Have a great, safe festive period!

As the holidays draw nearer we'd like to wish you a great Christmas and happy New Year. However, also be aware that Christmas is a minefield for fire and security risks in your home. While we all want to enjoy the celebrations, decorations and gifts we must always be aware of safety and security first at all times.

Take a look at this festive safety announcement from the Fire Kills campaign...

The point it makes is clear - ensure your lights are never switched on unattended. The same goes for candles and open fires - festive and cheery but huge potential fire risks.

You should also ensure that your lights are fire-tested (there will be a mark on the box), that any artificial trees are flame-retardant (again, the box will state clearly), and that a real tree is fresh and well-watered (don't let it dry out, and dispose of it as soon as it starts dropping lots of needles). Also be careful with cards and paper decorations - ensure these are well away from any fire risks such as heaters, candles, open fires and Christmas lights (those bulbs get hot!).

Security is also a risk. With so many expensive gifts lying in such an obvious place under the tree, thieves often use Christmas Eve to target homes. Don't advertise if you are going away for Christmas (on social media, for example), and ensure windows are shut tight (don't feed cables to outdoor lights through an open window - this a weakness that burglars look for through December). Close curtains - we know your decorated home is beautiful but it will help deter potential criminals. Also when Christmas is over and the gifts are opened, be careful when disposing of the packaging. Don't leave boxes for expensive new appliances on the kerbside, as it advertises your new possessions to passers by.

You can also secure your house with a security system. Fire alarms, intruder alarms, CCTV and security lighting can help give you peace of mind at all times of year - contact Western Security for more details.

Top 4 Tips to Protect Personal Details and Privacy Online

 1. While free WiFi when you are out-and-about is fantastically useful, make sure you never log in to anything private and personal, such as online banking or making online transactions. Gadgets are available to either ‘piggyback’ onto an existing network, or broadcast a signal from a computer, giving anyone the ability to view whatever you are doing on an open network. However, you can purchase VPN (Virtual Private Network) dongle. This gives your computer protection over public networks, allowing you to carry out any business you want without fear of identity theft.

2. Search Engines, particularly Google, are constantly pulling data about where you search, where you are from, what you buy and almost anything you carry out through their services. This has only gotten worse with Google accounts, Android phones and Chrome, as all these services make it easier for them to grab your data whenever you are using them. Have you ever wondered why the adverts that pop up when you are browsing sometimes seem oddly tailored to sites you visit regularly, or have visited recently? It’s because Google uses your browsing data to target the adverts you are shown. While it often is comparatively innocent use, it can still be nerve-racking giving that much of your personal data away, and being sold to unsolicited. Thankfully, using secured browsers and search engines can help reduce the chances of your data being pulled, https://duckduckgo.com/ is a great secure search engine.

3. If you have a lot of private digital documents we would highly recommend not storing them on your computer or a standard USB flash drive – if you misplace these, or they get stolen, you will lose all of your private data, which could then be picked up by people happy to exploit it. We would recommend an encrypted USB flash drive, which can be protected by password and data encrypted, menaning that your data will have thorough protection no matter what you do with your flash drive!

4. Though these days most people use password-protected router at home or work, many still don’t, and this is one of the easiest ways for opportunist criminals to access your private data and install spyware and viruses to your network. Even aside from the privacy risks, if people ‘piggyback’ on to your WiFi they may access illegal material (such as pirated media), which can come back on you as it is difficult to prove who has been using the network, or they could download excessive amounts of data, taking your over your monthly download limit and incurring charges. Password protected WiFi just makes sense all around.

CCTV cutback in Norfolk

We read the news that Norfolk County Council is looking to cut its CCTV operations, but in a unique twist has offered up the running and maintenance of the systems to Town Councils and community groups in a response to concerns.

Norfolk towns  Cromer, Fakenham, North Walsham, Sheringham and Wells will lose all CCTV coverage, but the County Council described them as ‘low crime areas’.

The system has already been cut back – now monitored only 16 hours a day rather than round-the-clock, but the savings weren’t proving effective enough.

CCTV is absolutely essential in providing a deterrent from crime and antisocial behaviour, as well as the evidence required when crimes are regrettably carried out. A CCTV system can be fitted to a home or business, as well as in streets and public areas by councils.

Previous examples of cost-cutting measures to help supply this vital service included 2010s controversial ‘Internet Eyes’ site, where members of the public could earn money by monitoring security cameras from their own home, and reporting any crimes as they happened. However, the scheme ran out of money within months of going live, and as such ceased operation.

One day a system will arise that will allow cheaper monitoring and upkeep of CCTV surveillance, such as central monitoring by trained staff (as with our own EMCS monitored intruder alarms.)

CCTV and Security Systems in Cardiff and South Wales

Western Security are NSI Gold approved installers of CCTV, intruder alarms, fire alarms, panic buttons and access systems. They are able to take care of any security needs you have across South Wales, including Cardiff, Newport, Swansea and everywhere in between!
This is the new blog, where Western Security will post updates about their CCTV products, such as ranges from Lilin, Visage and Xtralis Adpro. It will also cover Fire Alarm ranges from EMS, C-TEC and Apollo, the latest news in the world of security systems and their recent installations and company updates.
Get in touch with Western Security today if you have any security requirements.