When it comes to emergencies it’s always best to be prepared – which means having security measures like a home alarm system. But it’s also important to have a plan. If your family doesn’t already have a fire drill plan, make sure to implement one with these simple steps:

1. Make a plan: Draw a map of the house, mark two exits for each room and decide where you will meet in the event of a fire. Post 911 and emergency numbers by each phone.
2. Test smoke alarms: Make sure all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and heat sensors  are functioning properly.  If you have an ADT home security system,it’s easy to upgrade the system to monitor for these emergencies. You should also regularly check to make sure monitors have working batteries.
3. Clear exit routes: Check that all windows and doors are easily opened from the inside and all marked exits are clear.
4. Do a walk-through: Go through the plan slowly so each member will know how to execute it in a real-life situation.
5. Practice the drill: Watch children to make sure that they exit the house appropriately and practice the drill as if there is actually a fire.
6. Talk it over: Work through any kinks of the drill’s execution and post the plan on your fridge.

Summer fun often involves lounging around a pool. But don’t be tempted to nap while the kids are playing. Follow these tips to be proactive about preventing pool-area accidents.

• Adult supervision: Make sure an adult who knows CPR is always carefully watching kids in or near the pool. If at all possible, do not leave the task of watching younger children to older children.

• Safety vests: Keep life vests that are approved by the U.S. Coast Guard on hand. Anyone who is not a strong swimmer should wear one. Air-filled swimming tools are not adequate substitutes.

• Fences: Fences do more than serve as a great back up to a security system. They also help keep children out of the pool when they’re not under your supervision. Surround your pool with a fence that’s at least five-feet-high and closes securely on its own. Keep the gate closed at all times and never prop it open. Also, keep furniture away from the fence so kids won’t be tempted to climb over it.

• Post-swim clean up: Clear any toys from around the pool so children won’t be tempted to retrieve them without your supervision. Also secure the gate so they can’t get back into the area.

The first step when you’re leaving for a summer vacation is to remember to activate your ADT home security system . Burglars know that people go away in the summer, and they prepare accordingly. To avoid falling victim to a burglary, you need to make sure that your property looks occupied – even when it isn’t. Be sure to replace the light bulbs around your house, including your exterior lights, and set some sort of timer that will turn lights on and off both indoors and outdoors. This way your house will look more lived-in.

But home security is about more than making sure robbers don’t break in. Also be sure to handle the smaller steps around the house. Unplug electronic devices from overloaded power strips, and be sure that you remember to turn off things like coffee makers, irons, and flat irons. This will greatly reduce the risk of a home fire.

Before you leave town, remember to make essential home security updates to your house. If you take the right steps before leaving, it will make for a much less stressful return home.

As summer approaches, families across the country will make travel plans. In addition to booking flights and finding deals on hotels, one thing can’t be overlooked – home security. One of the best ways to protect your home is installing and activating a home security system. Homes with monitored security systems are reportedly three times less likely to be burglarized.

Another great way to help keep your home safe is by hiring a house sitter. He or she can make sure things run smoothly while you’re gone – and most importantly – make you home look occupied. An occupied home is much less appealing to a burglar than one that looks empty. House sitters are also ideal for people with pets.

Here are a few tips to follow when you hire a house sitter:

Keep them informed. If you have dogs or cats that require medicine, a particular kind of food or something else, be sure to let your house sitter know ahead of time. And be sure to leave the house sitter with a list of emergency contact numbers in case anything goes wrong.

Give an overview of your home security system. The house sitter should know how to arm and disarm your ADT security system. Let them know how the system works and create a plan in case a break-in or other home emergency occurs.

Give clear instructions. Make sure everything that needs to be taken care of while you’re away gets clearly listed or communicated. This will make things easier and less stressful for all parties involved, and clear expectations are always great – even if someone is doing you a favor.

Don’t forget about the mail! If you are going out of town, make sure the house sitter brings in the mail and newspaper. When they start piling up, burglars will realize no one is home.

April showers are known for bringing May flowers, but sometimes homeowners end up getting a little bit more than they bargained for thanks to generous precipitation. While springtime rain is one of the best things for your garden, too much rain can definitely can mean trouble if it results in flooding.

Many homeowners in the Notheast were relieved during the recent batch of heavy rains, because their homes were equipped with ADT home security systems that had flood monitoring. Flood monitoring is one of the many benefits of an ADT alarm.

You see, it makes sense to assume that a home security system does one job: warning you when criminals are breaking in. But security systems can be about much more. Water sensors are just one of the many things that you can add to your home alarm system to increase safety in other areas, like flooding.

While having a sensor to alert you of smoke, fire, or water might not keep your home from getting damaged, it does something very important: it lets you know when it’s time to take action. If you’re expecting rain in your future – or have valuables in your home that you’d be devastated to see destroyed by water – it’s worthwhile to check out the water sensors available with ADT home security.

If you’re like most working parents, you know it’s harder than ever to make it home before your kids return from school. And while it can seem like a stressful situation, it’s easy to educate kids on home security to help keep them safe during the afternoon hours.

Tip #1 Utilize a home security system.
One of the best ways to help protect your children is installing a home security system. Monitored home security systems are connected to monitoring centers that watch over your house 24/7. ADT alarm systems are easy to activate and de-activate, so if your children are old enough to understand the importance of a home security system, show them how to arm the system when they get home from school.

Tip #2 Never appear to be home alone
This home security tip is essential for kids who are home alone after school. If someone calls your house (whether they claim to be a neighbor or salesperson), make sure your kids tell them that you are in the shower, on your cell phone or busy in another room. And kids should never answer the door when they are home alone.

Tip #3 Encourage constant communication
Make sure your kids know they can contact you at any time if a home safety concern arises. They may worry that you’re busy at work, but keeping an open line of communication after school is an important part of their safety. Have your cell phone handy at work and ask your kids to call or text you once they make it home safely.

From proper fire safety to general home security maintenance, nothing is more important than keeping your family safe. Modern homes are complex, and require a great deal of attention to remain protected. There are a number of things you need to do to make sure your loved ones are secure; we’ve listed some of the most crucial below.

Build an Emergency Action Plan: Sit down with your family and talk about what to do in the case of an emergency. Cover topics ranging from proper ways to escape the home to the setting up of meeting points. In places like California, earthquakes and other natural disasters can cause great disruption to society, so agree on an easily accessible place where you know your family members will go.

Practice Fire Safety: According to the U.S. Fire Administration, more than 3,320 people died in fires in 2008. Avoid becoming a part of these statistics by practicing proper fire safety. Purchase spooled ladders for second floor bedrooms to allow residents to safely escape, and make sure that carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are equipped with fresh batteries.

Install an ADT Home Security System: For more than 130 years, ADT has worked to keep Americans safe. Moving into the 21st century, the company gets the job done with some extremely sophisticated technology, including CellGuard and Two-Way Voice Capability.

Keep Your Kids in Mind: There are many simple things you can do around the home to keep your kids safe. Plug electrical outlets that aren’t in use, and install tamper-resistant locks on cabinet doors that hold hazardous materials like kitchen chemicals. These home improvements cost only a few dollars, but can end up saving your child’s life.

Home security and safety should be a top priority for your family. Start with the simple tips above and begin turning your house or apartment into an environment where everyone can relax safely.

The snow outside your house is rapidly melting, and that means March is on the way. This prelude to the spring time is a great opportunity to get your home security affairs in order. Below, we’ve outlined several ways to boost your home security in the coming month.

Create an Emergency Action Plan: Having a set plan to act upon in the event of an emergency can save lives. Apart from the standard fire safety preparation, talk about a place to meet away from home if a natural disaster should strike, knocking out cell phone service and limiting communications.

Trim the bushes: Warm spring temperatures and melting snow means that you’ll soon have to contend with rapidly sprouting grass. This and other shrubbery make for excellent hiding spots for burglars and intruders, which can turn into a home security nightmare.

Talk to an ADT Specialist: If your home isn’t currently under the protective shield of an ADT home alarm system, contact a representative of the company to find out your options. If you are an ADT customer, call to find out what new options are available to make your home even more secure.

Change the Locks on Your Front Door: This should become an annual event, and there’s no better time than March. Throughout the hustle and bustle of daily life, you likely give you a key to a neighbor, housekeeper or friend. Who knows whether someone’s written your address on a tag, and then lost the key? Eliminate the possibility of a break-in by changing the lock cylinders.

Home security is an ongoing battle, but choosing a set date to focus on it will help you focus. Take a day in March to get yourself back on track to keeping your family safe.

The cold temperatures outside are no excuse to ignore your home security and safety. Property owners need to take special care to avoid potential disaster. Below, we’ve outlined ten of the top tips for keeping your home safe from the first freeze to the first thaw.

Don’t Be Afraid to Spread Some Salt: One hard fall can be the beginning of a lifetime of injuries. When the temperatures dip below freezing, spread rock salt liberally on walkways to avoid a tumble.

Have Your Home Inspected by an Expert: From faulty furnaces to blocked fireplace flues, there are hazards throughout your home. If you haven’t had an expert inspect your home yet this year, it’s not too late.

Drive Your Children to School on the Coldest Days: In the northern reaches of the United States, the coldest days of the year can mean a high risk of frostbite within minutes of exposure to the air. Drop your kids off at school rather than having them wait for the bus.

Have Someone Take in Your Mail: If you go away on vacation, have a friend or neighbor take in your mail and newspapers.

Protect your pipes: When the temperatures really start to drop, open a slow drip in a couple of faucets around the home to prevent burst pipes. The added cost to your water bill is nothing compared to plumbing expenses after a catastrophe.

Join a Carpool: Why drive if you can avoid it? Talk to neighbors and co-workers about carpooling. This not only saves energy but allows you to keep your car parked in your driveway; a clear sign to criminals that someone may be home.

Use Care With Fires: Your fireplace is a great way to stay warm during the winter, but take steps to make sure it is under control. Keep the glass closed, and don’t build the blaze past a reasonable level. Also look into a home alarm system that monitors carbon monoxide.

Install an ADT Monitored Home Security System: Short winter days give criminals the opportunity to take cover in the darkness. Make sure you have a home alarm you can trust.

Although there are many options when it comes to home alarm systems, only one company is the undisputed industry leader in home security. Below, discover five of the many reasons behind ADT’s continued success.

Pedigree: No other home alarm monitoring provider can match ADT’s 135 years in the business. For over a century homeowners across the United States have counted on ADT to keep burglars at bay.

Value: ADT offers its customers a variety of packages to fit any household budget. Even the most basic installation comes with the components necessary to deter and deflect criminals from gaining entry.

Customer Service: Year after year, ADT garners the highest marks from experts in the field for customer service. The company is proactive about your security; rather than waiting to hear about a problem, they’re out fixing it before it becomes an issue.

Technology Out of the Home: Most monitoring companies have a central facility that handles all of their reports. But what happens in the event of extreme weather or a power outage?  With ADT, you never have to worry, because five connected command centers spread across the United States offer secure backup protection.

Technology Inside of the Home: ADT’s technology solutions inside your house are just as powerful as the brains backing it up behind the scenes. Leading advances like CellTech, designed to eliminate the need for a land line connection, continue to set ADT apart from the competition.

Among the many reasons why ADT is the best choice for your home’s security, these five stand out. This holiday season, make the right call for you and your family by calling ADT.