Monthly Archives: July 2012

Infant Safety Tips

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Having a newborn can sometimes be an overwhelming experience. You want to keep your infant safe, but there are often so many potential dangers that it can be tough to cover all your bases. Most new parents take plenty of steps to keep their child safe, but not all solutions are obvious. Here are some extra infant safety tips to consider that could make a big difference:

1) Accidents will happen, but being prepared is the best prevention. Keep a list of emergency numbers handy in several locations around the house so that you can get help at a moment’s notice. If you always keep your phone on you, program the numbers into your contacts with clear names such as “EMERGENCY,” “PEDIATRICIAN” or “INFANT WARD” so you know who to call even when you are panicked.

2) You would probably love to watch your newborn all day and all night, but with so much to do that is simply not possible. You have to catch up on all sorts of tasks while your infant rests, but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep your eye on him or her. Surveillance cameras in your child’s bedroom provide live look-ins on your infant during naptime. Many surveillance cameras include access to streaming video from your computer or mobile device.

3) Many parents also use baby monitors to listen while their newborn sleeps so they can hear if anything goes wrong. However, sometimes trouble does not make a sound, particularly if your newborn is rolling or bumping into the side of the crib. A motion detector can help parents know that their child has woken up or is in danger of rolling into an unsafe position.

4) Babies are naturally curious, so we need to make sure that dangerous household supplies are out reach. Lock up any chemical cleaning products, and make sure to keep your newborn away while you use the products.

5) Place an extra smoke and carbon monoxide detector in the nursery or your child’s room, even if there are no noticeable fire hazards. If a fire starts while your newborn is napping, a smoke detector may be the only way to know.

Having a newborn child in the house should be a time of joy for new parents. These easy-to-follow tips can alleviate some of the natural worry of infancy and help you keep your child safe in the home.

SafeMart Stories: Steve

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As part of our 10th Anniversary this summer, we are excited to take a look at some of the amazing employees who have made SafeMart what it is today. Check back for even more stories about the great employees who have helped us accomplish 10 years of delighting customers.

“It’s people that actually like their job. They care about what they’re doing, and that makes all the difference in the world.” – Steve

SafeMart employees are in many ways a team. They work together, share goals and always have each others’ backs.

Steve, SafeMart’s Technical Services Manager, takes this idea to heart every day on the job. His role involves a variety of technical tasks, including taking technical calls, running deliveries and working on programming systems. But more than that, he views his job as one part of a group-wide effort to make sure everyone else’s jobs are running smoothly.

“For the most part it just entails making sure that everyone has all the tools that they need to get their job done right and efficiently,” Steve said. “Really, I’m just trying to keep everything I can off of (SafeMart Director of Technologies) Joe’s plate.

Steve says the attitude of the employees at SafeMart is special because everyone enjoys their work and bonds over their jobs. He says their appreciation of SafeMart carries over into the customer experience.

“You don’t have people that are just coming in, punching a clock and just trying to get their day over with,” he said. “It’s people that actually like their job. They care about what they’re doing, and that makes all the difference in the world.”

Steve has been with SafeMart for more than three years now, and in that time he has watched as the company and the team around him has grown consistently.

“It’s pretty incredible how many times we get together for a company meeting and actually look around and look twice, like, ‘Oh, I didn’t know that person worked here,’” he said. “It’s incredible how often we are introduced to new people that are working here.”

Though SafeMart continues to grow, Steve says he has seen new employees come in and immediately become part of the team. He credits this to SafeMart finding people who work well with the team to deliver the best products and services.

“I think that when they hire people they do a really good job of getting the right people that fit with the team, and will get along with the everyone else that’s already working here,” Steve said.

As SafeMart has hired more employees, it has also worked to change the home security business. Steve says during his tenure, he has noticed changes across the industry.

“Other parts of the industry seem to have a one-track mind,” he said. “We’ve taken a different look at home security, and we want to deliver it in a unique way that’s more convenient for the customer.”

About SafeMart
SafeMart® has redefined home security. Delivering revolutionary protection and peace of mind, SafeMart delights customers across the country. The company leads the industry with its interactive Plug & Protect™ wireless alarm system that empowers customers with cutting edge protection and control. SafeMart provides unbeatable value and exceptional service with its award-winning LiveWatch alarm monitoring service. The company (a division of LiveWatch Security, LLC) is the most recommended security company in America. Recently, it was named the #1 Wireless Security Company in America, #1 Alarm Monitoring Company in America and won a national award for e-Commerce Customer Service.

Criminal Behind Bars Thanks To SafeMart Home Security Image Sensor

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SafeMart delivered the first known arrest and criminal conviction using breakthrough wireless motion-activated Image Sensors during the product’s initial launch this summer. Images captured by this revolutionary new device were used in prosecution of the criminal, which resulted in his conviction.

The unique Image Sensor from Alarm.com protects homes and property by working both as a wireless camera and a wireless motion detector. If something triggers the Image Sensor’s motion detector, an alarm is activated and the LiveWatch Security monitoring center is contacted. Simultaneously, snapshots of the criminal that triggered the motion are automatically captured and stored online or sent directly to the customer’s iPhone, iPad, Android or other mobile device.

This is exactly how the Image Sensor came to the aid of a SafeMart employee and customer during the Image Sensor’s testing process.

The employee, who is also a SafeMart customer, had noticed items missing from his garage and decided to install an Image Sensor.  During the night, the Image Sensor detected an intruder in the garage and instantly captured images of the thief. Scared off by the alarm system, the burglar escaped the scene of the crime, but not before the Image Sensor took photos of him in the act.

The criminal is caught on camera after activating the Image Sensor. This image was used in prosecution.

When local police arrived they were provided with photographic evidence of the intruder, whom police identified, tracked down and arrested.

“The new era of wireless home security is exciting,” says SafeMart President Chris Johnson. “Home security is getting more advanced and efficient all the time, which means better protection for the people we serve. In this case, it led to an arrest and peace-of-mind for one of our employees and customers.”

“The Alarm.com Image Sensor is a truly innovative product combining motion and image capture with Interactive Services that gives customers a completely new way of staying connected to their homes”, says Alarm.com VP of Marketing, Jay Kenny. “We are pleased that our technology and SafeMart’s service helped to keep this customer’s home and community safe.”

The new Image Sensor is available from SafeMart as part of a home security system with LiveWatch monitoring, or individually as a wireless accessory.

 

SafeMart Stories: Dave

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As part of our 10th Anniversary this summer, we are excited to take a look at some of the amazing employees who have made SafeMart what it is today. Check back for even more stories about the great employees who have helped us accomplish 10 years of delighting customers.

“SafeMart has really made it a goal, a primary goal, to take care of what’s best for the customer, find out what makes it easier for them to provide protection for their families. And I think that’s unique.” – Dave 

Dave has been with SafeMart from the very beginning. He joined our family in the summer of 2003 and over the last nine years, he has seen firsthand the transformation that this revolutionary company has undergone.

When he first started at SafeMart, Dave did a little bit of everything as he helped us hit the ground running.

“I did a lot of things. I packed boxes, I did some data entry, then I moved into sales and support,” Dave said. “So I basically have done pretty much anything you can do in the company from the very beginning.”

That experience on the ground floor has shaped Dave’s view of the company as he has moved up through the ranks. Today, he serves as our Director of Operations, a job he describes as doing “basically anything that’s fun and exciting.”

In this role, Dave has seen the massive changes at SafeMart as we have moved forward. He said that when he first began, much of the focus of the company was on making things work, compared to today’s focus on improving processes and make things easier for the customer every day.

“The biggest change I think is just an acceleration of improving our processes,” he said. “In the beginning it was a smaller company. We grew organically; we were kind of taking it as it went. And in these last few years we’ve just seen things accelerate and just how we handle things in general, always looking at ways of improving, and it didn’t always use to be like that, and that’s really exciting because it helps us do more with less.”

For Dave, this has truly made the difference. As he’s watched SafeMart grow nationwide, he doesn’t think twice about where the credit lies: it has always been about a desire to delight the customer.

Dave said the home security industry may have a negative reputation in the minds of customers across the nation. He wants to continue to win those customers over every day through terrific service and protection.

“We do start with the customer in mind,” he said. “There are a lot of unsavory types in the business. This company was founded with the intention of helping people. So I think really, a lot of companies are in the business again to cut a profit, and SafeMart has really made it a goal, a primary goal, to take care of what’s best for the customer, find out what makes it easier for them to provide protection for their families. And I think that’s unique.”

And while SafeMart employees work tirelessly to protect families, Dave said the employees themselves are also a family.

“It’s a great group of people. I’ve grown up and matured with a lot of the people that are here,” he said. “I really have a lot of respect and affection for everyone who works here, it really is kind of a family away from home. It’s the first job I’ve had where I don’t mind getting up and going to work. It’s not something I dread, in fact I look forward to it. I recently had an injury that kept me away from work, and I was not happy. I was not happy at all being away from SafeMart.”

Looking back on SafeMart’s first 10 years, Dave said he has seen a great deal of change and he expects that to continue because it is so central to SafeMart’s mission. When Dave sees a new product come in and quickly go out to customers who need it, he says that gives him a sense of pride and enthusiasm.

“We are on the edge now of technology and innovation,” he said. “A lot of the products we are leading with came out weeks before. That’s not something we really did before. So it’s really exciting getting new technology, implementing it quickly, and getting it out to the customer so that they can experience the same excitement that we have.”

About SafeMart
SafeMart® has redefined home security. Delivering revolutionary protection and peace of mind, SafeMart delights customers across the country. The company leads the industry with its interactive Plug & Protect™ wireless alarm system that empowers customers with cutting edge protection and control. SafeMart provides unbeatable value and exceptional service with its award-winning LiveWatch alarm monitoring service. The company (a division of LiveWatch Security, LLC) is the most recommended security company in America. Recently, it was named the #1 Wireless Security Company in America, #1 Alarm Monitoring Company in America and won a national award for e-Commerce Customer Service.

Introducing SafeMart Stories

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As part of our 10th Anniversary this summer, we are excited to take a look at some of the amazing employees who have made SafeMart what it is today. Throughout our anniversary celebration, we’ll be featuring the stories of some of our team members right here on the blog.

We’ll start tomorrow with a look at one SafeMart employee who has been with us for more than nine years. So make sure to check back tomorrow for our first installment of “SafeMart Stories” and keep watching for even more stories about the great employees who have helped us accomplish 10 years of delighting customers.

SafeMart.com Launches First Indoor Infrared Video Cameras

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CHICAGO (July 10, 2012) SafeMart has launched its first ever series of indoor video surveillance cameras to include infrared night vision technology. The wireless cameras deliver powerful new indoor surveillance security through cutting edge infrared capabilities that allow the cameras to capture high definition images in all levels of light.

The new Indoor Wireless IP Video Camera (ADC-V520) and Indoor Wireless IP Video Camera with InfraRed (ADC-V520IR) record and capture in high definition, come with full color 720P resolution and have longer wireless range for a greater ability to secure the whole home. Installation is fast and easy, as with all products from SafeMart, and is completed with a simple push-button process.

Both fixed lens cameras offer high, medium and low-resolution image capture options, in addition to adjustment options for brightness, contrast, saturation, sharpness and exposure. The V520IR also comes with a clear new night vision image capture, meaning it provides state-of-the-art security all day and all night.

“With so many ways to customize your video cameras, it’s easy to make sure the camera is providing the best image and service to the customer,” says SafeMart President Chris Johnson. “That’s really what we’re about here at SafeMart: giving our customers the best equipment, best service and the best overall experience.”

The new cameras from Alarm.com include the most advanced video technology available, ensuring customers have more options and better security than ever before.

SafeMart is constantly striving to bring the newest and most highly rated security products to customers. The new infrared cameras are only the latest example of that determination and desire to ensure a customer’s peace of mind.

 

SAFEMART’S 10TH ANNIVERSARY

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In 2002, something big happened to the home security industry. It was 10 years ago this summer that SafeMart first began revolutionizing home security.

Born out of the experience of a paramedic, since the beginning SafeMart’s focus has been on doing everything we can to help people protect what is priceless. And over the last 10 years, we are proud of all that we’ve been able to accomplish.

And after 10 years of incredible achievements and enormous leaps forward, we want to celebrate our success with you.

In the coming weeks, keep an eye out for exciting 10th Anniversary promotions, events and announcements. We intend to make our 10th year our best year yet, and we want you to be part of it. So read up on our history, find out a little more about how we came to be at the forefront of home security, and get ready for a great 10th Anniversary.

Our Story:

SafeMart’s origin dates back to 2002 when, at 17, SafeMart President Chris Johnson started his training to be an Ambulance EMT. He took state boards a few days after his 18th birthday and worked for an Ambulance EMS service while starting paramedic training and college coursework. Johnson was named director of the local hospital-based EMS Department and, while working there as a paramedic, became its Director of Operations.

Johnson’s extensive background in emergency services, along with the fact that his career at one point had him performing key roles at a telecom training company, made for the perfect combination of professional experience to prepare Johnson to create and lead a technology-focused home security company. After assessing the home security landscape and leaning on his gut instinct and years of experience keeping people safe, Johnson seized the opportunity and developed the SafeMart concept.

Enter Brad Morehead, CEO of LiveWatch Security. Morehead’s experience in various business roles taught him to look for companies that had strong core values in industries that were about to undergo major technological improvements. SafeMart had both.

Morehead and Johnson connected and used their areas of expertise to create a company like no other. SafeMart built itself up on the strength of its employees and the undying loyalty of its customers. Thanks to tireless drive and a nation full of delighted consumers, SafeMart quickly stepped up to the next level.

“Chris had experience and a passion for protecting people,” Morehead said. “And I appreciated the need for home security. I also knew that the Internet was changing other industries, but traditional home security companies were mired in an outdated, expensive business model that customers didn’t appreciate. Together, Chris and I understood that wireless solutions delivered anywhere in America using the Internet gave us the opportunity to reinvent the category. We’d be able to provide award-winning products and service while giving customers the best value in the industry.”

Morehead and Johnson soon reached out to John Evans, President of Able Security, from our office in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Evans’ record of 36 years in the security business, his accreditation as having the highest level of fire certification, and his powerful track record of work with the military, banks and casinos made him the perfect for the expanding company.

“It’s thrilling,” Morehead explains, “because in addition to unity of purpose, our teams represent a trifecta of experience as we reinvent our industry.”

Now, our Plug and Protect™ approach to custom, premium home security solutions has turned the industry on its head. With roots 35 years strong and innovate concepts moving at the speed of technology, our brand has exploded onto the national scene.

“Our business depends on our customers trusting us to provide the peace of mind that comes from a secure home and a safe family,” says Johnson. “Customers turn to us because they know they can rely on LiveWatch Security and SafeMart to protect their loved ones. They know we will heroically help people protect what is priceless. After all, it’s in our DNA.”

 

Heat Waves and Crime Waves: How To Stay Safe

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For decades, researchers and scientists have found links between high temperatures and high crime rates. Recent research, such as this Iowa State University study, notes that hotter days see much higher rates of violent crime and crime rates tend to rise with yearly temperature, particularly in highly populated areas.

For residents in dozens of states across the United States, that may mean trouble this week. Record highs are being set nationwide, and heat advisories or warnings have been issued in 23 states stretching from the Rockies to the Atlantic.

With this in mind, now is the perfect time to refresh on what you can do to keep you and your family safe from the increased incidences of crime that occur during heat waves.

According to a study from the National Institutes of Health and this University of British Columbia study, some of the types of violent crimes that often increase during hot weather include assault, robbery, burglary, and larceny-theft. Fortunately, a home security system and other safety measures can help protect you and your family from these types of crimes.

Here’s a short look at some steps you can take to stay safe from crime during the heat wave— and year round:

  1. 1. Get a basic wireless security system. The best defense against crime can involve simply being protected. A basic security system includes sensors on doors and windows to prevent break-ins, a control panel and monitoring to make sure someone is always watching out for you. If you live in an area that sees increased crime during hot weather, this could be the best step to make sure the heat wave does not lead to a crime wave in your neighborhood.
  2. 2. Be alert. If you see a potentially dangerous situation developing, just remove yourself from it. Research has found that part of what leads to increased crime during heat waves is increased frustration. When the weather is hot, people are more likely to overreact to a slight provocation or annoyance. If you feel that a situation is escalating, let everyone calm down and remain non-confrontational.
  3. 3. Add cameras to your system. Indoor and outdoor video cameras deter crime, help you see intruders coming, and help police catch criminals. In many cases, the same person or group of people commits multiple crimes during a heat wave. A video camera, if it fails to deter the criminal, can capture their image so that police can catch the person before he or she strikes again.
  4. 4. Use a panic button. Most security systems allow you to order a panic button for a relatively low cost. A portable panic button- that you can carry on a keychain or in a bag- can offer a great last line of defense. If your neighborhood is not normally at risk of violent crime, but becomes so during a heat wave, you may not be prepared if a criminal attacks; a panic button will allow you to immediately contact the monitoring station, who then contact the police on your behalf.
  5. 5. Know your neighborhood. Think back to the last heat wave in your area. If there was a noticeable rise in crime, there is a good chance it could happen again this time. Be prepared by knowing where the crimes are most likely to occur and, if possible, steer clear.
  6. 6. Use interactive monitoring. The more advanced home security systems give you a great deal of control over your system from remote locations. With features like remote locking and lighting, you can keep your home safe all day and have it ready for you when you pull into the driveway. If criminals are looking for empty houses during the heat wave, turning on your lights before you get home can be a great deterrent to protect your house.

Remember, there is no guarantee that high crime will follow high temperatures; a number of factors, including location, population and socioeconomic status may play a part in these trends. But when hot weather strikes, it’s better to be protected. Use these tips as a starting point to make sure that you and your family are safe this summer.

Beat the Heat: 10 Tips To Make It Through The Heat Wave

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Extreme heat is gripping much of the nation this week, and millions of Americans are still without power or air conditioning with little relief in sight.

According to the National Weather Service, heat is the number one weather-related killer in America, resulting in more deaths annually than hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and lightning combined.

By following a few of our helpful tips during heat waves, you and your family can stay safe in extreme heat. The following are some of SafeMart’s tips for you, based on information from National Weather Service and Centers for Disease Control, on how to keep from dangerous overheating:

  1. 1. Drink plenty of water and other non-alcoholic, non-carbonated fluids. Avoid sugary drinks and caffeine as well, and opt for fluids that replace electrolytes.
  2. 2. Get to air conditioned areas if possible. Air conditioning provides heat relief for the whole body and can lower your body temperature.
  3. 3. If air conditioning in not an option, take cool showers or baths. Though these may be less comfortable, they are also effective at lowering your body temperature and protecting you from heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
  4. 4. Stay out of the sun. The sun heats your body, and sunburn will make it harder for your body to cool off even after you are out of the sun.
  5. 5. Avoid meat and proteins. These types of foods increase metabolic heat production and drain your body of water.
  6. 6. Wear light clothing. Dressing for the weather is an easy way to sweat less and keep cool. Choose light-colored fabrics that breathe and try not to layer clothes.
  7. 7. Reduce outdoor activities. During the hottest daylight hours, try to stay inside and do not exert yourself. If you have to work outside, do so in the early morning and late evening hours, when the temperature is lower and the sunlight is weaker.
  8. 8. Keep children out of cars when unsupervised. During heat waves, or any summer months, cars can heat extremely quickly in the sun. Children should never be left unattended in cars, even with the windows cracked. Take special care to lock the car once everyone is out, so that unattended children do not sneak back in.
  9. 9. Cut down on salt. Salty foods use up more of your body’s water quickly, meaning you need to drink even more fluids.
  10. 10. Look after the elderly, sick and children. Anyone can suffer from heat-related symptoms, but these groups are in the greatest danger. Check up on elderly family and neighbors, and make sure to watch your children or any sick family or friends for symptoms of heat exhaustion.

Sources: National Weather Service and the Centers for Disease Control