A letter from Owen Security Solutions regarding COVID-19

To Our Valued Customers,

During this time of concern surrounding coronavirus (COVID-19), Owen Security Solutions would like to reassure our customers, employees, and communities that their safety and security remain our top priority, just as they have for more than 47 years.

We understand that our residential and commercial customers’ need for safety and security does not stop in times such as this, and we assure you that neither will our commitment. Owen Security Solutions’ installation, service, troubleshooting, and customer service teams are ready to respond to any customer needs that may arise.

Although our promise of excellence and dependability will not waiver during this concerning time, we have implemented safety measures to avoid disruptions to our business operations and are taking all possible precautions to ensure that each department is equipped to continue protecting our customers and their families around the clock.

We have taken additional steps to communicate with and prepare our employees to ensure we keep each other and our customers safe. Steps we have taken include:

• Informing employees of the importance of cleanliness and sanitation during this time to prevent the contraction or spreading of illnesses. We are also doing our very best to keep the entire company up-to-date with the latest information concerning the severity of COVID-19.
• Providing additional supplies needed to minimize risks, including hand sanitizer and disinfectant. We have asked every employee to participate in the disinfection and sanitization of their areas to minimize the transmission of germs.
• We have asked that employees be forthcoming with any information about any possible direct or indirect contact with COVID-19 and have encouraged them to stay home if they are not well or feel that they are at-risk.

24/7 Monitoring & Customer Care

We are happy to report that there have been no interruptions in the monitoring or dispatch services we provide to our customers.

We have asked all employees who may be unwell or may have had possible contact with the virus to stay at home. Additional sanitary and disinfectant supplies have been provided for our employees and they are encouraged to use them as often as necessary. We are also utilizing online tools to continue meetings, conferences, and training.

Sales, Service, Installation Teams

Our Sales, Service, and Installation teams have been instructed to proceed in the safest manner concerning the COVID-19 virus. We have provided each employee and vehicle with cleaning materials, sanitizer, and disinfectant for use before and after each stop.

We also ask that our customers who may be concerned about their health, have traveled recently, are feeling unwell, or may have been exposed to COVID-19 to please take the necessary precautions prior to their appointments or to call and reschedule their appointment.

As more information is released, Owen Security Solutions will continue to closely monitor and assess the safety of our customers and employees. We appreciate the continued support and promise to do our very best to ensure the confidence and comfort of our customers while keeping safety our top priority. Those around the world that are or have been affected by this virus are in our thoughts.

Home Security Solution for your New Years Resolution

How Smart Home Security can improve your 2020.

As we enter into a new decade, many will continue the tradition of making New Year’s resolutions to lose weight, break habits or save money; but, have you considered a resolution to better protect your home and family in 2020? The cold, rainy months of winter present a great opportunity to spend time inside and improve your home’s safety and efficiency.

Below are a few ways that a home security and smart home system can benefit you and your family in 2020.

Peace of Mind

Smart home security features offer homeowners peace of mind while away from home and/or family. Not only is a home with a monitored security system less attractive to potential burglars, the smart home features offered by Owen Security Solutions systems give you the ability to check-in on your home or loved ones from anywhere. 

The easy-to-use app gives you real-time access to live video, recorded clips, alarm status and smart home automation features. Instant alerts are sent to your mobile device when an  emergency or unexpected activity is detected, giving you the opportunity to confirm the need for emergency services or to verify an accidental alarm. 

The smart home feature can also allow you to remotely control your home’s door locks, in the event that a trusted neighbor or family member needs to access your home.

Save Money

A smart home security system can do much more than keep your family and home safe. Integrated technology, including thermostats, lights, leak detection, water shutoff valves and more, can be installed to also increase energy efficiency and reduce utility useage. 

Smart thermostats can save homeowners significant amounts of money on their monthly utilities, often paying for themselves in just a few months. Schedules can be programmed to automatically regulate your home’s temperature to an economic setting while unoccupied and readjust to your preferred temperature before you arrive home from work.

Lights can also be programmed on schedules, ensuring energy conservation and savings for your family. Don’t pay for electricity you don’t need! Customizable automations can be programmed to turn lights off when the home is unoccupied and turn them back on when an authorized person enters a defined perimeter or at a specified time. Never come home to a dark, spooky, scary house again! 

Leak Detection and water shut-off features are designed to protect your home in the instance of a burst water pipe, flooding basement, leaky appliance, etc. The integration for these devices is customized for each homeowner. These devices are programmed to alert homeowners to possible concerns when moisture is detected in a designated area. This often prevents extensive damage to the home and saves homeowners significant amounts of time, money and stress.

Save Lives

Smoke, heat and carbon monoxide sensors save lives, but only if someone is home to hear the warning. Otherwise, homeowners often aren’t aware of what has taken place until it’s far too late. This can include a total loss of valuables, family heirlooms and, sadly, family pets that may be unable to escape.

Choosing a monitored system with life-safety technology enables communication that can alert you of an emergency at your home while preparing to dispatch first responder services. 

Live Easy

Owen Security Solutions streamlines your home security and Smarthome features into one mobile app. Our goal is to integrate technology into your home and security system in a way that will make your experience easy, reliable, safe and fun!

Fire Safety for the Holidays

Thanksgiving is quickly approaching and for many households this means traveling to visit loved ones, made-from-scratch feasts and fellowship with family. For most, these holiday festivities and memorable moments are centered around the kitchen, which means that keeping fire safety at the forefront of your mind during this hectic and joyous time is very important to protecting those you love.

According to data from the United States Fire Association , each year, Thanksgiving Day is the peak day for cooking fires in American homes. An estimated 2,000 Thanksgiving Day fires occur annually in residential buildings in the United States. The primary cause of these residential fires each year is cooking and, unfortunately, smoke alarms are often not present in 20 percent of these instances.

Here are a few additional facts from the National Fire Prevention Association :

• Ranges or cooktops were involved in the 62% of reported home cooking fires, 89% of cooking fire deaths and 79% of cooking fire injuries.
• Households that use electric ranges have a higher risk of cooking fires and associated losses than those using gas ranges.
• Unattended cooking was the leading cause of cooking fires and casualties. Clothing ignitions led to 14% of the home cooking fire deaths.
• Almost one-third (30%) of the people killed by cooking fires were sleeping at the time. More than half (53%) of the non-fatal injuries occurred when people tried to control the fire themselves.

Some holiday safety tips from Owen Security Solutions:

The first step you should take to protect your family and home this season is to be sure that you have working smoke alarms on every level of your home and outside each sleeping area. Smoke alarms should be replaced at least every 10 years to ensure proper working order, and batteries in smoke detectors should be changed every six months.

Never leave cooking food or in-use appliances unattended. Being present and keeping an eye on food to ensure that it doesn’t boil over, burn, or put anyone in danger is the best way to prevent possible injuries.

Keep your cooking workspace clear of any trash, combustible products, or flammable materials. Wooden utensils, oven mitts, towels and place mats can also catch fire quickly.

Be sure that you wear clothing that will not drape or be loose-fitting while working near fire or heat. Clothing fibers can melt to your skin, ignite, or get caught and cause unintentional fires, spills, or burns.

Children should be at least three feet away from cooking areas and any area where hot foods or drinks are prepared. Steam or splashes from these items could cause serious injuries or burns.

Always keep your kitchen stocked with a fire extinguisher. Type K extinguishers are specifically for grease fires and type ABC multipurpose extinguishers can be used for flammable liquids, wood, and electrical fires.

Never put water on a grease fire. Water could splatter the fire and cause it to spread much more quickly. Baking soda and a lid for the pan can be used to help deprive the fire of oxygen.

Turkey fryers should be kept outdoors and a safe distance from buildings or flammable materials. Never use these fryers in an enclosed area or on a wooden surface. Do not leave fryers unattended, use well-insulated mitts and safety goggles when working near the fryer, and keep a fire extinguisher nearby. Most importantly, ALWAYS ensure the turkey has thawed before putting it into the fryer. The National Turkey Federation recommends that turkeys thaw for at least 24 hours for every five pounds in weight.

We hope that these by following these holiday safety tips many more families enjoy a wonderful and safe holiday season with loved ones!

For more information on a home security system or life protection system and monitoring, please give us a call at 706.629.7398 or visit our website www.OwenSecurity.com.

For downloadable or printable safety tip sheets, visit the National Fire Prevention Association website.