Locksmith Advice

Personal Emergency Response

How to get help in an emergency fast and efficiently

When you are at home and someone attempts to break in or you have hurt yourself, its highly likely that you will be able to reach a panic button to call an armed response company. If not, you will probably have your phone with you. What do you do when you are not at home, out of range of that receiver or someone has just stolen your phone?

As a first line of defense, many people have resorted to carrying a bottle of mace or even a taser around with them in their pockets. Many runners and cyclists do this. Sadly, in some cases they are either unable to find it quick enough or are overpowered by the perpetrator and the product is never used. Sometimes it is even used by the mugger against the victim. We carry our phones with us when we are out exercising which makes us even more attractive targets – smart phones are expensive items and a favorite “easy meal” for thieves!

So, what can you do if you are out for a run, walking your dog or riding your bike and a bad guy intercepts you and steals your phone? How could you get help fast if you injure yourself in a remote location?

There is a relatively new product on the market that is gaining popularity, It is called a BuddyGuard. It is a remote-control unit which is connected to an App on your smart phone and uses GPS signals to be traced. You simply carry the lightweight unit with you and press the button when you are in trouble. One press for security assistance and if it’s held down a little longer a medical alert is sent. It can also be activated from the app on your phone.

The  BuddyGuard call center will call you back within seconds . If they fail to get hold of you or if you inform them that you are in trouble an “UBER” like system is kicked off. BuddyGuard will locate and send the closest service provider to your aid. Within minutes someone will be there to help you. At the same time the App will let your friends and family members (who you have nominated) know that you are in need of assistance. Your location will be visible to them on the App.

This device is ideal for the elderly, the disabled, shift workers, people who drive at night, uber drivers and uber users, people who exercise, your children and even teenagers going out for the evening. In fact there are so many applications, I believe that eventually everyone will have one.

If you are interested in finding out more about this product, please go to the BuddyGuard website www.buddyguard.co.za which has details of the coverage and service providers. If you decide you would like one, contact us directly and we will give you a discount code to enter when making your purchase. There is a once off cost for the device and a low monthly subscription which keeps you connected.

Multifunctional Cameras

Cameras are fast replacing motion detection beams, cameras are now capable of alerting you when someone intrudes in your property. These devices are equipped with sirens and strobe lights. Users are even able to communicate with intruders as the cameras have built in audio and speakers. Covid-19 thermal applications such as flow control and thermal screening are  popular this year.

Remote Access

Today, cameras can be accessed remotely from your cell phone allowing the end user to see what is happening as it happens and have peace of mind if the system has been triggered by a false alarm. You are now able to "say hello" or reprimand your pet remotely, whenever the need arises.

Wired or Wireless?

Due to South African conditions wired camera systems remain more reliable and the preferred solution, however as people remove themselves from the grid, the trend towards network or IP cameras grows stronger with cloud storage becoming the norm. Combinations of the wired and network solutions are used to reduce the need for expensive cabling and obtain visibility on large properties.

Clarity – day or night, any weather condition

Users have come to expect uninterrupted performance from their video cameras, regardless of  the weather, and certainly the time of day. It is vital to select a camera that can respond effectively to capture clear images, no matter what conditions prevail. Colorful images in dark environments and at night are becoming popular in the security industry, and customers have shown a preference toward cameras with color imaging 24/7.

Low light imaging technology that provides colorful images in dark and Thermal imaging that measures heat – or thermal radiation and generates images from their field of view. With thermal imaging, the image is far less affected by the most light-obscuring conditions.

SECURITY TRENDS

There are several changes that are reshaping the scope of the security industry. These changes keep people and assets safe and create more secure, efficient, and intelligent environments. In this series of articles on trends in 2021 Takealock will explore the trends and touch on how they may assist you. Great advice if you are considering a security upgrade or addition to your system and wish to keep up with the ever-changing technology.

TREND 1 : The all in one, modular security system

We operate in an industry where our customers expect comprehensive solutions. The concept of systems working seamlessly together has long been desired by security professionals.

The benefits of merging multiple security systems – including video, access control, alarm, fire prevention and emergency management into a unified platform is highly desirable. This enhances efficiency and cost-effectiveness. For example, when an alarm goes off, an integrated system automatically links that alert to the output of the nearest camera, so the whole situation can be easily witnessed and managed remotely. This translates to a considerable reduction in time and effort, and most importantly, costs.

For home systems this puts the homeowner or business owner in full control of the situation, for Commercial applications savings in manpower, installation time, maintenance costs, software licenses and ease of use all add up to create an attractive package for customers.

What is more, merging these systems makes security solutions modular and scalable. Existing infrastructure can be connected and future needs on the same central platform can be added as and when required or desired.

Take a look at the AJAX alarm system range on our www.takealock.com ecommerce site. This system has several attractive features that you may not know about.

AJAX systems are portable and wireless which means that if you are renting you can take your system with you when you leave. The system is modular, which means you can start small and add devices as and when you need them. Devices include motion detecting cameras, maglocks beams, fire alarms, leak detectors and panic buttons.

The user can manage all the security systems ie alarm, camera and fire protection from a single app on your cell phone. You can enable or disable zones or open and close gates or switch on lights or appliances remotely. Ajax can integrate existing wired systems and connect to your armed response.

The system is extremely easy to set up and manuals are available on the app.