When making use of telephone bugs, it can be very frustrating to be constantly checking, only to find that you missed a call. You have a busy life. Other things to do, other clients to work for, a life to live. You can’t just be sitting there trying to play hit and miss with telephone bugs.

This is where the new generation of bugs comes in. It is possible to use a bug that will actually call you when a phone call is made. That way you need not miss a conversation that you cannot afford to miss. Traditional bugs require that you listen to the transmissions or call in to see if a call is being placed. Additionally, some telephone bugs only allowed you to hear one end of the conversation. Neither of these things is very savory, nor do the provide help to you as you frantically try to listen in at just the right time. Additionally, many transmitters run the risk of being found as they transmit the signal out. With telephone bugs that call you, you can listen to both ends of the conversation, and receive notification when a call is placed or received by your subject. The first telephone bugs that work in this manner are bugs that look like cell phones. You plug them in to share the same line as the regular phone, and they look like they were forgotten or like they are charging. These phones can be programmed to silently ring your preferred number whenever the home phone goes off.

And it is set up so that when you pick up to listen in, you are listening as if you were on another phone in the house (just like mom and dad did when you called home from college).

You hear both ends, and neither party is the wiser. Other telephone bugs that can be programmed to call you are more high tech cell phones. You give the phone to the subject (or have your client do so) and then you wait. These phones work like regular cell phones. The person talks normally and receives calls normally. But every time he or she uses the phone (place or receive) the phone dials you and lets you know. No matter which product you choose, you don’t have to miss a call when you are called by your telephone bugs. (c) 2005 Copyright www.spyassociates.

com. This article is about: Telephone Bugs.

There are few things more important to people than the security and protection of their homes and families. When it comes to securing your family you don’t always get a second chance.

Lives can change forever in only a split second. Take the time now to take make sure your family is safe and secure in your home in the future. There are several simple low cost things you can do to make your home more secure from robbery and theft and give your family peace of mind. Home Security Tip #1 Install adequate lighting outside every entry way. You can pick up motion sensor activated lights at most department and hardware stores for under $20.00. These can be set to cover a fairly large spread. It is recommended that you install lights outside every doorway to the house. If there is a side of the house that tends to be very dark it might be a good idea to install a light there as well to prevent concealment in the shadows. Home Security Tip #2 If you have a privacy fence around your property this can give the feeling of security but this is not necessarily the case. Security fences can actually provide a safe opportunity for a thief to work his way into your home. Once inside the perimeter of the fence the thief can work on entry to your home without being seen by neighbors or people passing by.

Install motioned sensor controlled security lights outside within the fenced area.

If there is a gate to the fenced in area make sure if has a secure locking mechanism. Home Security Tip #3 Install deadbolt locks on every door leading to the outside. The types of locks which have a key in the door knob will not successfully secure a door against a thief or criminal. Home Security Tip #4 Criminals are less likely to enter through a window because of the noise that breaking glass tends to make. Nevertheless, keep all windows locked at all times. One of the best ways to secure your windows is with glazing. Glazing protects windows against breakage. Home Security Tip #5 A home security alarm system, which is monitored 24 hours per day, can provide peace of mind around the clock. Alarm systems are always on duty and never sleep. If you shop around you can often find specials which include free equipment and installation in exchange for a two or three year commitment. If you decide to have an alarm system installed go with a company with a solid history that you can count on. Be sure to test your system on a regular basis. Monitored alarm systems will also sometimes reduce your yearly homeowners insurance premiums.

This savings alone might pay for the alarm system. By taking these simple steps you can decrease your chances of being the victim of a crime while providing your family with a greater sense of security.

In the last year that the Bureau of Justice released Crime Statistics (2004) –77% of all crime was property related –On average nearly 17 % of all crime domiciles were violated by a burglar –In 85% of burglaries, the offender gained entry into the house or other building. Ask any expert in the field and they will tell you that 90% of all burglaries are preventable.

So if the odds are so good that it will happen to you and it is such a preventable event-what is it you have to do to stop the burglars? I am so glad you asked. Sometimes the best home security is implemented when you are the one making the assessment and any corrective action – a do it yourself home security plan. Here are home security tips to think about that will definitely discourage or flat out stop a potential intruder from entering your house. It is not an all inclusive list but one that if followed will certainly go a long way toward making your home more secure.

1.Take a critical look at your house from the outside.Is your house well lit? Are there hiding places near doors and windows? If you can spot a potential weakness in your home’s “look” you can bet a professional burglar can exploit it. Remember that light is a burglars’ enemy-darkness a friend. 2.What could slow down a burglar from entering your home?Simple home security devices such as locks on doors(deadbolts are best) and windows, bars, grates-items that are visible from the exterior of the house will not only act as a deterrent but slow down an intruder should he decide to try to enter.

The more time it takes to break into a home, the more discouraged a burglar will become. Time is the enemy of the burglar. 3.How noisy can you make it if someone gains entry?Noise is also the enemy of the burglar. There are many home security alarms activated by doors or windows opening or by motion. The sound of a barking dog, real or recorded, are very effective and will scare most burglars away. Lights, noise and time-they are the three biggest enemies of an intruder. If you implement these home security tips to fortify your house you may well avoid a lot of potential break-ins. But there are some other things that will help as well. –Move valuables away from outside view.Don’t risk tempting someone. Consider putting small valuables in Diversion Safes. –Start or join a neighborhood watch.Strangers usually stick out in a neighborhood and should be reported immediately to police. –Make your house look occupied when you are gone.Burglars are much less likely to consider a house they feel is occupied.

–Lock your doors and windowsEven when you are gone for a short period of time. Summertime presents a huge temptation to leave doors or windows open. Don’t give in to the temptation. I have seen so many garage doors open only one or two feet to let the heat out-just enough to let a burglar in. Many police departments as a public service will offer advice on how to make your home more secure. Call for availability in your area. There are several simple things you can do to make your home less prone to intrusion by a burglar. Start with an assessment on how to make your home well lit, more secure, and in the event of an entry-how to make it very noisy. Light, time, and noise are the enemies of the professional burglar.

Does your work entail government secrets, sensitive information, new products not yet copyrighted, or investigative procedures? Then you probably need to invest in some of the different types of bug detectors available. There are several types of bug detectors on the market today that do a variety of things. One such device is a sound masking system that introduces sound into the perimeter of the environment.

By introducing sound into the perimeter instead of the entire area, which would cause people to raise their voices, thereby defeating the purpose of the audio blanket, this device will prevent eavesdropping regardless of where the bug has been placed. Other types of bug detectors can ensure telephone line security. They are designed to locate electronic wiretapping and eavesdropping devices and stop them in their tracks. These special bug detectors can also detect computer hackers, telephone line employees and government agencies, who are trying to intercept your computer, telephone and fax communications. They can even detect video tape recorders. Then there are bug detectors that can tell you if someone is using their cell phone to monitor your conversations. These bug detectors can flash a red light, give off an audio alert warning, and prevent the monitoring by cell phone from such agencies as police departments, prisons, security firms, etc. Some bug detectors can find the presence of small video cameras by telling you that they are there, and then by quickly finding the location of the camera, and have a detection range of two to fifteen feet. There are even some bug detectors that can warn a person of both audio and video bugging devices that are located on the premises. Whatever your needs in audio and video bug detectors, there is a device on the market that will work for you.

Is it just me, or do we spend more time worrying about the safety of our computers these days than the safety of our own homes? You’ve got firewalls and virus protection for your CPU, but have you changed your door locks since you moved into your house? Do you have ladders, tools, and other things lying around your yard that a burglar could use to break a window and access your home? Do you have an alarm system you never arm? Windows you leave open? Doors left unlocked? When was the last time you walked around your house and, thinking like a burglar, considered just how easy it would be to break in? Yeah, that’s what I thought.

Let’s take a look at some smart security tips that can help make your home safer for you and your family. And guess what? Most of them are easier to implement than the security software loaded on your computer. First off, remember that in general burglars will avoid occupied houses. That doesn’t mean your family is always safe when they’re home, however. There always exceptions to the rule, and you shouldn’t assume that nothing can ever happen just because someone is there. If a burglar breaks in while you’re not there, your belongings are at risk. If a burglar breaks in when your family is home, your family is at risk as well. Now that I’ve got you thinking, let’s look at some measures you can follow in order to minimize the risk of being targeted.Keys: Don’t hand out keys to friends, even if they’re trustworthy. Make sure you know the location of all your house keys all the time. Never use hide-a-keys or leave the key under the doormat, above the door, in a flowerpot, or anywhere outside the house. You may think you’re being clever, but guess what? Burglars know all the tricks.

It’s their job to (however despicable).

Also, it’s a good idea to keep your car keys and house keys on a different ring if you ever use valet parking or leave your keys with parking lot attendants or even at a repair garage.Don’t let strangers in the house: Adults have no problem telling this rule to their kids, but they don’t realize it should apply to them too! Home security means being cautious. Even before you open the front door to accept a package, you should ask for photo identification. This goes for anyone you don’t recognize. Don’t assume someone is «legit» just because they are wearing a uniform or driving some company’s truck (these things can be stolen). If somebody comes to your door and asks to make a phone call, offer to make it for them, but don’t let them some inside. If someone looks like they’re injured, call 911, but don’t open the door. When you walk away to make that call, lock the door behind you; you don’t want to leave the door unlocked and unmanned. A chain on the door helps insure people can’t force their way in while you’re home.Locks: Keep your doors and windows locked, even if you’re at home. Get your children into this habit, too.

It’s too easy to forget an open window when you leave the house, and that provides an easy way in for burglars. Don’t assume a second story window is out of reach for a thief. They’re good at finding ways in.Don’t be predictable: If you always leave home at the same time every day and return at the same time, thieves can easily memorize your routine to take advantage of the times you’re not at home. Work is work, and you probably can’t change those hours, but if you always go to a class or the grocery store at the same time, try to make yourself less predictable. You can also consider automatic timers for your lights and electronics, to make it seem when someone is home, even when they’re not.Valuables shouldn’t be on display: I know you want to show off your hard-won plasma TV, but if somebody can look in your window and see your wallet, credit cards, purse, jewelry, or fancy electronics in open sight, they’re going to be tempted. A computer or television placed in front of a ground-floor window may make an easy target. Likewise, electronics placed across from a window are easily visible, too. In a similar vein, don’t leave your garage doors open for the world to see all the cool stuff you have in storage. Lightweight items could be snatched away quickly and easily.Be mindful of your trash: Just bought a new entertainment system? There’s no need to tell the world about it. A bunch of empty boxes out by the curb is an open invitation to would-be burglars. Instead of putting boxes out in plain sight, cut them down, and stuff them in trash bags. Also be wary of identity theft. Never put personal identification information in your trash until it’s been shredded.Be alert: Try to be aware of your surroundings on a day-to-day basis, even in your own neighborhood. This doesn’t mean walking around like a crazy paranoid person; just get in the habit of watching for suspicious activity.

Paying attention to the simple things can make you and your family much less of a target. Burglar alarms and home security systems are great investments, but common sense prevention is the best way to stay safe.Further resources:Home SecurityHome Security News

The world today has a plethora of advanced technological means of protecting their valuables be it jewelry, an expensive electronic gadget, piece of art, or antique that you have paid a fortune to make yours! However, with all good things, there is something bad and security systems are no exceptions! This means technology too can fail! Looking at the brighter side, like I said all your hard-earned valuables could be protected today without your having to worry 24/7 whether your favourite diamond ring or antique Chinese vase is no more yours when you get back home after a hard day at work! However before you embark on a search for the best security system for your home, you need to do a reality check.

Your best option is to ask your family and close friends – people you trust, about their security systems if they have one. Take a note of all the problems they may have had with their security systems since they installed them. This will help you to cross-question all the security firms that you visit and hence clear your doubts too! Another important consideration is how much are you ready to shell out to secure your home, now I do not mean just buying the equipment required because the expenses do not end here. If you want a complete security system, you also have to consider paying the security firm that is going to monitor all the events while you are away! Now to give you a lowdown on the options available to you, One you can go in for a do it yourself kit, but again I suggest this option only if you are confident of setting up the system and of coarse also if you want to save on costs. However if you goof up, you are obviously going to be spending a lot more then you thought of saving in the first place! Second, you can visit a security firm who will give you a customized system according to your requirements and budget, they also monitor all the events 24/7, and you will be charged for these daily services. For the best firm in the market and of coarse one in your area you can you can search on the internet or again ask friends and family. To understand the technical jargon in layman terms you can read on. In terms of location, you have: Perimeter alarms As the name suggests such alarms are usually used to stop the intruder at the boundaries of your property. They are fairly simple in design, why? The answer is simple; because while guarding a perimeter your aim is to stop the intruder outside and hence will want to sound an alarm if somebody crosses the boundary because if they are inside the your property your alarm was ineffective! Simple switch circuits are very effective for such purposes.

Good examples of these are the open circuits and closed circuit alarms explained later on in the article. Building alarms Now if the intruder has managed to bypass or deactivate your perimeter alarm then you need to protect your house too meaning the inside of the building! Again, there are various ways to do so such as use body heat to detect the presence of somebody inside the building and sound an alarm on detection or vice versa i.e. radiate energy from a source and monitor its reflection, if interrupted the reflection changes and you can sound an alarm. If you want an extensive and detailed alarm system, you can put up a surveillance system with hidden cameras, which of course will cost you a fortune but it is worth it if you have a fortune to protect! In terms of circuits, you have: Open circuit When the intruder completes the circuit by his action of intrusion, he triggers the alarm. For example, a button embedded into the doorway or magnetic switch embedded into a window will trigger an alarm if the door or window is opened. Closed circuit In such a system, the electric circuit is complete when the door or window is closed and hence if an intruder opens the door the current path is broken triggering an alarm. Now both these systems – open and closed circuit are very naпve in their designs and hence have to be controlled using a control box so that the intruder cannot deactivate the alarm easily! In terms energy: Active Systems This means you have a source that emits either radio waves or ultra sonic rays into the room and records the reflection of these rays when they travel back; now if somebody comes in the range of these rays their reflection pattern changes and this can be used to trigger an alarm.

Passive Systems These systems use a detector/sensor to sense a rapid change in infrared energy in the room. What this means is, that when a human enters the field of the senor there is a rapid increase in the level of heat, which is sensed by the infrared sensor; this in turn sends a message to a controller, which in turn sounds a combination of alarms set by the user. Therefore, if you are looking for an entire home and property security you can go to a professional who will do the installation as well as monitor your home or office for you. Otherwise, you can opt for a do it yourself kit advisable for those who are technologically inclined or at least those who can follow instructions! Finally buying a safe to protect your valuables from fire or theft is an essential part of sound home and business security. With a wide range of safes available there is something to suit everyone.

Multifamily residential buildings are at a greater risk for fire because they contain more kitchens, furnaces, hot water heaters and other elements that can pose opportunities for a fire to start.

A «balanced» building design is necessary to protect multifamily units from fire, according to experts at the National Concrete Masonry Association. Fire safety in multifamily housing is influenced by the design of the building; its fire protection features; the quality of and materials used in the building’s construction; the building’s contents; and overall maintenance. Balanced design comprises three elements: detection, suppression and compartmentation.  Detection: Accurate, early warning is the first line of defense. Detectors that respond to light smoke are important. Each dwelling unit should be equipped with detectors in all sleeping rooms and adjacent areas, and on each level of the building, including the basement. Detectors should be wired into a continuous power supply. Smoke detectors are vulnerable to lack of maintenance or faulty power supply, so they should be maintained and tested regularly.  Suppression: Suppression methods, such as automatic sprinkler systems, control a fire at the point of origin. While not designed to extinguish a fire, sprinklers have been shown to be effective in controlling a fire until it can be extinguished.

Automatic sprinklers are vulnerable to system failures due to inadequate maintenance and inspection or inadequate water supply. Sprinklers are not intended to control electrical and mechanical equipment fires or fires of external origin, such as those from adjacent buildings, trash fires and brush fires.

Compartmentation: Compartmentation limits the extent of fire by dividing a building into fire compartments enclosed by fire walls and fire-rated floors and ceilings. Compartments minimize the spread of toxic fumes and smoke. They also provide safe areas of refuge when evacuation is not possible. Floor and wall elements forming the boundaries of each compartment should have a fire resistance rating of at least two hours and should be constructed of noncombustible materials that are capable of preserving the structural integrity of the building throughout the duration of the fire.