March 2009 - Posts
Metro, TN, residents and business owners with burglar or fire alarm systems must renew their permits by the end of the day April, I, 2009, the Metro Clerk’s Office said.
Permits for residential properties cost $20. Permits for businesses or non-residential properties are $50.
Annual permit registrations are required by Metro law. An expired permit or failure to display a valid permit could result in a fine and court costs totaling $104.50.
For registration information, call the Metro Clerk’s Office at 615-862-6779. The office is located on the second floor of Metro's historic courthouse at 1 Public Square.
Fire officials from several Pinellas County municipalities are warning residents about a company that is promoting hard-wired fire alarm systems that end up costing thousands of dollars.
The St. Petersburg company is allegedly directing sales calls to mainly mobile home parks. Complaints have been reported in Palm Harbor, Pinellas Park, Largo and Seminole.
So concerned are firefighters over the scam that they met on March 17 at Largo City Hall to discuss a course of action.
Deputy Chief Ray Hansen of Pinellas Park in a letter to fire Chief Doug Lewis said the company claims to be affiliated with area fire departments, thereby misleading people into believing that the alarm systems are officially endorsed when they are not.
“Since all fire departments provide battery powered alarms at no charge the public needs to be made aware that fire departments are not involved in this company’s sales program,” Hansen said.
Liz Monforti of Palm Harbor Fire Rescue said both Palm Harbor and Largo fire officials have received reports that a company is contacting residents of mobile home parks. The sales representative who calls identifies herself as Elizabeth, Jeanine and Jeanie.
Monforti said in at least one case someone left a message on an answering machine, saying they represented the Pinellas County Fire Prevention Task Force. The toll free number that was left has since been disconnected.
In Largo, Monforti said, a resident purchased the product “for thousands of dollars.
“Largo police could not do much since the resident allowed the company representative into their home and signed a contract,” Monforti said in a report.
Fire officials have no problem with the product or safety information that is being distributed. It’s the way sales calls are conducted that has them concerned.
“We want residents to know that their fire departments are not affiliated with any smoke alarm company,” Monforti said. “We provide battery operated smoke alarms at no charge.”
Fire Inspector Alison Shanabrook of Seminole Fire Rescue said a call to the St. Petersburg company resulted in a price quote of $2,291 for smoke alarms that were not hardwired.
Suzanne Boisvert of the Pinellas Park fire department said she recently presented a fire safety program to a homeowner’s association. Shortly thereafter some of the residents began receiving calls from someone who was promoting expensive fire alarms.
Fire officials in that city alerted residents of the scam and the calls stopped, Boisvert said.
Persons who receive calls from shady salespeople pitching smoke alarms are urged to contact their local police or fire department.
Officer Donna Saxer of the Pinellas Park police crime prevention bureau said there is no reason to spend a lot of money on fire detectors.
“Local fire departments provide them for free,” Saxer said. “Buying one at Home Depot or Lowe’s will cost only a few dollars.”
Saxer warned residents not to allow strangers into their homes. People should also be very wary of telephone solicitations, she said.
Officials with Lauderdale County, MS, Volunteer Fire want the public to be aware that many Lauderdale County residents are eligible for free smoke alarms.
Those eligible include the elderly and families with children 14 years old and younger living in the home. The smoke alarms are free, but there is criteria that must be met. For example, before you are given an alarm, a fire inspection must be conducted in your home to decide the best place to locate the alarm, Additionally, those getting free alarms will have to go through a fire safety demonstration.
Only Lauderdale County residents are eligible for these alarms. City residents are not included.
Temple University is teaming up with the Philadelphia Fire Department to keep special needs families safe with adapted fire alarms.
Aimed at those with hearing disabilities, the three part device is made up of a traditional smoke alarm connected to a strobe light and bed vibrator.
Break-ins increased by more than 50 percent in Scotland County, SC, from January of 2008 to January of 2009, according to local law officials.
The Scotland County Sheriff's Department had 44 reported break-ins in January of this year, but just 29 the year before, according to records. This represents an increase of 52 percent.
In January of this year, the Laurinburg Police Department had 48 reports of breaking and entering, compared to 31 the previous year, according to police statistics. That is a 55 percent increase.
Captain David Newton of the sheriff's office, and Lt. Chris Young, LPD, said the top two reasons for the rise in break-ins are unemployment and drug dependencies.
Young said that people are stealing items like electronics, guns and jewelry - to trade for cash or drugs.
Young identified several problem areas in town - Charlotte Street, Mary town, Sunset Drive and portions of South Main Street.
Newton would not pinpoint specific any problem areas, saying instead that burglaries are across the board.
He said that they will have a string of break-ins in one area and when they make an arrest, a new series will start somewhere else with another burglar.
"Most burglaries occur from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. - while people are at work," said Newton.
He said that people generally find times when the house is not occupied, looking for cars and lights on. They'll often knock on the door and, when no one answers, they'll kick in the door and go in.
Young added that not all alleged break-ins are real.
"Some may be insurance fraud," Young said.
He said the city had arrested between five and 10 burglars during that time span, but added that many were responsible for multiple break-ins.
For example, police arrested 19-year old Sean Paul Barnes, of John Russell Road in Raeford, last week and charged him with breaking into both Scotland Place Civic Center and Bella Luna.
Barnes, who is on probation in Hoke County for breaking-and-entering, is also being charged with breaking into four vehicles in Hoke county.
Officials say Barnes may serve as an example of another trend - people from outside the county coming into Laurinburg or Scotland County to commit crimes.
Young said that, with Laurinburg's proximity to South Carolina and Robeson County, the city sees a lot of crime by non-residents.
Newton said a lot of stolen property moves to Robeson County.
Newton said the best thin people can do is purchase an alarm system. An alarm system acts as a deterrent and it also lets the Sheriff's office know there is a problem when someone breaks in.If you have information on any break-ins in or around Scotland County, contact your local law enforcement agency or anonymously report your tip to Scotland Crime Stoppers.
Scotland County Sheriff's Office - (910) 276-3385
Laurinburg Police Department - (910) 276-3211
Maxton Police Department - (910) 844-5667
Wagram Police Department - (910) 369-2400
Scotland Crime Stoppers - (910) 291-3333
According to the North Carolina Department of Crime Control and Public Safety, physical security constitutes 90 percent of burglary prevention. If your building is locked and unauthorized entry is made difficult, time consuming, and conspicuous, chances of a successful burglary are minimized. The agency has the following recommendations to help prevent burglaries:
• Locks on all outside entrances and inside security doors should be double-cylinder deadbolts with movable collars. They should be recessed into the door and should have at least a one-inch throw containing a hardened steel insert protected by a latch guard.
• Padlocks should be made of hardened steel and mounted on bolted hasps. Keep them locked to prevent exchange. File off serial numbers to prevent new keys being made.
• Entry doors should be of solid construction, metal lined, and secured with heavy metal crossbars.
• Door jams must be solid. Exposed hinges should be pinned to prevent removal.
• Windows should have secure locks and burglar-resistant glass. Use heavy metal grates on all windows, except possibly display windows.
• Good visibility should be maintained through windows; expensive items should be removed from displays before closing.
• Lights must provide optimum visibility inside and out, with vandal-proof covers over the outside lights and power source.
• The perimeter must be well-lit, especially around all entry points.
• Alarm systems should be from a licensed alarm company with a central monitoring station. Check the system on a daily basis. Advertise its presence to deter break-ins.
• The cash register should be in plain view from outside so it can be easily monitored. Leave the drawer open when empty or not in use.
• Safes should be fireproof, burglar resistant, anchored securely, and in plain view. Leave them open when empty, and use them to lock up valuables when the business is closed.
• Change combinations when anyone with safe access leaves your employment.
• Maintain good visibility. Landscaping, boxes, and trash bins near the building can give a criminal cover or access to the roof.
• Check your building exterior (roof, cellar, walls, etc.); secure all openings larger than 12x12.
• Perimeter fences should keep intruders out and allow good visibility of your business by neighbors and police. Alarms on fences can give you additional protection. Guard dogs inside fences are also effective in deterring unauthorized entry.
• Your North Carolina Driver's License number or Social Security number should be engraved, and Operation ID stickers displayed, on enticing objects.
• Keep accurate records of serial numbers on all items to help in recovery.
• Tightly anchor all equipment/merchandise to a secure base to delay the efforts of a burglar.
• A closing security check should include the entire interior of your business so you do not lock an aspiring burglar inside. Check the exterior to make sure that there have been no security breaches.
Lake Alfred,
FL, wants to jump on the money bandwagon for the city with the tentatively approved law last recently, which means its citizens will have to pay an annual permit fee of $25 to the city to have an alarm system in their homes or businesses or face a $100 fine for not registering.
Fourth and fifth false alarms bring a $50 penalty with fine increases per additional violations. Why not penalize with the third false alarm and free the other residents of the annual fee?
Residents are losing jobs or a working less hours leaving them with less money and are concerned about break-ins as the economy weakens. The city's response is to reach into the resident's pockets and extract some more revenue for the city.
It appears that elected officials meet more often as fund raisers listening to their crying city managers. Residents within the various municipalities are subject to paying for services twice.
The residents are taxed for services and then are expected to pay an additional fee should they need the services.
In disaster situations, this is called price gouging.
A bill requiring carbon monoxide detectors in Colorado will be signed into law
on March 24, 2009, by the governor.
Signing of the "The Lofgren and Johnson Family Carbon Monoxide Safety Act," House Bill 1091, by Gov. Bill Ritter takes place at 3:30 p.m. at Denver Fire Station No. 10.
The new law, which requires carbon-monoxide detectors in new and resold homes and rental properties, is named after members of the Lofgren family from Denver and Lauren Johnson, a 23-year-old University of Denver graduate student.
Four Lofgren family members - Parker Lofgren, 39, his wife Caroline Lofgren, 42, and their children, Owen, 10, and Sophie, 8 — died of carbon-monoxide poisoning in November while vacationing in Aspen. Johnson died in January of carbon-monoxide poisoning in her apartment near the DU campus.
The Aspen home and the Denver apartment did not have carbon monoxide detectors.
In the spirit of the new law, an anonymous donor is equipping 375 Habitat for Humanity homes in the Denver metro area with carbon monoxide detectors, and the donor has pledged 200 more for future homes, the Habitat organization said in a press release.
The Habitat donation is in memory of the Lofgren family.
Berlin, CT, residents need to be on the alert for a scam artist, the fire marshal said
March 23, 2009.
Fire Marshal Steven Waznia said a Berlin resident reported that someone call him claiming to be from the fire marshal's office and asked for personal information. He said the questions were about fire and burglar alarm systems, and whether they were tied in to the Berlin 911 Call Center.
The Berlin man reported that the caller claimed to be the town's fire marshal, but that he didn't believe him.
"It was looking for, does he have a fire alarm system, a security system? Is it wired to the town hall? Is it wired to the public safety communication center?" Waznia said. "And that's the kind of information we don't want people giving out.
When the concerned homeowner stopped by Town Hall, Waznia said the call didn't come from his office.
"We don't conduct surveys, and if we did, we'd do it in person with the proper credentials," he said.
The fire marshal said he advised the homeowner to go ahead and make a report to Berlin police, because making a call like that is against the law.
"They could be subject to arrest for criminal impersonation for impersonating a public official," Police Capt. Gary Klett.
No one's sure exactly what led to the call, Waznia said, but guesses range from sales pitches to a sinister plan.
"It could have been a sales person trying to get information to sell a new system, but it could have been anybody," he said.
"They could be trying to case out your house to see if they should burglarize it or any number of other things," Klett said.
Police and fire marshal said homeowner should keep that type of information private.
More than 1,200 Western Maryland residents who bought home-security systems from unlicensed salespeople last year can get refunds as part of a settlement between the Maryland attorney general’s office and APX Alarm Security Systems, a Utah-based company whose door-to-door salespeople in Washington County were unlicensed.
The attorney general’s office sent complaint forms to 1,267 APX customers, who must fill them out and return them to get a refund, spokeswoman Raquel Guillory said Wednesday.
In Maryland, alarm companies and individual salespeople must be licensed.
Last summer, APX salespeople from Reston, Va., circulated through neighborhoods in Washington County to sell alarm systems. APX representative Nathan Wilcox said Wednesday that company officials didn’t realize the Virginia salespeople didn’t have Maryland licenses.
Wilcox said he doesn’t expect all of those customers to request refunds.
Claim notices went out on Monday, he said. As of Wednesday, about 15 percent of those who replied wanted to keep their security systems, Wilcox said.
The Herald-Mail reported last summer that about a half-dozen people complained to the Washington County Sheriff’s Department about “aggressive tactics” by APX salespeople. Sheriff Douglas Mullendore gave as an example “kind of pushing the door and walking in uninvited.”
Del. Christopher B. Shank, R-Washington, has said a pushy APX salesman wouldn’t leave his property. A few others said salespeople knocked on their door at night.
At the time, Alex Dunn, APX’s chief operating officer, called the allegations “indefensible” and said the company didn’t condone them.
Guillory said the attorney general’s office received 27 complaints about APX from Western Maryland.
APX has been the subject of complaints in other places it sells security systems, but this probably is its first settlement for a group of customer refunds, according to Wilcox. He said the nearly 1,300 potential refunds in Western Maryland is a small percentage of the approximately 190,000 security systems APX installed in 2008.
Quoting two people familiar with Maryland law, The Herald-Mail reported last summer that APX contracts sold by unlicensed salespeople might be voidable. Dunn said then that he wouldn’t be surprised if those contracts had to be canceled.
As part of the settlement worked out in January, APX’s salespeople in Maryland must be licensed. Wilcox said a new safeguard prevents company computers from processing a transaction if the salesperson isn’t licensed in that ZIP code.
Wilcox said he expects APX to return to the Washington County area this year with licensed salespeople.
As media reports across the nation confirm a rise in residential burglaries, homeowners are urged to take the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of their family and personal property.
To assist, the National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association (NBFAA) is offering all homeowners tips on how to select the electronic security company that best fits their individual needs.
"Due to the very challenging economic crisis, we are seeing confirmed news reports across the nation of an increase in residential burglaries," stated NBFAA president Mike Miller. "Electronic security systems not only give homeowners peace of mind, they also act as a primary deterrent against criminal activity which was authenticated by a recent study conducted by the Rutgers School of Criminal Justice." To view the complete study conducted by the Rutgers School of Criminal Justice, log-on to www.alarm.org.
For consumers seeking the services of a reputable and experienced security company, the NBFAA has the following recommendations:
-- Ask your insurance agent, friends, family or neighbors for referrals.
-- Visit the NBFAA website at www.alarm.org for a list of NBFAA member companies throughout the United States. Members of the NBFAA have agreed to maintain a high level of conduct under its National Code of Ethics.
-- Call several companies and ask if their employees are trained and/or certified by a nationally recognized entity like the NBFAA.
-- Ask the companies for proof that they have the appropriate required state and/or local licenses.
-- Ask the companies if they conduct any pre-employment screening. The NBFAA strongly advocates the development and enforcement of effective state licensing laws that require pre-employment background checks.
-- Contact your local police department's Crime Prevention Department, state licensing agencies, Consumer Protection Agencies, and the Better Business Bureau regarding any past interactions with, or history on, the perspective security companies.
-- After you've narrowed the field to three or four alarm companies, ask for the name of the person who will call on you.
-- When he/she visits, ask to see some company identification.
-- Ask each alarm company representative for an inspection, recommendation and a quote in writing. Use a checklist to compare different packages and price quotes.
-- Never feel pressure to sign anything. Be cautious of those who push you to sign a contract quickly or who may be offering unusual deals or incentives.
About NBFAA
NBFAA, a non-profit 501(c) 6 trade association, is the nation's oldest and largest organization dedicated to representing, promoting, and supporting the electronic life safety, security, and systems industry. Member companies specialize in a wide spectrum of services to commercial and residential consumers, including security and fire alarms, video surveillance, access control and monitoring. In cooperation with a federation of state associations, NBFAA provides government advocacy and delivers timely information, professional development tools, products and services that members use to grow and prosper their businesses. The NBFAA may be reached at (888) 447-1689 or on the Web at www.alarm.org.
SOURCE National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association
Walker County, GA, Emergency Services is installing smoke alarms in the homes of area residents and the alarms are absolutely free.
“Every home needs a smoke alarm, not to mention it is state law that every home have a smoke alarm. They provide many benefits to the homeowner. Smoke alarms save lives and property by alerting the occupant to early notification of a fire,” Walker County Emergency Services Chief Randy Camp said of his department’s initiative.
The smoke alarms being installed by Walker County Emergency Services are being furnished by the Georgia Department of Public Health and the Center for Disease Control from a federal grant.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for the people of our county to make sure their homes are probably outfitted with these devices,” Walker County Commissioner Bebe Heiskell said. “Smoke alarms can save lives and can potentially reduce property loss in the event of a fire.”
The alarms being installed are closed units, which mean they have a battery that is good for up to 10 years. Residents are instructed to simply press the button on the alarm monthly, using a broom handle, to make sure they are operating correctly.
According to information provided by captain of administrative services Tracie Napier Reece, Walker County Emergency Services has installed 1,806 alarms through the end of February in 919 homes. Of these, 50 were hearing-impaired alarms. The hearing-impaired alarms were received through an Assistance to Firefighters Grant, administered by FEMA.
Reece said, “Walker County Emergency Services has two documented saves, compliments of alarms we installed.”
The fire department is also recommending residents who use gas to heat or cook install carbon monoxide alarms.
“We are not supplying the carbon monoxide alarms; however, the fire department will install them free to any citizen who needs assistance,” Camp said.
The smoke alarm installation initiative is a free service provided every Walker County resident living in the unincorporated areas and the City of Chickamauga, regardless of income.
“We are happy to do this,” Camp said.
Those interested in having the Walker County Fire Department come to their home to install alarms should call (706) 764-1900 for more information.
Palm Harbor, FL, fire officials are sounding an alarm and warning residents about firms looking to dupe them into purchasing costly fire suppression systems they do not need.
Palm Harbor Fire Rescue has recently been contacted by several people who have been talked into purchasing expensive hard-wired fire alarm systems, said Liz Monforti, spokeswoman for the community fire department. That is much more protection than a residence would require, she said.
A hard-wired fire alarm is connected to the residence's electrical system, but most homes only need battery-power alarms, Monforti said.
Unscrupulous vendors will install five or six smoke alarms and carbon monoxide sensors in a mobile home when one or two would do, she explained.
"These firms misrepresent themselves as working with or being endorsed by the fire department, which is definitely not true," Monforti stressed.
Fire departments provide free battery-powered smoke alarms to anyone who cannot afford them and will advise residents how to install the detectors at no charge, she said.
The people who get the alarms do not have to sign contracts or provide personal information, she said.
Many of the residents who have been fooled into purchasing expensive fire alarm systems are seniors, Monforti said. Unfortunately, law enforcement usually cannot take action because the victims have let salespeople into their homes and signed contracts, she said.
Some of these firms call residents and leave answering machine messages stating they are working with local fire departments to provide valuable lifesaving information. Some even say they are part of a fire prevention task force, "which is definitely not true," Monforti said.
There are no Pinellas County fire agencies working with firms that charge a fee to install smoke alarms or carbon monoxide sensors, she added.
In the event of a fire, a properly installed and maintained battery-powered smoke alarm can provide the early warning and save lives so they are very important, Monforti said.