Forbes.com just released its annual list of America’s 40 Safest Cities, and topping the list this year, the beautiful Twin Cities.  Thanks to a low crime rate, decreased risk of accidents and the unlikelihood of natural disasters, the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, Minn.-Wis. area beat out every other U.S. location as the safest place to live.

Also ranking well on the list were Milwaukee, Wis. due to its low natural disaster risk, Portland, Ore. for having the least amount of violent crime, and Boston, Mass. and Seattle, Wash. whose residents suffer fewer fatal traffic accidents because  of easy access to public transportation.

But what about the cities that didn’t make the list?  Or the ones that scored well in every category except violent crime?  As hard as public safety officials work to make every city safe, crime will always be a factor in most of our lives.  That’s why homeowners in even the safest cities protect their homes with home alarm systems.  And the No. 1 choice among most homeowners: ADT.

ADT home alarms come with easy-to-use equipment and a multi-level protection barrier backed by four nationwide command centers.  Wireless systems make installation a breeze, and the advanced technology behind ADT-monitored home alarm systems means almost every lifestyle and budget can be accommodated.

A particular favorite among ADT customers is the keychain remote.  This miniature hand-held device lets you arm and disarm your ADT alarm from the driveway, or from your bedside table.  And the interior motion detector can be programmed with your favorite furry one’s weight to keep pet-triggered false alarms to a minimum.

But of all these features, ADT’s accessibility is what makes the home security provider stand out from the crowd.  No matter where you live — Safe City or not — ADT is there.  Through its vast network of nationwide installers, ADT is available from Los Angeles to New York to Miami.  Even in safe Minneapolis, ADT provides secure home protection for families across the city.

These days, home security is more important than ever.  Even if your hometown made the Safe Cities list, you can never be too careful.  Call today to learn more about ADT home alarms.

When there’s a baby on the way, one of the most fun projects for parents is getting their home ready for the new arrival. Somewhere between deciding what color to paint the walls and which stroller to purchase, think about the safety of your home. These practical matters might not be the most exciting part of the months while you’re expecting, but they’re crucial to keeping the entire family safe. Start with these very basic tips to get your home ready for the big event.

Plug electrical outlets: Make sure you insert plastic protectors into any easily accessible electrical outlets to prevent burns or electrocution.

Install an ADT home alarm system: Don’t be caught by the unexpected. With an ADT Home Alarm, you’ll enjoy the peace of mind of knowing that four interconnected command centers are strategically located throughout the country, ensuring that there will never be a service outage.

Inspect the house at your baby’s level: Things look a lot different from five or six feet above the ground. Get down on your knees and crawl around to spot potential trouble areas. Take care of any obstructions with sharp edges that your baby could run into.

Beware of lead poisoning: When was your home built? If the answer is before the 1960s, you need to make sure that your child stays away from any lead-based paint. If possible, remove the paint and reapply with new, non-toxic materials.

Fence in your pool:  If you have a pool in your backyard, it’s very important to fence it in completely to eliminate any potential dangers. Take the initiative before the child is born and install a secure barrier.

Readying your home for your new child is a special process. Don’t forget to incorporate home security into the planning so everyone can enjoy the baby’s arrival  home. For more information on baby safety products, visit the Home Safety Council Web site.

Precocious youngsters and teens often don’t know what’s best for them, so it’s up to their parents to lead the way. This is especially important when it comes to home safety. Preschool to middle school-aged kids are at the perfect age to learn the basics of home security and safety. Here are some tips to keep in mind when you think about your child’s safety within the home.

Kids Can Use the Home Alarm Too: Your ADT home security system isn’t just for adults. If your children are old enough, teach them how to operate the controls, as well as the basic functions of the keypad. Above all, reinforce that it’s not a toy. The last thing you want is the police showing up at 2 a.m.  responding to a false alarm.

Discuss Fire Safety: Fires are one of the leading causes of accidents for children in the United States. Talk to your children about the risks of fire within the home. Cover the basics including dangers from electrical outlets, the kitchen and hot water.

Be Aware of Choking Hazards: Small children are especially susceptible to the risks of choking. For your pre-school children, cut small, hard foods into more manageable pieces to avoid the risk of choking.

Prevent Poisoning: Household cleaners, medication and dangerous beauty products should be placed out of the reach of children, and preferably locked away to completely ensure your child’s safety. Have the number for poison control clearly listed near the phones in your home. In an emergency, you can always call 911, but having the direct poison control line can save valuable seconds.

Home safety for children is an important part of parenting. This young age group is particularly at risk, so do everything you can to make your home as secure as possible.

Halloween is fun wherever you live, but some cities really know how to pull out the stops. From Las Vegas to Tampa, here’s a list of the best places to celebrate this Halloween, along with some tips to ensure you have a fun and safe night.

Las Vegas
Each year, Las Vegas offers Halloween fun for every age group. This year’s biggest events are Fright Dome at Circus Circus, which features five haunted houses across a sprawling five-acre area and the Funtown Frightfest at Boca Park, which will benefit The People’s Autism Foundation.

ADT Las Vegas Home Security Tip: When you leave the house on Halloween, blow out candles and turn off any lit decorations. This includes candles inside jack-o-lanterns and luminaries. Home fires are one of the leading causes of property damage.

Houston
In Houston, Halloween is all about fun events for kids. One of the highlights this year is Halloween Mansion at the Children’s Museum of Houston. The Museum will turn into the McDonald’s Halloween Mansion and will be filled treats and surprises for visitors. The entire family will have fun at Scream on the Green at Discovery Green Park. The event starts at 6 p.m. and will feature a DJ and dancing from 9-11p.m. Other great Houston Halloween events include Houston Zoo Boo and Boo on the Boardwalk.

ADT Houston Home Security Tip: If your kids are trick or treating, making sure their costumes fit well. Choose face paint instead of masks, since masks can block a child’s peripheral vision. Also, check the length of pants and other clothing to avoid tripping hazards.

Tampa
Tampa has so many fun happenings this Halloween; it’s hard to keep up with all of them. One of the most popular is Howl-O-Scream, an event at Busch Gardens that’s great for teenagers and adults. There’s also Ghost Tour St. Pete, a fun tour of the city’s oldest haunted spots and spooky houses.

ADT Tampa Home Security Tip: If you’re heading out for a Halloween party or taking the whole family trick or treating, activate your ADT security system. Plenty of people are out and about on Halloween, some until very late hours. Activating your home alarm system will help keep your home safe while you’re away.

Homes are often left unattended during fall and winter months. People go away for the holidays, head south to escape the cold and leave town for business and other trips. Regardless of the reason for your departure, it’s very important to secure your home and activate your ADT security system. For burglars, an empty house is a much more attractive target, so you need to create the illusion of occupancy. Here are some easy ways to make that happen.

Avoid the easy tip-off: There are a few surefire signs that indicate your home is empty. One of the the most obvious is an overflowing mailbox and a doorstep covered in newspapers. Both scream “I’m not home” to potential intruders. Ask a neighbor to take care of these items. Thank them with a small gift card if you feel uncomfortable or are new to the neighborhood.

Buy a timer for your lights: If you don’t have a timer to turn lights on and off, ask a neighbor to occasionally stop by and handle the task. Leaving one light on in the house won’t fool a burglar and can even be a red flag that no one is home. A timer for the lights in your home is inexpensive and easy to install: the perfect option for maintaining the illusion that you’re home.

Post ADT decals around the property: When criminals see ADT, they run. Use the stickers, decals and lawn signs that came with your ADT security system and keep them up year round.

Install motion sensing security lights: These bright beams operate the same way, regardless of whether you’re at home or 10,000 miles away, and they’re a sure deterrent to a break-in.

Hire a house-sitter: Companies offer affordable services ranging from a once-a-day check-in to 24-hour maintenance. Alternatively, you could ask a friend or family member to stay at your home while you’re away.

Combine these tips with an ADT home alarm system to help ensure that your property remains safe and sound while you are out of town.

With the leaves turning and Halloween just two weeks away, it’s time to think about fall home security. The economy is still on many peoples’ minds, and luckily, there are a number of inexpensive steps that can be taken to bolster the security of your ADT home alarm system. Follow these easy, cheap (even free!) tips to get started.

Lock the doors: You would be amazed by the number of homes that are left unlocked in your neighborhood. Some people forget to arm their home alarm system when leaving, but you have to touch the lock each time you open the door! If necessary, post a note on the inside of your home to remind yourself, and don’t forget to tell the kids.

Keep your name and address off your key ring: Losing your keys is a pain in the neck, but it’s not a disaster – unless you have your details written on the ring. You never know who will find your keys, and providing this information is like sending out an invitation to enter your home. Keys are inexpensive to replace, and if someone does want to do the right thing, they can return your set to one of the stores with a tag on the ring.

Install new locks: This is especially important if you’re moving into a new house or apartment. Even if you’ve been living in the same home for years, think how many repairmen, babysitters and dog walkers you’ve given your keys to over the years. Who knows if one of them has come upon hard times, and isn’t thinking clearly? Don’t let their misfortune cost you.

Keep up with yard work, especially if you’re leaving town: Don’t let the leaves (and soon the snow) pile up. Keep up appearances by maintaining your property. Nothing shouts “I’m not home right now!” louder than an unshoveled driveway.

A quality ADT home alarm system is a great way to protect your property, but don’t stop there. With these simple, effective tips, you can make your house even more secure.

With the housing market in a state of perpetual “stinkiness”, many would-be homebuyers are opting to rent.  And while home security advice is usually targeted toward owners, renters also need to take precautions to ensure their safety.  But with the varying types of rental properties across the nation – high-rise apartments in New York, bungalows in Los Angeles, 10,000-square-foot homes in Houston – location plays a big role in what kind of home security advice renters should follow.

That’s why I found this article interesting.  It’s from a rental company in Miami, Fla., a city known for its high crime rate.  The author, Mark Michael Ferrer of Miami Rental Property, doles out some pretty good advice for Miami apartment hunters.

The top 4 home safety items Ferrer encourages Miami renters to investigate on an apartment tour have to do with two things: 1. fire, and 2. living in close proximity to others.  Miami’s dense population may make traveling, working and socializing easy, but it can also lead to dangerous situations for many people if a fire were to break out in one of the city’s numerous apartment buildings.

Number 1, says Ferrer, is making sure your apartment has two exits.  If there’s a fire and the main stairwell is blocked, you need a back-up escape route.  A window or secondary stairwell should be a requirement for your new home.

Number 2 on the list – gates and doors to common areas that can be locked to the public.  When touring a complex, it’s important to find out from your guide if laundry rooms, fitness centers, pools, clubhouses and any other place residents congregate will have locked doors and gates.  This is part of your home, too. So make it part of your home security.  And make sure only the people who live there receive a key.

Number 3: smoke detectors.  This is a must-have, says Ferrer.  Not only does Florida state law require property owners to provide them for all tenants, but they must be in good working order.  So check for damages and dead batteries while you’re there.

And lastly, professionally-installed and up-to-date electrical wiring.  Electrical fires are probably the most dangerous types of fire accidents because they can smolder undetected for days, says Ferrer.  And when the fire does break out, it’s generally too late to control it.  If you feel uncomfortable asking about the age and source of the wiring job, look for clues like too few electrical outlets, heavy reliance on extension cords, broken plate covers and discolored outlets.

And remember, says Ferrer, you should never hesitate to address your home security concerns with the landlord.  You can also ask landlords whether they allow tenants to purchase their own home security systems.  Many do, you’ll just need their written permission to sign up.

Your home security is your responsibility.  But owning a home security monitoring system can help. ADT home security is a leading provider of security alarm monitoring, offering burglary, medical emergency and, you guessed it, fire detection services.  With ADT, Miami residents know they’ll be safe.  So no matter what kind of structure you call home, call ADT today and find out how to keep you can stay safe.

ADT offers the best in home security monitoring, with over 130 years of experience working to protect your family. While installing an ADT security system is one of the best ways to help protect your home, there are several other things you can do to make your home even more secure.

Change the batteries on your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors:

Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are worthless if their batteries are drained. The fire department recommends checking batteries every 6 months.

Post ADT decals around your home:

Don’t be afraid to advertise your ADT home alarm system. When criminals see those window decals and signs in your yard, they’ll know it’s best to stay away. In fact, homes with monitored home alarm systems are three times less likely to be burglarized that those without a monitored system.

Upgrade your locks:

Do a brief inspection of your home’s doors and windows. Many older houses feature locks that are inadequate, rusty and do little for protection. For less than $200, you should be able to upgrade all the locks in your home to dead-bolts. If you want to take your home security into the 21st century, consider a digitized solution, such as a fingerprint operated lock. These are secure, easy-to-operate and ideal for families with children.

Installing an ADT alarm system is a great way to improve the security of your property. Follow the simple, yet effective tips mentioned above and turn your home into a secure fortress.

In the current economic climate, many homeowners are looking to cut corners wherever they can. With this in mind, some folks are exploring the option of installing a home security system by themselves. If you’ve been thinking along similar lines, take a moment to ask yourself this question: is it worth risking the safety of your family?

Whether you want to install a complicated wired system or a high-tech wireless alarm system, it’s best to leave it up to the professionals. ADT installation professionals undergo extensive training before setting foot in a home, and they constantly brush up on the latest techniques and technology to expand their knowledge base.

Home security is one area where you shouldn’t skimp. There is simply too much at stake. One loose wire could spell disaster, and that’s something you don’t want to risk. With the great deals available from ADT, there’s no reason to wait on having your system professionally installed. Along with receiving reliable equipment that uses the latest in home security technology, you’re home will also be linked to the company’s four interconnected monitoring centers. A professional install is a more reliable, safer solution than trying to do it yourself. There’s no reason to wait on an ADT home security system.

Most people would agree that home alarm systems are a good source of protection against burglary, fire and other emergencies.  Homeowners have been installing them for nearly a century to keep the dangers of the outside world right where they belong – outside.

Little did we know they can also protect families from illegal activities of the, um … homegrown kind.

That’s exactly what this family found out when police arrived to check on an alarm call that went unanswered at their Charlotte, N.C. home.  According to reports from local news station WBTV, the officers rushed to the home after an alarm was activated and the homeowners failed to answer calls from the security company.  Once on the scene, officers noticed the front door was open, so they went inside to check on the family.

That’s where police say they discovered marijuana plants, plus one more out back, roots bagged and lying on its side.  So they arrested one suspect, and may charge another.

Now that’s what I call total home protection.

But for you law-abiding citizens who take your security seriously, ADT home alarm systems are your best bet for the ultimate in home protection.  And with 4 interconnected command centers monitoring your home 24/7, help is never far away – as our ill-fated family learned this week.

All Home Security offers great deals on ADT security packages.  Sign up today to keep your home and family safe.  And let ADT take care of the bad guys – one way or another.