1. Don’t get stuck in a long term monitoring contract because any reputable company will provide an annual monitoring contract.
2. Customize how your alarm signals are handled by the monitoring station or how it reports in so false alarm fines can be avoided.
3. Make sure all alarm signals are being monitored by a U.L. Listed Monitoring Station.
4. All points of protection i.e., Motion Sensors, Door Sensors, Panic Buttons, Glass Break Sensors should be tied to an individual zone so alarm points can be easily identified.
5. Have the system programmed to notify you if the backup battery gets low so you are never without a system if building power is loss.
6. Always get an English Text Keypad so points of protection are displayed instead of a keypad with a little zone lights that can make it difficult to know what point of protection is faulted.
7. All devices should have zone number labels on them.
8. Ask if the installing company has a afterhours service.
9.  Check to see if the U.L. Listed Monitoring Station located in Maryland or at least in the Mid-Atlantic region.
10. Never purchase alarm equipment that is proprietary to the installing company because then you’re married to that company unless you rip out and replace the equipment.

Email me at jlucas@acssec.com for a Free Copy  of  “False Alarms and Procedures Guide” to better understand your alarm system and how to deal with false alarms. This guide cost $28.00 but we will send it to you at no charge for responding to this post.

Why go through all that hassle? While retina scanners and fingerprint readers are nice they are not ideal for the Main Entrance of the building. The most cost effective way to control the doors to your facility is a proximity Card Access System. The benefits of using this kind of security system are major and include:

- Risk reduction – With a Proximity Card Access System you can limit the times and the people who have access to your  any door. Unauthorized persons have no way of gaining entry into specific areas.

- Sense of security: visitors are prohibited from certain areas. This gives employees more tranquility at work, because there are fewer distractions and disruptions.

- Keep track of employees: Proximity Card Access System allow you to know where and when employees access certain areas. In case of an emergency, you can easily count employees because you know where everyone is.

- Identification, etc: Using Proximity Card Access System, you can easily identify all aspects of who has access to what areas of the facility by printing  on the cards such as color codes, photos or company logo and any other relevant information.

- Restrictions: Allowing access to certain employees at certain times can prove to be a valuable ability, especially if there are unauthorized areas of your building such as IT Server Room, Employee Files, Financial Records and Money Rooms.

- Temporary Employees: If you allow cleaners to have access to your building after hours, you can easily program them entry according to a specific schedule.

- Automation: Proximity Card Access Systems can be programmed to lock doors according to business hours. This ensures efficiency by preventing patrons from accessing your building when they aren’t supposed to and  provides a safe and secure environment for employees and tenants.

- Vehicle Parking: Proximity Card Access Systems are perfect for allowing authorized persons on the lot or parking garage.

- Elevator Control: Keep from anyone getting one the elevator or control who can access what floors within the building.

 - Real Time: You can view everything occur as it happens. A benefit of this is that you can see how much time is being spent where, and also view attendance records for different areas.

Don’t think that a Proximity Card Access Systems is only for a High Rise Building or Large Business because they aren’t, and the average system installed today is 4 to 8 doors and these systems are module so they can start off with one door and grow as large as anyone would need.

Call Jack today at 410-663-9779 or email me at jlucas@acssec.com for a no-obligation site survey and estimate on what would be the best solution for your business or facility.

Hate getting those calls from the burglar alarm system going off in the middle of the night or worse driving  across town to reset the alarm system. Now with a Video Alarm System if your called in the middle of the night just hop on your computer pull up the system and view the cameras if it is a false alarm then reset the system right from the comforts of your computer or smart phone. Unfortunately if there is a break in then there is recorded video of the events that can be given to the Police to really start tracking down the suspects who broke in. Most Insurance Companies appreciate when a business implements a system of this type because it helps reduce liability, deters theft, and reduces fraud.

The best part of having  a Video Alarm System is that it never sleeps, takes breaks or rest and it is like having  your own personal security guard for $21 to $29 per month. This is the same cost or less for monitoring a traditional burglar alarm system but you get 10 times as much protection and more accurate information.

For more information contact me (Jack Lucas) at 410-663-9779 or email me at jlucas@acssec.com.

ACS Security Systems, Inc. can show you how cost effective, user friendly and  achieving this with a  Single Door Solution or Multiple Doors spread out between different buildings because each solution is customized. The access control system could also be used in conjunction with Time and Attendance systems, Video Surveillance System, Intercoms or Alarm System to provide a higher level of security.

We find that some access control systems such as a Stand Alone Keypad or Card Readers are commonly used for  smaller applications and are less expensive. The problem with this type of technology is it does not provide an audit trail or any type of control  which is the basis of implementing an access control system in the first place. Since there is no audit trail or control these systems are less secure, since people can have a propensity to pass the code or card around because there is no accountability with the system.

The most popular access control system, is the use of Proximity Card Readers and Proximity Cards tied in to some type of system controller. Proximity Card Readers are very convenient to use, additionally, when a person lost his / her card, it is also an easy matter to deactivate the lost card and issue new cards. The cards may also be used as an identification card or work with a Time & Attendance System.

When it comes to an access control system, the key word is control. Using this type of system will allow you to lock and unlock doors with a schedule, not only control who can gain access through a door but what times they are allowed to have access. Too many businesses in Maryland rely on the old fashion key and lock to control their place of business  and worse yet their relying on a person that can’t be perfect all the time and can make mistakes.

Don’t leave you business vulnerable and uncontrollable, regardless if it’s one door or many give ACS Security Systems, Inc. a call at 410-663-9779 or email Jack Lucas at jlucas@acssec.com for a site survey.

ACS Security Systems has been providing  security services from Havre de Grace to Laurel, Annapolis to Taneytown and everywhere in between. We offer traditional Alarm Monitoring as well as Secured Interactive Internet Monitoring, Card Access Control, Video Surveillance, Intercoms  and Electric Locks.

One thing will not do is lock our clients into a long term contracts, our service responce is same day as it is called, we provide system audits and surveys to make sure the system is functioning properly, Our offices are local as well as our employees so we know our customers and they know us.

Contact me “Jack Lucas” by phone, email or fax with any questions about our Monitored Burglar Alarm System Service or any other system we provide. Maybe there is a question about your existing system that you can’t seem to find someone to help you. No-Obligation, so don’t feel as if I can’t bill you I will not help you with information that I have at my finger tips.

TOWSON OFFICE: 410-663-9779

FOREST HILL OFFICE: 410-557-6006

FAX: 410-692-9887

Jack’s Email: jlucas@acssec.com

Some people think it is just plug n’ play and there is no difference between systems as long as there is a picture on the monitor, it’s all good to them. Well if the requirement is to have a general view of an area and there is no need to detect events or indentify anything then this type of system is doing what is required and that is to offer a deterrence. The one thing I see at least once a month is I get a call from someone that got a great deal on a Video Surveillance System through a Big Box Store, Online Auction House or a Website. It is always one of three things that happen within the first few months of the system being installed by others. On playing back video the recorded video quality is so poor that you do not know what you are actually seeing. Another request is if I can clean up the video so a specific shot can identify who or what is in the video. Most common is the camera pictures starts to fade, gets static or very blurry at night. The question is what caused the problem product, wire, connector, power or installation who knows unless you get a professional to come out to see what is the problem.

The key thing here is not to knock a particular product or installation skill by others but it is to educate you to really to understand what you are trying to accomplish with a Security Video Surveillance System. Are you trying to Deter, Detect or Identify because all three have a different relation as well as a common purpose when it comes to implementing a system.  

If the goal is just to view an area just to see what is going on i.e. Back Door, Front Lobby or Parking Area then having cameras providing a general view offer a good deterrent against crimes being committed. When greater detail is required to see specific activity or capture certain events then a  Higher Resolution Cameras with a Variable Focal Lens should be used with a Digital Recorder that records at a faster frame rate on to provide detection where needed.

Now for the applications where the need is to indentify i.e. Cash Transactions, License Plates or a People then there are specific cameras required to capture this information such as High Definition Cameras. These cameras are great for providing detailed information while being recorded on a Network Video Recorder (NVR) with a substantial size hard drive so allot of video information can be recorded.

As you can see no two systems are alike and most application are not trying to do just one thing but they are trying to Deter, Detect and Identify  with a specific discipline based on the type of camera used for each application. This where a professional comes in to help determine what the expectation is and how best to accomplish what you want without an over kill system or a System that under performs. ACS Security Systems, Inc. has been designing, installing and servicing Security Video Surveillance Systems  for over 20 years and we invite you to give us a call to help educate, survey and price a system that really meets your needs.

Well I posed allot of questions but I also have a solution to provide a better and easier way to control your facility. Not all solutions are the same just like not customer are the same. ACS Security otherwise known as Access Control Systems Security provide a wide variety of solutions to handle most people’s needs.  We will assess what your trying to accomplish and provide a straight forward solution that can be as simple as one door entrance to a hundred doors sometimes it as easy as installing a electric lock and release button just for traffic control.

For more information contact us for our Free Access Control System Report because this may be the most important piece of information that you read about providing real solution to controlling your facility. We also provide at no charge, no-obligation site survey to provide you with our expertise or 2nd opinion for your facility.

Contact us now for a free copy of our Access Control Systems Report.

Now the issue gets worse trying to deal with a alarm operator that has no clue where the State of Maryland is located and let alone where you are within the state.  Plus the monitoring fees have escalated over $300.00 per year with the long term contract and the alarm system is only activated about half the time or not at all. Well at least you have the alarm stickers on the building that might offer some deterrence. Hmm, what started out as a solution became problem and I am sure your job is not suppose to be the full time security guy? Also, FBI reports show that most crimes committed come from internal sources such as employee, vendor, contractor, friend of a friend or visitor and rarely from a perfect stranger off the street.

Well let us look at a few things here. First of all it is an alarm system which is only suppose to report alarms that most people hope they never experience. Second, most local jurisdictions are cracking down on false alarms by fining people or not responding as quickly to repeat offenders. Third, what most people expect and need is some type of Security System not just an passive alarm system.  

To help explain the differences between the two we offer a Free Security Systems Report that will provide you help and more detail with the issues listed above. This may be the most important piece of information that you read about providing real solution to securing your facility regardless if it’s a Multi-Level Building, Independent Business, Retail Store, Place of Worship, Factory or Warehouse.

 Contact us right now for your Free Report “Alarm or Security Systems”.

According to most police agencies a video surveillance system is a major deterrent against crime. When a potential offender sees that you have security cameras they fear of being seen or recorded for prosecution purposes, they usually abandon any idea of conducting a crime or move on to someplace else with less security. The information captured on a Digital Video Recorder is most beneficial to the police so that they can pinpoint where and when a specific event actually took place.

This technology not only helps the police but even in matters where there is no crime committed it allows owners and managers to get true information about what is taking place when they might not be at the site in question. Ever wonder how employees conduct themselves, are customers being treated properly and who is actually visiting the facility.

Before implementing a video surveillance system there are a few things you will need to consider.

• What are the expectations? Will the system be used for general surveillance, Identification, to deter and detect thefts,   observation of certain areas or processes?

• Which area needs attention? Define the place or process such as entrances, employees, customers, cash register, machine operators or parking.

• Where is the object of security concern located: indoor or outdoor, far or near?

• What are the prevailing lighting conditions at such locations?

• How long do you need to capture, view, record and store images for observation and reference?

ACS Security offers a complete free site survey to help determine what is the best solution for your areas of concern. We even offer a no-obligation “try it before you buy it demo” that means we will come to your site and install a camera, monitor, digital video recorder and software and allow you to play around with the system at your leisure for a few days.

“Don’t wait until something happens call us right now before that something actually does happen.”

Contact Jack Lucas at 410-663-9779 or 410-557-6006.

You never know this could be a pesky salesperson trying to sell some of those really nice wall hangings they have in the trunk of their car. Worst it could be someone or a group of people that you don’t even want close to your door but they are either walking in or giving who ever answers the door trouble from the very start. The real simple solution is to have a Security Video/Intercom System with electric lock release.

When a visitor, customer, delivery person or employee comes to the door they can simply push a button and the person on the inside can communicate verbally as well as see who it is at the door. The Door Station has a Video Surveillance Camera built so most people don’t realize you can see them. A Security Video/Intercom System is great way to allow staff to communicate with anyone that they feel does not need to come into the facility without being fearful or rude.

Now just don’t think about the Main Entrance Door how about if there is a door far away like in a warehouse, back office or on a different level. Then just add another Door Security Station and allow one person or multiple people to control access into the building. The Security Video/Intercom System works well to control access and is modular so the possibilities are endless when it comes to providing security for your facility.