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Everyday Superhero: Chris Tuttle

On a recent calm night, as the rest of the city slept, third-shift Emergency Dispatch Operator Chris Tuttle was keeping watch at Monitronics. Suddenly, at 1 a.m, he received a hallway fire alarm from the Heeg residence in New Lebanon, Ohio.

Chris immediately went into superhero mode, doing his best to make contact with someone at the home. But no one answered. Thinking fast, he called the Montgomery County Fire Department. Firefighters were dispatched and on their way in no time.

About 30 minutes later, the Fire Department was reached at the customer’s home. The firefighters had arrived to a smoke-filled house, but were able to make contact with the customer. A crisis had been averted.

After the Emergency

We spoke to the homeowner, Jana Heeg, a few days later and got the full scoop: When she went to bed that night, she forgot about the food cooking on the stove. “When the firemen beat on the door, it woke me up. I had no idea my alarm when off. I’m very pleased there’s only minor smoke damage and very pleased that Monitronics’ and the firemen’s quick response saved my home—and my life. Thank you.”

Monitronics Central Station Director Honored with Mission 500 Humanitarian Award

Mary Jensby Recognized for Making Life-Changing Contributions to Those in Need

Mission 500, a charitable organization engaging security professionals to sponsor needy children, has recognized Monitronics Central Station Director Mary Jensby with its 2012 Humanitarian and Corporate Social Responsibility award. The award is designed to honor companies and individuals in the security industry who make important contributions to those in need.

Jensby is well known in the industry for her service to the Central Station Alarm Association and Electronic Security Association. She has been engaged over the years in many efforts that involve volunteering for community and social causes in the Dallas area.

Mary Jensby

“It is an honor to receive this award,” Jensby said. “I am very proud to be joining an elite group of previous winners. Giving back is near and dear to my heart, especially in these rough economical times.”

At Monitronics, Jensby takes the lead in helping the local community, including working with the Salvation Army to prepare and serve meals. She also volunteers at a North Texas Food Bank in a wide variety of tasks including unloading trucks, stocking shelves, emptying and filling cartons, loading tables, and more.

At Christmas, Jensby’s team at Monitronics “adopted” the local elementary school and invited another special needs school to their facility. Children enjoyed a day with Santa and were treated to lunch, presents, and a tour of the service department. Additionally, each Christmas she has donated items to a local assisted-living care facility, making sure that every resident receives a gift. In her spare time, Jensby also volunteers for the American Cancer Society.

“Volunteering is important to me because it gives me the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life at a time when they need it most,” Jensby said. “It’s not about making monetary donations or contributions; it’s about the self-satisfaction that I had an impact to make someone or something better, even if it was for a short time.”

Jensby’s award will be presented at 5 p.m. March 29 at ISC West. The ceremony will be held at the Security 5K reception on the show floor near the entrance to the expo hall.

 

Senior Fall Prevention

Everyday Superhero: Ricardo Villareal

It was a normal, unseasonably warm January day at Monitronics. The sun was high in the sky when Emergency Dispatch Operator Ricardo Villareal was struck with a California fire alarm. It seemed the home of Dale G. needed the help of a real … Everyday Superhero.

Ricardo ducked into the nearest phone booth, threw on his cape, and transformed into our latest Everyday Superhero. Ricardo quickly rang the family–no answer. His very next call was to the local fire department.

Ricardo armed the FD with the info they needed to battle the potential blaze. The firefighters were on their way, zooming to Dale’s home.

After the emergency

Early the next morning, Dale made a call to Monitronics. He demanded to speak with a supervisor. You see, Dale had to make sure we all knew how grateful he was to Ricardo.

Dale told us, “When the firefighters came in, the kitchen was full of thick, black smoke. Thankfully, with Ricardo’s fast response, the firemen came quickly and were able to tackle the fire. Thanks to Monitronics, my home and my life were saved from the fire!”

Valentine’s Day Heartbreak: False Alarms

Valentine’s Day is a big deal for false alarms. Every year, central stations, police departments, and homeowners see a dramatic increase in false dispatches on Feb. 14. The evil culprit: balloons.

Can you believe it? Valentine’s balloons cause a lot of false alarms. That’s because most of us don’t consider the threat that comes with the shiny token of affection.

Balloons go with the flow and just like to wander. And, sometimes they wander into the path of your motion detector. That’s the problem. Motion detectors are there, waiting for that one wrong move—the signal that someone has intruded on your home.

The happy-go-lucky balloon didn’t mean to give the illusion that your home is under attack—but it did. That’s when the motion detector signals our central station to make sure everything’s alright. And, if we can’t reach you, we’ll call the police.

The one sure way to avoid this problem: keep your balloons locked up, away from your motion detectors. It’s easy and will save you from the heartbreak of false alarms.