The Electronic Security Association Encourages Businesses to Create a Severe Weather Emergency Plan and Provides Guidelines for Business Security System Preparedness. Cobb County, GA Fire Marshal approves NTS Course as NICET Equivalent
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March is the Month to Create a Severe Weather Preparedness Plan for Your Business
The Electronic Security Association Encourages Businesses to Create a Severe Weather Emergency Plan and Provides Guidelines for Business Security System Preparedness
IRVING, Texas (Mar. 5, 2018) — In March, many state and federal agencies encourage residents to prepare for severe weather. This includes thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, lightning, winter storms and other weather-related emergencies. The Electronic Security Association (ESA) is joining with these organizations to encourage businesses to create a severe weather emergency plan.
ESA is also recommending that businesses include their security and life safety systems in their plan.
“One of our missions at ESA is to raise awareness about all aspects of security for businesses,” says Angela White, president of ESA. “In the midst of severe weather, a security system may be the last thing on your mind, but it is a significant component of your business and should be incorporated into your preparedness plans.”
By visiting Alarm.Org, a website sponsored by ESA, you can learn more about preparing your business for a severe weather – as well as tips for using your security system to monitor your property if an evacuation is required, as well as detect potential issues prior to or upon return.
“With extensive technologies on the market today, security systems can be configured with sensors to detect life-threatening conditions that may occur in the aftermath of severe weather, such as a carbon monoxide leak; an unusual rise in temperature that could signal a fire; a drop in temperature that could indicate a freeze condition; and/or flooding, which can cause extensive peripheral damage,” White says.
Below are tips to help prepare your business for severe weather:
• Include the contact information for your security provider on your business emergency contact list. This will make it easier to alert your provider if you need to evacuate or relocate. Use a secure, password-protected, web-based platform or app to store this information.
• Make sure security passwords and passcodes are up-to-date and everyone with permission to access the property has memorized the passwords and codes.
• Set up an emergency communications infrastructure for your business to relay crucial information to employees, customers and vendors, as well as facilitate business continuity.
• Educate yourself and your employees so that everyone knows how to use the system to its full potential.
• Check with your security provider to understand how your system operates in the event of a power outage and how long it may be operable. Most systems have back-up batteries and will remain operational for a certain amount of time during a power failure, so make sure your batteries are in working order and appropriately charged. As a rule of thumb, optimum operation comes from batteries that were installed within three years and have not experienced multiple outages. However, it is always best to check with your security provider as they have the proper diagnostic tools to determine functionality.
Did You Know? Security and surveillance systems can be connected to a back-up generator, so the systems continue to function once electrical power is out. Discuss this option with your security provider.
• If you have a security system that is connected to your smart phone, make sure the app is properly installed on your phone. Through video and audio surveillance, you can monitor your property in real-time. If a power outage occurs, this feature may not work for the full duration of a storm, but it can alert you to issues so you can start immediate repairs upon return. Again, consult with your security provider to determine if an uninterrupted power supply was installed that will provide battery backup on your cameras.
• Consider new technologies, such as disaster detection sensors that can detect and alert you to life-threatening issues, including: carbon monoxide leaks, changes in temperature and flooding.
• Fires are common during and in the aftermath of severe weather. Ensure your smoke detectors are working properly and are connected to your security and fire alarm system. One way to better prepare your business for severe weather is to use a security solution that includes instant alerts which can be sent directly to your smart phone. Both you and the monitoring station can be notified the moment your smoke detectors are activated. Video surveillance cameras within your business can be programmed to send a live feed from the area in which the sensor has been triggered. This real-time technology allows you to react quickly and keeps first responders current to events taking place on the property.
• If your business in an area that is prone to evacuations and are concerned about vandalism, consider a professionally-installed and monitored security system. Through real-time audio and video surveillance, your security provider can verify the intrusion with local authorities, so they can prioritize and respond accordingly. More importantly, it frees you to focus on evacuating operations to a safe location.
• More information about developing a business emergency plan can be found at Ready.gov.
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ABOUT ESA
Established in 1948, ESA is the largest trade association in the United States representing the electronic life safety and security industry. Member companies install, integrate and monitor intrusion and fire detection, video surveillance and electronic access control systems for commercial, residential, industrial and governmental clients. In cooperation with an alliance of chapter associations, ESA provides technical and management training, government advocacy and delivers information, advice, tools, and services that members use to grow their businesses and prosper. Together, ESA member companies employ more than 500,000 industry professionals and serve more than 34 million residential and commercial clients.www.ESAweb.org
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