system you might be thinking to yourself that will just protect my home from a burglary. The exciting thing is that a security alarm system can do much more than that for you. If you go with the right company you can have your home monitored for carbon monoxide, fire, flooding and many more other services. Now ask yourself, is it worth all of that? To help you have peace of mind in all of those different situations. To know that whether you are gone away from your home or at home your belongings, loved ones and yourself are protected.

Of course, besides a security alarm system there are other things that you can do to help protect your home. You can be sure to protect your home with secure doors and locks. You can use a solid core or metal door for all entrance points. You can also use heavy duty locks. Besides these things you can do the basic things such as being sure all of your doors and windows are locked. Then you can have a fire alarm system in your home. That will help give you a notice that there is smoke in your home.

We all know that there are several different things we can do and have in our home to protect our family, friends and belongings, but even with these basic security measures in place a security alarm system can provide you 24/7 protection where the proper officials will be notified and give you the best protection you could have in place.

Gaylord Industries (http://www.gaylordsecurity.com/) sells home security alarm systems. Art Gib is a freelance writer.

[tags]security alarm systems[/tags]

Installing one your self may be difficult. It may be easier to hire a professional. No gate application is the same. Each gate is hung differently. They can be hung on either on columns or posts. Each of them is made of different materials. They have diverse power access, subjected to dissimilar wind and weather conditions, and a variety of other factors that affect your choice of a gate opener. No one manufacture of automatic gate operators covers all scenarios; you need a trusted source of experts to review your needs.

Your needs can very, you may want it to protect your home or your business. It is good to pick a company that has experience in what you are looking for. You may want to have a box at the gate so that you can speak to the person who is there to visit. Or you can even install a camera at the gate.

There are many different reasons why you may need or want an automatic gate. The first reason you may want one is for security. It is a great way to have added security to your home. You may have seen the news and just want something a little extra to protect your home. Or you may just not want any unexpected visitors. A closed gate is a great way to deter anybody who might be a would-be burglar or a thief. The gate makes it much harder to get in and out easy.

It also makes you feel a little safer when letting your children out to play. You can feel much safer knowing that there are no unexpected cars are coming up the driveway. Also you know that there is no one on your property that shouldn’t be. You also know that the children cannot wonder off. Times are not like when we were kids there are a lot more dangers out there. Most areas it is just not safe to let your kids out to play without supervision.

Adding a gate can also save you money. Insurance companies will give you a discount because of the added protection. It is a great investment not only because it will save you money with the insurance company but also because it adds value to your home. Studies show that it will add five percent to the value of your home. It also speed up the sale of the home.

These are just some of the reason why it is a good idea to invest in an automatic gate.

Click on the links provided for more information on automatic gate opener, electric gate opener and automatic gate barrier.

[tags]automatic gate opener,electric gate opener,automatic gate barrier[/tags]