13
Mar 2012
Posted by Lesley
1 comment

Everyday Superhero: Debra Harold

It was a bitter, chilly December night. Emergency Dispatch Operator Debra Harold was keeping warm at Monitronics when a Florida burglary alarm burst onto the scene. Debra leapt to action and took to the skies (Swoooosh!).

With a sense of unwavering urgency, Debra called the business. A greeting never came (silence). Within seconds, Debra had the police department on the phone. She gave them the info they needed to continue the crime fight. Then they were on their way, speeding to the business.

After the emergency

Once Debra had the police on their way, she tried to reach the owner again. This time, (Pow!) she made contact.

When the PD made it to the business, they made a lucky discovery: the burglar was still inside. Mr. Destructo was quickly shipped off to jail where he belonged.

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Posted in: Behind Our Doors, What Is Security?

01
Mar 2012
Posted by Lesley
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Senior Fall Prevention

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Posted in: Home Security

23
Feb 2012
Posted by Lesley
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CDC Calls for One in a Million this American Heart Month

“Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States; one in every three deaths is from heart disease and stroke, equal to 2,200 deaths per day.” (CDC, 2012)

Most of us know someone who has had heart disease or a stroke. February is American Heart Month and the government is stepping-up their efforts to fight the disease. The CDC and other parts of our government have launched Million Hearts to prevent the nation’s leading killers and empower us to make heart-healthy choices.

The goal of Million Hearts is to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes over the next five years. Here’s what you can do to be one in a million:

  • Take the Million Hearts pledge at millionhearts.hhs.gov
  • Encourage family and friends to take the pledge
  • Get active for at least 30 minutes most days of the week
  • Ask your doctor if you should take Aspirin every day
  • Find out if you have high blood pressure or cholesterol, if you do, seek treatment
  • If you smoke, get help to quit
  • Eat heart-healthy foods: fresh fruits, vegetables, low sodium, low trans fat
  • Follow your doctor’s prescription instructions

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Posted in: Uncategorized

15
Feb 2012
Posted by Lesley
1 comment

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!”

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Posted in: Home Security

07
Feb 2012
Posted by Lesley
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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.

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Posted in: Home Security