The Best Security and Technology Brands We Recommend in 2021
Did You See Our Ad in Sasee Magazine?
If you live on the Grand Strand, you might have seen our ad in Sasee Magazine this past summer or this fall!
We are spreading the word of our services to homeowners new to the area, to those who want better services, and to those who want to switch and save money!
In case you missed the magazine ad, here it is.
What you are not seeing is the brands we work with here at Strand Security!
If you are looking for the latest technology, the best service, the best brands and technology, Strand Security has you covered.
Here are the best security and technology brands we recommend to our customers in 2021.
Honeywell on the Grand Strand
We install and service Honeywell Security Systems. Whether you live in Georgetown County or Horry County, we’ve got you covered. This is a trusted brand with many options for both home owners as well as commercial use.
URC Total Control
Smarthomes and smart business owners use URC total control! We love the technology of URC and we have many happy customers who can attest to this effectiveness of these systems!
Dahua
When installing security cameras, we look to Dahua for a wide range of options to offer our customers! They are a one-stop-shop for all things video!
Abiding by the philosophy of “Innovation for All”, Dahua offers a wide portfolio of security-related products, ranging from IPC, NVR, HDCVI cameras, HCVR, PTZ cameras, thermal cameras, Access Control, Video Intercom, Alarms, Mobile & Traffic products, display & control, VMS and so on. Dahua products are based on an open platform that features easy integration with third party partners through a standard SDK.
UBIQUITI
Ubiquiti is a multi-application network operating system. It connects all your networks, locations and gives you “Simple IT that just works”. Ask us about ubiquiti if you are a small to medium size business owner!
Sonos
Home sound systems and home theaters use Sonos speakers to bring the music to the party! We love and use Sonos right here at our office. Feel free to stop by for a demo anytime. Don’t forget: we don’t just sell Sonos speakers, we also install and service them and integrate these speakers into existing smarthome systems!
Onkyo
No home theater is complete without an Onkyo receiver and sound system!
From their website:
(Onkyo receivers are) affordable and versatile home theater centerpiece tailored to deliver a best-in-class entertainment experience for your movies, music, and next-gen gaming systems.
Denon
Denon home sound bars are an affordable choice for a home sound system!
No matter what Denon system you chose, be confident that Strand Security can install and service your new system for years to come.
Marantz
Master the art of listening with Marantz. Marantz products include
Z-Wave
Z-Wave is the smarthome control you need when convenience and ease-of-use is paramount!
Z-Wave is the leading wireless technology behind many of the secure, trusted brands that are working to make everyone’s home smarter and safer. With Z-Wave, smart home products can communicate with each other no matter what brand or platform they are built on using a central smart hub.
HikVision
The leader in security camera solutions is HikVision. We use and trust HikVision to keep our own family and business location safe and secure.
What if a Panic Button Could Save Your Life or That of a Loved One?
Panic Buttons Are Not Just for Seniors!
Who doesn’t remember the “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” commercial? Did you know these LifeCall commercials started running on TV in 1987?
Be honest, when we say ‘panic button’ is that the image you have? This ‘panic button’ for LIfeCall was for a medical alert system.
This same concept of ‘instant alert’ is now affordable and available to anyone, anywhere and anytime, for both personal and commercial use. Let’s look at some user stories of panic buttons and how they are NOT just for senior citizens!
Hospital Staff and Panic Buttons!
After a rise in aggressive patient behavior during the Covid pandemic, a Missouri hospital took seemingly drastic steps to keep their staff safe and secure by providing panic buttons!
From the video:
After an increasing number of patients became violent at Cox Medical Center in Missouri staff members were given personal panic buttons. The buttons use a GPS tracking system so security can locate employees when they are in trouble.
Banks and Panic Buttons!
You’ve seen this in movies, for sure, but did you know panic buttons at banks are standard?
This is how panic buttons at banks work:
Banks can hide a silent-alarm button on the side of a desk, under the teller counter or inside a safe. Some companies offer emergency buttons disguised as a key fob or a pendant. As soon as an employee flips the switch, it triggers the control panel at the alarm company. Some companies let the bank designate special buttons for particular emergencies. One button can be set to tell the company to send for paramedics rather than police, for example.
Gas Station and Panic Buttons!
In this article about gas station safety, panic buttons are mentioned as a ‘must-have’ safety net. Often, gas station attendants work alone. Personal safety is important when a co-worker is not available as a back up.
- Make sure the panic button is within reach. There should be a panic button installed at the clerk counter in case of an emergency, such as theft or gunfire. Make sure that you know exactly where it is and that you can access it easily.
Heather’s Armed Robbery Story
Heather of Strand Security knew the importance of panic buttons. Her husband had his own security company and she’s begged her boss (at a retail store) to install panic buttons.
He did not.
Read Heather’s story of survival when she was robbed at gunpoint. She credits a high school self-defense class as helping her survive. She also knows that if she’d had a panic button to push, she might not have had to fight for her life!
Panic Buttons at Home. They Can Save Your Life or That of a Loved One
If you have already have a security system in place, and have 24/7 monitoring of your system, adding panic buttons is an easy way to add another layer of security!
Place the panic button in your bathroom or bedroom, basement or any place you want. Ask us and we ca help you chose the best spots!
We can also supply you with a portable, wearable panic button. NOTE: These will only work when your system is enabled, of course. Another reason to always arm your system!
Call us to start a conversation about panic buttons!
The 5 Best Halloween Safety Tips from Security Experts!
It’s October and holiday season is here!
While it’s exciting, fun and the kids are going crazy for costumes and candy, Halloween can also be a frightening time for parents and caregivers! Add in COVID concerns and you’ve got a perfect storm!
Just last week, CDC director Rochelle Walensky offered her expert advice on Halloween safety .
Walensky recommended trick-or-treating outside, limiting crowds and avoiding crowded Halloween parties.
Today, let’s look at the BEST Halloween safety tips from Security Experts because who doesn’t want to have the best halloween ever?
1 Light Up Your Home
Whether you will be home, or not, during Halloween and the evening when you expect Trick or Treaters, light up your home.
While parents take their children out to Trick or Treat in the neighborhood, criminals use this holiday to look for opportunities for a quick and easy break-ins. We recommend you make sure your outdoor lighting is working, sensor lights are properly installed to go off when someone approaches your front door and if nothing else, place your indoor lights on timers
Don’t turn off the porch light to discourage Trick or Treaters, it might discourage them but it will encourage criminals!
2 Light Up The Kids!
Personal safety is important.
Keep kids safe from motor vehicles and falling or tripping in the dark, by making them visible in the dark as well as providing them with enough light for them to find their way onto sidewalks and to front doors!
Do this by
- adding reflective materials to their costume
- giving them a flashlight to hold (if they are old enough)
- walking with them with your own flashlight
- using headlamps (if they are old enough)
- putting lights in the Trick or Treat bag
- adding lights to strollers, carts, bikes, wagons etc.
3 Food Safety Rules
Kids love candy, and people love giving out candy to adorable, costumed kids. Not every child can tolerate all candy, and not all candy is safe for kids or all ages.
Make sure you go over the ‘food rules’ with your child. Make them understand why they should not eat anything on the road while Trick or Treating. Instead, pack a few snacks and a few bottles of water for your ‘team’ as you go on the road! They will get hot, thirsty and hungry and the temptation might just be too much if no alternative is available.
Kids with allergies like peanuts or gluten should never eat anything not parent-approved, and Halloween is no reason to make an exception!
4 Go Where You Are Familiar
It’s oh so tempting or parents to take a child to neighborhoods where there is a lot of candy to be had. Remember that if you are in unfamiliar territory, you sacrifice personal safety. If you don’t know where you are, you have no escape route if something goes awry and you are more likely to be lost, go into a bad part of town, or run into trouble.
For Halloween, stick to the familiar, or go Trick or Treating with friends who do know the neighborhood! If teenagers go out on their own, be strict with location limits!
5 Candles, Lights and Noise, Oh My!
Who doesn’t love decorating for Halloween. We’ve seen neighbors go all-out to set up elaborate haunted houses, crazy mazes and realistic display for this holiday. As you would with any type of decorations (think Christmas!), make sure to always adhere to safety standards as far as candles, plugged in lights and noise!
Kids scare easily and if you scare them with sudden, loud noises, a child could run into traffic!
While it is fun to scare, we recommend you save those types of decorations and elaborate set ups for private parties, not for the Trick or Treat portion of the evening!
Halloween 2021: Have a Blast But be Safe!
While we haven’t had the best luck in the last year and a half, many of us are ready to give Halloween 2021 a go! It goes without saying to continue to practice social distancing (as we did in 2020) and if you do not feel safe Trick or Treating, don’t go.
If you are looking for additional and more in-depth, in Personal Safety Tips for a Stress-Free and Safe Halloween we discussed safety tips for personal safety.
However you will be celebrating, we hope you have a blast!
Smart Builders Install Security Systems While Constructing the Home
Are You Building a Home on The Grand Strand?
Welcome to the Grand Strand! If you are new the state of South Carolina, or to the Myrtle Beach area, we want to make you know how excited we are to have you join us in this wonderful place we’ve called home for 10+ years!
The growth we’ve seen on the Grand Strand is phenomenal! In a recent article, we touched on all the different areas the Grand Strand is growing, including new schools, 5+ new hospitals, lots of new road construction and yes, new residents!
Whether you are renting, buying or building a new home, you are not alone.
Purchasing a Spec Home on the Grand Strand
New neighborhoods are sprouting up like mushrooms all along the Grand Strand. We can’t seem to keep up with the new names, new locations and new homes that are being built and can we just say the volume of spec homes is staggering!
Grand Strand Realtors can not seem to find enough homes to list, while home buyers are outbidding each other for their favorite homes!
If you are one of the new residents thinking about purchasing a spec home, or working with a builder, or a contractor to build a new home, we’d love to talk to you.
Why?
To save you money!
Adding a Security System To Your Newly Constructed Home
If you are considering adding a security system or smarthome technology to your new home anytime in the future, it will pay for you to talk with your contractor today about adding the wiring before the dry walls go up!
This will save on labor cost later, and will ensure the wiring is placed in exactly the right spot you want and need it to be.
Construction is a Great time To Add Smarthome and Security System Capabilities!
Next, if you are considering a smarthome system for your newly constructed home, consult a security and smarthome expert to find out how to wire the home for this technology as well.
Electric wiring is done before dry walls and painting is done, so it makes sense to plan out the location of your wall units, security cameras and other technology so as not to ruin perfectly good and newly painted walls.
Our team at Strand Security works closely with Grand Strand contractors to ensure the best possible location for your home security system.
Save Time. Save Money. Get Security!
Why not save time and money when building a new home? We know from experience there are quite a few ‘hidden costs’ to building a new home. Why not save some from the start by being proactive and getting wiring done right?
What is your security worth to you?
New Resident? What You Need To Know About Crime on the Grand Strand
When planning to move to a new state, city or neighborhood, it usually pays to read up on local news, local crime and local events to get an idea on what’s happening! You want to be prepared for anything and everything, right?
The population growth in the Myrtle Beach area aka The Grand Strand shows no sign of slowing down: we have welcomed a lot of new residents in the last 18 months and there is no sign that things are slowing down anytime soon.
The housing market along the beach is competitive, houses are built left, right and everywhere in between and frankly, the roadways are busier than we’ve even seen them before!
If you are planning to move to the Grand Strand in the near future, or if you’ve just arrived, keep reading!
Are You Planning to Move to the Grand Strand?
If you are still in the planning phase of moving to the Myrtle Beach area, may we suggest you read up on several topics.
Read about
If you’ve arrived on the Grand Strand and getting your bearings, you already know and might have experienced some of the challenges that come with a growing community like ours.
Congested roads, overcrowded school, a competitive housing market driving prices up, up and up and increased crime are all part of this growing community along South Carolina’s beautiful shoreline.
Rapid Growth Along the Grand Strand Brings Challenges
It’s simple math:
More houses are being bought and sold, the population is growing steadily, Horry and Georgetown Counties are building more schools, roads and hospitals – and with all these new people moving in, crime rates are going… UP!
The Myrtle Beach area has been a draw for those criminals who want to hide for years and years. As millions and millions of tourists pour into the Grand Strand each year, hiding out is an easy thing to accomplish! The transient community that is Myrtle Beach is a perfect place for petty criminals, human traffickers, thieves and convicted felons.
In this 2021 article, we read
According to the FBI’s latest US Crime Report, Myrtle Beach, SC is now officially the 3rd most dangerous city in the United States.
How To Keep Your Neighborhood Safe
The best way to keep your neighborhood safe is to communicate and take preventative action. Even if you live in a safe neighborhood, it’s important to understand the risks you run by not protecting your home.
Here is the best way to keep your neighborhood safe: communicate with law enforcement officers and with neighbors. Then take action!
Did you know that most people purchase a home security system AFTER they are the victim of a crime? Why wait? Why go through this trauma, this anxiety, if it can be prevented? The same is true for your neighborhood! Why wait until cars are broken into, or vandals destroy property?
We suggest a neighborhood watch program as described here.
Crime Happens. Be Prepared!
The last thing we want to mention is… that crime happens.
You can’t prevent crime, but by being prepared, you can prevent the severity of the crime – and reduce the time it takes for law enforcement officers to come to the crime scene, increasing the chance the criminals are caught!
Our clients homes are monitored by COPS Monitoring and have been for the past 10+ years!
How To Talk To Your Child About Online and In-Person Stranger Danger
While we as parents should be talking with our kids often about stranger-danger, it’s a subject that is often overlooked or dismissed as scary or as a difficult conversation to have.
Many parents rely on the school system to help educate their kids about imminent danger, both online and offline. Professionals encourage parents to keep the lines of communication open and talk with their children often about the dangers of befriending new people in-person and online.
This article provides tips on how to get this most important conversation started. Don’t stop there. Make it a topic of conversation often. Don’t think kids will know it all the first time the subject of stranger danger comes up.
How To Talk To Your Child About Online and In-Person Stranger Danger
Let’s start with the beginning.
Ask the School What They are Teaching and When
Know what the schools are teaching your child about sex, human trafficking, cyber security, human trafficking, abuse, self defense and more. Be aware what they are teaching, at what age, and what might be missing from this line up.
If you know your child has sex ed for a semester, lean in on that and have your own talk with your child. If the school is offering a self-defense class during PE, aks your child to demonstrate some moves and ask them when they should use self defense. Build upon what your child already knows about stranger danger and online danger to star the conversation.
Be Clear, Honest to the Point
Don’t go into too many details when talking about difficult subject. Be clear, honest and get to the point quickly.
Use Easy to Understand Words
At the same time, use easy to understand words and a vocabulary that matches their age. Don’t use hard to understand words unless you are willing to repeat yourself over and over. Explain things in simple ways.
Encourage The Kids To Ask Questions
Take time to listen: Once you’ve explained something about stranger-danger or cyber security, stop to listen. Ask the kids if they have any questions!
Make It an Ongoing Conversation
Talking about stranger danger and online predators is not a one-and-done conversation! Use news stories are a catalyst to bring it back up and to continue the conversation. Let your children read news stories that talk about cyber security, human trafficking, especially if the cases are about kids meeting strangers online. Talk about what went wrong.
Use Examples of What Can Go Wrong
Use real life examples to talk to kids about what can go wrong. Being abducted, opening the door for strangers, meeting someone online who is not who they say they are. Trusting strangers. Don’t ever lay the blame with the kids: always make sure your child knows to come to you with concerns for themselves or a friend.
Talk Not Just About What to Do, But Also About What NOT to Do
It’s easy to say “do this, do that”, but be sure to emphasize what NOT to do! Especially if you talk about using technology to keep kids safe: talk about using security cameras, an alarm system and the importance of phone tracking and being in touch with family members at all times.
Be in the Non-Judgement Zone
No matter what stories you read online about kids being kidnaped, hurt or deceived, don’t judge them in front of your child. Your child needs to know they can come to you even if they’ve made a mistake!
Keep Your Door Open For Follow up Questions
Last but not least – always, always, always keep your door open for follow up questions! Kids are curious and might need clarification. Stranger danger and the danger online predators pose won’t disappear just because you’ve mentioned them to your child. As your child grows into their teenage years, continue education them about these topics.
Arm your child with knowledge, confidence and self-defense tactics!
Heather of Strand Security teaches self-defense classes to kids, teens and adults on the Grand Strand. Email heather@strandsecurity.com for details, and check out Myrtle Beach Self Defense today!
After-School Home Safety Tips To Keep Families Safe and Protected
Kids are going back to school and that means parents who work outside of the home, will have help with caring for their kids after-school.
Whether it’s a babysitter, family member, neighbor or whether your child teenager is old enough to come home to an empty house, it’s important to go voer home safety rules every so often. Take the month of August to reevaluate your family safety plan.
Being aware of potential danger is the first stop to preventing harm!
The Ride (or Walk) Home
School bus safety and rules come from the school district. Take the time to go over the school bus rules with your child so that they know what to expect. It is important to tell your child(ren) to let you know that the ride to and from school isn’t safe any longer for a variety of reasons (bullying, unsafe driver, unruly students, heat or cold)
If you child walks home alone, or with a group of friends, make sure you have a system set up to check on them each day right after they arrive home. Go over the rules (no lingering, don’t bring friends home) so that you both know what to expect!
Kids Home Alone
When is your child ready to stay home alone after school? It depends on each child as well as the area you live in, technology you currently have installed in your home, the maturity level of the child and the state you live in (law)
Read more about how to know your child is safe to stay home alone after school.
If you think your child might be ready to be home alone without a babysitter or after-school care, read this!
Babysitters, Tutors and Neighbors, Oh My!
If you do need to give a babysitter, tutor or neighbor access to your home, it’s important to have a security system installed with a mobile app so that you can have a visual of what’s going on at home!
Hiring a babysitter should not stress you out , instead focus on creating a back-to-school family safety plan!
Strangers at the Door!
Tips about how to handle a stranger at the door, from a previous article here on the Strand Security Blog. We suggest you share the following with your teenager who might be home alone!
1 Take a look at the Stranger.
Try to get a look at who is knocking on your door. You may need to find a window in the house that makes your front door visible or use the peephole if you have one. You must have a way to see who is at the front door without opening it!
2 Keep Your Phone on You.
Have your phone visibly on you for the knocker to see. If a situation should occur you will have easy access to call 911.
3 Call Out to Someone in the House.
“Can someone get the door?” or “I’ll get it”
Maybe you are alone but the knocking stranger does not have to know that! Make it evident that there are others in the house with you. This can deter any planned unwanted activities.
4 Do Not Ignore Them.
Sometimes the first reaction is to just ignore a stranger’s knock all together. However, in doing so, you are silently announcing that your house is empty and now is a good time to break in. So, it is better to say something no matter the time of day. A majority of break-ins occur during the day when people are thought to be at work.
5 Request Their Identity.
If a utility worker knocks at your door, ask for them to prove their identity with the company they work for. You can always call the subject’s company to check if they have sent someone to your house.
6 Do Not Share Information.
Strangers may take advantage of you by saying they are in trouble, hurt or in need of help. As much as we all would like to help our fellow citizens, it may be a better choice to let them know you are calling 911 and help is on the way.
Technology can help in this situation! Read more about which devices can help here.
Cyber Safety at Home
THIS is the time to talk to your kids and teenagers about online safety: cyber security! Not when they start to act strange, not when they are upset, scared or sad. Talk to them before leaving them home alone for extended periods of time!
Cyber safety and security should take an important, prominent place in your back-to-school family safety plan.
Set rules, boundaries and check in often!
House Rules
Last but not least… house rules are house rules whether you are home as a parent, or not! Make sure you instill a sense of responsibility in your child or teenager, to build mutual trust. Respect goes both ways. Always be sure to tell the kids you’ll be checking the cameras remotely if they are home alone. They need to know you can see them or talk with them.
Safety rules about pool usage, opening doors for strangers or or operating dangerous tools are all important enough to warrant a frequent reminder!
Your house, your rules, and that includes rules for friends and rules for pets, too!
After-School Activities!
We wish you, your family, your kids a fantastic 2021-2022 school year. We are here to help you navigate it all. If you need smarthome solutions to keep your family safe, need (additional) security cameras, or a panic button for your employees or elderly parents, we can help you with all of that!
If you are thinking a home theater would be great to have at home, we can help with the design, installation and servicing for that as well! Just give us a call!
Why Your Family Needs a Back-To-School Family Safety Plan
School is back! Schools in the Myrtle Beach area go back on August 17!
Those big yellow school buses will be rolling back out of storage where most of them have been all summer, and the roads will be filled with not just these buses, but also with many young, new drivers!
Road safety and school bus safety is just one piece of the larger puzzle of keeping your kids safe and secure as school starts back up!
What does it take to keep your kids, your family safe as they go back to school?
Planning! This article will give you guidelines for putting together a back-to-school family safety plan!
Back-to-School Means New Routines
The first thing to remember is that going back to school means new routines.
Maybe your child’s mode of transportation has changed, s/he is attending a new school, has a new carpool or babysitter, or maybe you moved and have a completely new routine to establish.
Whatever the case may be, it’s important to write down new routines and make sure everyone in the family is on the same page! That means going over the new transportation plan as a family – during a family meeting, and making a backup plan for when things change!
Back-to-School Brings New Friends
Next, going back to school will bring new friends. That’s an exciting part of growing up: creating new friendships with classmates. This is also the time to keep repeating conversations about what to expect when visiting friends’ home. Talk about gun ownership, bullying, and other things that might happen. If you child is too young for a cell phone, make sure s/he knows your phone number, and be sure to meet the parents and be straight about what you expect. “If you go on the boat, I expect my child to wear a lifejacket at all times.” Your child should know these same ‘rules’ and be expected to adhere to them.
At the same time, when your child brings a new friend to your home, you as a family need to include that person in your family safety plan. Explain the pool safety rules, riding bikes rules etc. Don’t expect your child’s friends to stick to your rules: most likely you will have to reinforce them over and over until they’ve visited a few times. Your responsibility for your child’s new friend includes riding in your car, water safety etc.
This is a family matter – keeping friends safe at your home – so adding it to your family safety plan is important!
Back-to-School and After-School Activities
We also know from personal experience, that as your children grow, new after-school activities are added to their calendars. That means new buildings, new sports complexes, new car pools, new coaches and teammates. You certainly will want to add all this information and expectations toy our family safety plan!
Know who will pick up, drop off, how to reach the new coaches, new tutors, new babysitter!
Back-to-School During Hurricane Season
Last but not least, back-to-school in South Carolina means going back to school during an active hurricane season! Your family safety plan needs to include reference to your hurricane prep plan! Be aware of supplies you might need to purchase now, a generator that might need to be serviced and links to your school districts email and social media platforms as you need to keep an ear out for important hurricane related announcements!
Planning Ahead Gives You Security and Safety for the Near Future
Failing to create a plan, is planning to fail!
Writing down a plan gives you peace of mind and less stress as you navigate the new school year ahead! With as many chances as we’ve seen in the last 18 months, it’s fair to assume more changes and adjustments are on the horizon! Planning and anticipating what’s next can help you alleviate stress and worries. Being prepared for whatever comes at you will accomplish many goals, one is staying safe and secure at home!
Stay safe and secure this fall, and give us a call if we can help you accomplish this in any way!
How to Keep Kids Safe at Home This Summer: Water Safety Tips
Ocean, Pools, Rivers, Lakes and Other Bodies of Water
When I grew up, I only went to the beach a few times each summer and the pool I swam in was a community pools at the local rec center. I remember learning how to swim, getting a certificate and always looking for the lifeguard for guidance on when to swim and when to get out of the pool or the ocean.
While lifeguards still man the public pools and public beaches, there are a lot of private pools, beaches and other bodies of water that pose a danger to our children.
In the Myrtle Beach area, we have not only the atlantic ocean, but also the Intercoastal Waterway, rivers and private community pools, almost none pay a lifeguard to be on duty!
Kids want to play with friends, we visit friends on weekends, maybe we go to a hotel for the weekend to relax and guess what, the hotel has a pool too!
Today, we will be taking a closer look at water safety and kids, as South Carolina families spend a lot of time in, on and near water in the summer!
Risk of Drowning | Kids
From the CDC website we learn:
drownings are a leading cause of injury death for young children ages 1 to 14, and three children die every day as a result of drowning. In fact, drowning kills more children 1-4 than anything else except birth defects.
They go on to state:
thankfully, parents can play a key role in protecting the children they love from drowning.
FACT: No one is drown-proof, and drowning doesn’t discriminate.
FACT: Drowning is fast and silent. It can happen in as little as 20-60 seconds. Drowning doesn’t always look like we would expect.
Would you like to know what you can do to prevent drowning? Let’s learn together!
Four Key Tips to Prevent Drowning
- Learn life-saving skills. As a parent, learn CPR. Sign your child(ren) up for swimming classes.
- Install a fence around your pool. A four–sided fence, with self–closing and self–latching gates, around backyard swimming pools is a must. Keep children away from the area when they aren’t supposed to be swimming. Pool fences should completely separate the house and play area from the pool.
- Require a lifejacket. Teach your kids to wear life jackets in and around natural bodies of water, such as lakes, even if they know how to swim. Life jackets can be used in and around pools for weaker swimmers too.
- Stay Alert. When kids are in or near water (including bathtubs), closely supervise them at all times. Drowning happens quickly and quietly, adults watching kids in or near water should avoid distracting activities like playing cards, reading books, and talking on the phone.
The Importance of Home Pool Rules
If you own a pool, set some ground rules. Rules about who can come over, when they can swim, and when it’s not ok to swim. Have a conversation with your own child(ren) and teenager and make sure that kids who come over, with or without a parent, also know your pool rules.
For adults visiting, consider creating a sign with pool rules and placing it on the pool deck, as a reminder of the importance of pool safety!
Technology is Not a Substitute for Parental Supervision
While technology can help prevent disaster around bodies of water, technology cannot replace adult supervision!
Technology that can help keep kids safe includes:
- pool alarms
- window alarms
- door chimes
- outdoor security cameras
- security locks
and more!
Keep Kids Safe Around All Water Activities!
Small children can drown in a large bucket (and they are top heavy). Kids have drowned in hot tubs, bathtubs, pools, waterparks, rivers, lakes, oceans and more!
No matter where you go, keep an eye on your kids at all times when you are near water.
Have a fun and safe summer!
The All NEW 2021 South Carolina Hurricane Guide for Homeowners
June is the start of the Atlantic Hurricane Season!
The 2021 Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1 until November 30, 2021. NOAA predicts this will be yet another active hurricane season.
From NOAA:
“Now is the time for communities along the coastline as well as inland to get prepared for the dangers that hurricanes can bring,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “The experts at NOAA are poised to deliver life-saving early warnings and forecasts to communities, which will also help minimize the economic impacts of storms.”
What’s New in Hurricane Prep?
As we are coming out of a Pandemic, life as we knew it is no more. Many of us are now working from home, requiring internet access to work. this means that while you may want to “ride out a hurricane at home” as you’ve done previously, this time around you will need to evacuate in order to work because of that needed access to electricity and Wifi!
NOTE: renting a car is nearly impossible these day – to find one available, or to find one that’s affordable. This is a result of a global chip shortage that has disrupted auto production.
We found this article by consumer reports to be helpful in finding ways to rent a car, but in case of a hurricane headed your way, you will NEED to have secured transportation before hand!
While cars are hard to find (to rent OR buy) there is a shortage of other supplies as well, leading to soaring prices. Wood is another hot commodity that’s become up to 3x the price.
If you do not have hurricane shutters, or leftover plywood from previous hurricane prep, NOW is the time to get that wood! While it’s expensive now, it will be more expensive and nearly impossible to find once a hurricane approaches the Grand Strand.
Smarthome Installation: The Best Hurricane Prep Action To Take Today!
Want to keep an eye on you home, your cars, your business, your boat?
Smarthome technology will let you keep an eye in-real-time on what you leave behind when you evacuate. Get your loved ones out of the way of a hurricane and keep yourself abreast of what’s going on at home!
New to the Grand Strand? First Time Hurricane Prep?
In 2020/2021 so many of us have moved and so many new residents have come to live in the Myrtle Beach & Grand Strand area.
If you are new to this area and have never had to prep for a hurricane, we want you to know it is imperative you start collecting hurricane supplies now, and write up a hurricane family plan today!
Start here (FREE DOWNLOAD)
Don’t Get Caught Without a Hurricane Plan!
No matter what you decide: evacuate or stay, you have to have a detailed plan.
A failure to plan is a plan to fail!
Don’t get caught without a hurricane prep plan.
To stay up-to-date on all thing Atlantic Hurricane Season & Grand Strand Hurricane prep, join our Facebook Group today!
Got Hurricane Related Questions? Give us a Call!
We are here to help you if you need guidance.
Like Us On Facebook
