Volume 3, Issue 10

August 2006  

About Per Mar

Contact Us

CORPORATE OFFICE

Per Mar Security Services
Per Mar Centre
1910 East Kimberly Rd
Davenport, IA 52807
Tel# 1-800-4-PERMAR (737627)
Fax # 563-359-6700

State of Illinois Mandates Carbon Monoxide Detectors for All Homes

Mandatory 815 Area Code Dialing Changes In the Greater Rockford, IL Area

Big Time Security

Nine Business Traveler Tips to Prepare a Laptop for Airport Security

Expert: Some College Campuses Have a False Sense of Security

State of Illinois Mandates Carbon Monoxide Detectors for All Homes

The Illinois House and Senate have passed, and the Governor has signed, the Carbon Monoxide Detector Installation Law. This law, effective January 1, 2007, mandates carbon monoxide detectors in new and existing residences, single and multi-family with the potential carbon monoxide generating sources. The law mandates a detector within 15 feet of every bedroom and every source of carbon monoxide. Under the law, it is the obligation of the property owner to supply and install the detectors and is the responsibility of the resident or tenant of the structure to properly maintain them.

There is no enforcement provision within the Act, however there are minimal penalties. Willful failure to install or maintain alarms is a Class B misdemeanor. Intentional tampering with, removal, disconnecting, or destroying a unit is a Class A misdemeanor for the first violation and a Class 4 felony for the subsequent violation (same as fire alarm code).

Per Mar Security Services has an assortment of Carbon Monoxide Detectors available to meet the new Illinois law and the means to ensure the devices are functioning properly now and into the future. Contact your local office for options and pricing.

Mandatory 815 Area Code Dialing Changes In the Greater Rockford, IL Area

The mandatory 11 digit dialing procedures for the 815 area code in the Greater Rockford area will go into effect February 17, 2007. You will need to dial 1 + area code + 7 digits to make any calls within the 815 area code territory. If the full 11 digit telephone number is not punched in the call will not go through.

This is of great concern to alarm customers within the 815 area code. Your system may be programmed to dial our local number. If your security system is programmed for the local number, it will not communicate properly after the February 17, deadline. We are taking a pro-active approach to the area code change and have identified those customers and will be contacting you to schedule a service call to make the necessary changes.

For any questions please contact your local Per Mar Security Services office.

Big Time Security

In 1999, only nine homeland security companies did business with the U.S. government, but that number mushroomed to 33,890 in 2005, making the homeland security sector one of the fastest growing sectors in the country. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has awarded upward of $130 billion in contracts to private companies since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, according to the Federal Procurement Data System. The DHS' budget has increased annually since the department was created. About one-third, or $45 billion, of the contracting money awarded so far by the DHS has gone to companies that provide data-processing services. The DHS also has awarded $23 billion in contracts to companies that produce alarm and security systems, including baggage screening machines. Homeland security companies that provide guard services, temporary trailers, radio navigation, and printing and bookbinding equipment also do big business with the DHS. The homeland security market is not limited to the DHS--the DHS accounts for just half of the U.S. government's spending on homeland projects, as other agencies like the Justice and Defense departments and local governments also spend heavily in this sector. Market research firm Homeland Security Research predicts that by 2015 $170 billion will be spent annually on the homeland security industry.

Source: Forbes (07/28/06) Herrero-Beaumont, Elena; Monahan, Rachel

Nine Business Traveler Tips to Prepare a Laptop for Airport Security

Some companies are beginning to rethink laptop security policies in light of the United Kingdom's ban on electronic devices in airplane cabins, according to a TechWeb report. Others are pressuring authorities to ease the restrictions, which prevent business travelers leaving the United Kingdom from keeping close tabs on the machines and the sensitive data they contain.

"Although this greatly impacts international business travelers, this could also foreshadow a broader ban and tighter security restrictions on a global basis," John Livingston, chairperson and CEO of Absolute Software, said in a statement. "These precautions make good business sense at anytime -- not just during a period of heightened security. Laptop theft, data security and identity theft are threats that all travelers face on a daily basis."

Absolute Software suggests the following precautions:

1. Use luggage locks approved by the Transportation Security Administration to deter theft.
2. Pack laptops with soft foam or bubble wrap and place laptop bags inside other luggage to protect them from rough handling and to keep them inconspicuous.
3. Use passwords with a combination of numbers and letters, as well as encryption to prevent unauthorized access to laptops and sensitive data.
4. Back-up valuable data before travel to minimize the risk of data loss or lost productivity in case of theft. Since the information is often more valuable than the computer itself, it is important to protect the data as much as possible.
5. Invest in asset tracking and recovery software.
6. Use remote data protection, so sensitive information can be wiped remotely if the laptop is lost or stolen.
7. Carry portable storage devices, such as external thumb drives, for easy access to data in case luggage is delayed or lost.
8. Keep accurate records, including receipts and the computer's make, model, and serial number in a safe place for filing claims.
9. Be sure to shut down the laptop, not leave it in standby or hibernate mode, before packing in luggage.

Source: Security Beat (8/15/06)

Expert: Some College Campuses Have a False Sense of Security

Some college campuses -- especially small ones -- might believe they are immune from terrorist activity. But that sense of security is false, says Paul M. Cell, chief of the Montclair State University Police Department. "Each institution has its own unique appeal to the various terrorist causes," says Cell, who is certified in terrorism response and prevention training for law enforcement.

In addition to the more publicized dangers campuses face -- the bombing of a large research university's nuclear facilities, for example -- incidents that are smaller in scope but still threatening to the campus community can also occur, such as targeting an individual staff or faculty member because of controversial research or running a Web site supporting a terrorist organization.

Another common misconception is that a general emergency plan will be adequate in responding to such incidents, Cell says. "The most commonly overlooked security concern at many colleges and universities is the belief that just having an emergency plan is enough," he says. "All too often, emergency plans are not exercised, updated, or properly disseminated to the community."

Source: http://securitysolutions.com/news/CampusSecurityExpert/ (8/15/06)

Quote of the Month: "We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give. " Sir Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965)