Elizabethtown businessman Keith Murphy just had a home security system installed. If anyone knows the value of security systems, it's Murphy. Last year, during an attempted break-in, a burglar shattered a window at Murphy's commercialbuilding on High Street. The alarm signal reached the security center a 1:10 am. By 1:11, Elizabethtown Borough police had arrived. They found only the broken window. The frightened intruder had fled.
Looking for similar protection for their lives and property, more and more homeowners today are investing their money in security systems.
hotel rooms EstorilMany new home contractors now include security systems as a standard feature in the houses they build. And the owners of existing homes, conscious of rising crime rates, are also becoming more security-conscious. Although they are easy to operate, today's security systems are very sophisticated. And they come with an ever-increasing variety of options.
Torquay alberghi aeroportualiAbout 10 months ago, Bill and Tere Forrest installed a security system in their new home. They decided it would be a smart move, said Mrs. Forest, because her husband works the evening shift at Armstrong World Industries, leaving her alone with their two children, ages 7 and 5. Mrs. Forrest, who runs a customer drapery business out of her home, said the system is easy for her to arm and disarm. It doesn't demand the memorization of complicated codes.
The home security market is growing by leaps and bounds, said Steven C. Firestone, marketing manager of Commonwealth Security Systems, Inc. one of the 100 largest security companies in the nation. "There's a trend," said Firestone. "More and more residents are putting in security systems and new home construction is addingthat as part of a standard package." Today it's almost the norm for new homes costing $150,000 and up to be equipped with security systems, he said.
Commonwealth sells to commercial and residential customer throughout the mid-Atlantic region. The Northeast, which for years lagged behind the rest of the country in home security sales "because it was a relatively safe place to live," said Firestone, has now begun to catch up.
Rising crime rate partially explain this increase. There's one property crime every five seconds, one burglary every 10 secondsand one robbery every minute in this country, according to the National Crime Survey. But the new affordability of home security systems is another reason for the explosion in sales, Firestone said.
Today's systems are "more sophisticated" but easy to operate," he said. And security companies "can do an easier, faster and more economical job of installation than they used to." Because of technological advances, the cost of a home securitysystem is now within reach of the average homeowner. Firestone estimates prices have declined 10 to 20 percent in the last few years. "There's and old perception that security is only for the rich," he said. "But it's not just for the rich anymore."
A basic system might include front and back door protection, a heat or smoke detector, an audible siren and a motion detectorinside the home, he said. A more advanced system can also incorporate window screens, glass break detectors, pressure sensitive mats and closed circuit television, he added.
All Commonwealth systems are monitored, which means alarm signals are transmitted to the company's central station in Lancaster. Station personnel then contact the appropriate emergency authorities (police, firefighters, etc.). Unmonitored security systems, which rely on noise to scare away intruders, are a less effective deterrent than monitored systems, said Firestone. They're also easier for criminals to disarm, he added.
Commonwealth is not the only local security business experiencing growth in residential sales. Yarnell Security Systems, whichhas been in the commercial and residential security business since 1985, has seen a major increase in recent years. In fact, the firm, which moved last year to a larger office on East King Street, anticipates doubling its sales volume over the next 1-2 years, said sales manager Ron Yarnell. The company currently employs 10 to 15 people. Yarnell Security sells mostly monitored systems which are connected to a central station in Lancaster. The primary reason more homeowners are buying security systems is the increase in crime, said Yarnell.
A lot of builders are including security systems in their new homes, he said. But because of the current lull in the constructionindustry, the new home market is sluggish, he explained. The existing home market, however, has picked up.
Lloyd Neff, president of Alarmtech Inc., has also noticed a steady rise in residential sales. About 98 percent of the systems Alarmtech sells are monitored. The firm, which now has 14 employees and was established in 1976, serves commercial and residential clients within a 50 mile radius, said Neff. Keith Murphy is one of those customers.
Interestingly, people who move to the area from out of state are often more concerned about security than their native counterparts, said Neff. "A lot of outsiders expect to have a system, while some people here are still not used to locking their doors." And any home, regardless of shape, size or age can be equipped with a security system, he added. A wireless system can even be installed if there are difficult areas in the home, he explained.
Systems should be customized to fit the homeowners lifestyle, said Walter Cain, president of Able Security Inc., a branch ofDynamark Security Centers. While some people enjoy gadgets and codes, others don't want to be burdened with remembering complex access numbers, said Cain. One-button systems are ideal for this latter group, he said, which includes many senior citizens.
Able, a commercial and residential security business founded in 1989, sells both monitored and unmonitored systems. The company counts the Forrest family among its customers. And protection from intruders isn't the only service monitored systems can provide. Almost anything can be controlled - temperature, electricity and even water levels.
One new option Yarnell Security is offering is the red alert system which allows people who are suddenly stricken, such as an elderly persons living alone, to immediately call for medical help by pressing a button. The system costs under $300 said Ron Yarnell, and is ranked number one by Consumer Reports magazine.
Able Security is now marketing a "kid watch" program, where children returning home to an empty house are asked to check-in with the monitoring center. If they don't come home, or if they neglect to check in by a certain time, center personnel will contact the parents.
Investing in a security system is not a task a homeowner should take lightly, said Firestone. "It's not like buying another piece of electronic equipment. It's the most important purchase you can make in protecting your familyand property.