5 Helpful Tips for Securing Your Business in Atlanta, GA

If you are a business owner in the Atlanta area, you undoubtedly have thought about the security of your building and surrounding property. The security of your business must be a top priority.  Crime and break-ins against local businesses is costly---to the tune of millions of dollars each year. To help alleviate the incidence of crime and to ensure the safety and security of your business, remember these five tips:

1. Secure your perimeter and install good lighting

If your business has a sizable surrounding property, consider installing an iron gate or an 8-foot chain-link fence around the entire perimeter. Your fence should be in good condition with the ability to lock after-hours.  Also, lighting deters crime. Because intruders love darkness, make sure that you have floodlights to light key entry points overnight.

2. Invest in a Closed-Circuit TV System

Closed-Circuit TV (CCTV) systems also enhance the security of your business because they are crime deterrents. Install them to monitor entrances, parking lots, and interior areas; they should be installed in high, out-of-the-way areas to prevent tampering. Additionally, if a crime or attempted crime is committed, you will have great evidence to provide to authorities. 

3. Install an Alarm

If you don't have one already, your business should be equipped with a good alarm by a company that provides 24-hour monitoring service.  In the event of a break-in, the alarm company's monitoring service can alert your local police department to ensure a fast response---possibly even catching intruders in the act.

4. Mark your Items

Unfortunately, we all know that all crime is not preventable.  Because of this, it's a good idea to have your valuable items and equipment etched and registered at your local police department.  Property that has been marked deters theft, and in the unfortunate event that you do experience a burglary, it is easier to reclaim your items if local authorities find them.

5. Have a Top Locksmith in Atlanta, GA inspect all locks

Good locks are one of the most important things to have on your business to keep it secure.  You should have a professional locksmith examine locks on doors, windows, and fences, and replace/install as needed.

These five tips are crucial; be sure that you make every effort to heed them to better ensure the safety and security of your business.

Avoiding Locksmith Scammers

Your husband is traveling on business. The kids are at Grandma s. After you walk the dog, you have the night to yourself.  You hurry out to walk him around the block and head for home when he s done. You reach in your pocket for your keys to unlock the door and suddenly realize in your haste you have done the unthinkable. You locked yourself out of the house.  Luckily you do have your cell phone with you. You get ready to call a locksmith to come and assist you. Beware at this point you do not become a victim of illegal locksmith scammers whose phone numbers are also advertised right along with those of legitimate locksmiths. With former burglars out of jail who already have the skills to open locks, and with instructions on the Internet for how to pick locks or construct bump keys, locksmith scammers are becoming increasingly prevalent. They simply take out ad listings with fake addresses located in your town and real phone numbers that travel through to their call switchboard, usu
http://www.arrowheadlockandsafe.com/avoiding-locksmith-scammers/

The Fight Against Unlicensed Locksmiths

At Arrowhead Lock and Safe, we are a family based, focused company with over 40 years of experience proudly serving the citizens of Atlanta with their security product needs. We cherish our clients and our community, belong to several local business organizations and participate in their charities. We are proud to display our Better Business Bureau A+ rating. Our trained and certified technicians provide a reliable and honest service designed to keep your family, business or institution as safe as we can possibly make it to protect your people and your assets. We know you are placing your trust in us and we take your safety seriously. Unfortunately, there is a significant lack of regulation today in the locksmith industry. In many states, problems with scammers as well as unlicensed and illegal locksmiths are prevalent. These charlatans place unwary citizens in harm s way. More and more states are passing laws requiring that locksmiths become licensed to be able to work in those state
http://www.arrowheadlockandsafe.com/the-fight-against-unlicensed-locksmiths/

In The Market For A Safe in Atlanta? 5 Things You Need To Know

If you have valuables or other sensitive information in your business or your home, it's important to protect them.  If you have decided to buy a safe to do so, you made a wise decision.  To make sure that you buy smart and have all of the information you need, some of the leg work has been done for you:  read on to learn the five things you need to know before you finalize your safe purchase.

1. Know what size safe you need; here's how to calculate.

To calculate the number of cubic feet you'll need (the inner area of the safe), multiply the depth, width and height of the safe you're considering and divide that total number by 1728.  This is the basic math formula to calculate cubic feet.

It's also important to ensure that your safe will adequately accommodate your valuables, plus a little more.  Choose one size larger than your estimate of what you'll need.  This way, your safe should be good for at least five, and maybe up to ten years down the line.

2. Consider purchasing a burglar fire (or BF) safe, which does as its name says: protects from burglary and fire. If you do consider a BF safe, be sure not to purchase one that is rated too low based on the value of your contents.  Check with your authorized Medeco security center in Atlanta for specific advice regarding the best safe for your valuables; be sure that you consider the manufacturer standards as well as the UL (Underwriters Laboratory) burglar ratings when shopping for a BF safe.

3. Do not purchase a floor safe to protect your valuables from a fire; you will be greatly disappointed.  Since the door of a floor safe is exposed, does not contain fire retardant material, and is made of metal only, fire could penetrate the door quickly.  When evaluating the fire protection, remember that fireproof safes and BF safes should have a minimum 1-hour fire rating.

4. Do not store digital data or family photographs in your fireproof safe.  Because fireproof safes are only fire-RESISTANT, you would be running the risk of a fire ruining your items.  If there is no fire, there would also be a chance of the heat and humidity damaging your data or photos, as your safe is not designed to protect against those extreme conditions.

5. ALWAYS anchor your safe!  Law enforcement officials will tell you: MANY safes are moved from their original location still locked so that burglars have time to break into them.  Your Medeco security center in Atlanta can recommend the anchor that would be best for your safe. 

You can never be too careful---remember these tips when shopping and you will find the best safe to protect your valuables.