News & Blog

Some might think video doorbells are unnecessary, a luxury, or an inconvenience, this video definitely proves otherwise. A Cal Fire firefighter spoke remotely to the owner of a home that was nearly burned and the touching exchange was recorded on a doorbell security camera. The heartfelt gesture is a reminder of the remarkable work being done by thousands of firefighters across California during this devastating fire season. Here at Progressive Technology, we are proud to sell, install, and maintain this type of equipment that not only saves property (stolen packages, etc.), but also gives home and business owners piece of mind! Click the link below for the touching video! https://www.facebook.com/ktvu/videos/10155855143867061/

Here at Progressive Technology, we have been working tirelessly to stay up to date on the ever changing technology in the security industry. We are proud to say that Progressive Technology Security Systems, Inc. management attended the security industry expo this past quarter in Las Vegas.  We realize that components are always evolving, not by choice, but because organizations are constantly facing new security threats every day and we want to continue to bring you the best products the industry has to offer.

Progressive Technology Security Systems, Inc. now offers Smoke Detector Sensitivity Testing! CALL US FOR A FREE ESTIMATE TODAY! 800-577-2527 DOES MY FACILITY REALLY NEED THIS TEST? Health care facilities such as hospitals, nursing homes and surgery centers which fall under the regulations of AHCA (Agency for Health Care Administration) are regularly inspected for compliance to sensitivity testing. Compliance to this testing in other building occupancies is often not so rigidly enforced. We’re here to help! Call us today!

On April 7-8, 2016 Progressive Technology was able to attend the ISC West 2016 show & conference. For those of you who don’t know what ISC West is, ISC West is THE largest security industry trade show in the U.S. At ISC West we collectively had the chance to meet with technical reps from 1,000+ exhibitors and brands in the security industry and network with over 28,000 security professionals. We are excited to be partnering with new brands, and continuing our professional relationship with our tried and true brands, including #DMP, #Avigilion, #Potter, and #ADI. Exciting new products and services are on the horizon, we hope you will stay tuned to see what Progressive Technology comes out with next!

Throwing it WAY back to the beginning.. an antique business card from the days when Progressive had only just begun. *DISCLAIMER*: These are not our phone numbers any longer.. but 28 years ago they were.. 24/7 then and 24/7 now! 800-577-2527 #history #reputation #honor #commitmenttoexcellance

Best Security Systems For Your Home

Some competitors in the home alarm industry are quick to explain that an alarm system and monitoring is not foolproof. They are right. However, FBI crime statistics show, year after year, that alarmed houses are more secure than their non-alarmed counterparts are. Homes without alarms and monitoring are several times more likely to be burglarized. The simple fact of the matter is that your house, if it is the only one of 20 on your street with an alarm system, will be the last on the list of potential targets. Burglars are not stupid; they will target the easiest houses first. Why make it easy for them by not protecting yourself with an alarm system? How Thieves Know about Your System If you are not familiar with home security systems you might be wondering how a thief knows a house is alarmed. The answer is quite simple. When Progressive Technology Security Systems installs an alarm and monitoring service, we also put signs in your yard at strategic locations. We follow that up by putting a sign or two in highly visible windows. Burglars know the Progressive Technology Security Systems name, so they also know our signs warn of a legitimate security system and alarm monitoring. They are likely to pass by your house unless you have given them specific reason to want what is inside. Even at that, they need to get in and out in just a couple minutes, a task not easily done when a home is alarmed and monitored. Safety Requires Proactivity Though we have been focusing on burglary issues thus far, the idea of not waiting until something happens transcends the idea of burglary alone. A Progressive Technology system can also offer you protection against carbon monoxide poisoning, fire, and flood. Among the three, carbon monoxide poisoning is one you do not want to mess around with. Carbon monoxide is an odorless and colorless gas capable of causing severe illness or death. It is present in all of our homes to a small degree, thanks to furnaces and water heaters, but if it builds to a certain level, it can be extremely dangerous. By including carbon monoxide monitoring in your plan, you will be protecting yourself and your family from the potential of deadly carbon monoxide. Our system constantly measures air quality and alerts you if carbon monoxide is found above tolerable limits. That gives you time to clear your house before someone is seriously injured or killed. The point of all this is to say that safety in the home requires proactivity. It requires homeowners to think ahead about the possibilities generated by certain circumstances, then come up with plans to deal with those circumstances. That is where a home alarm system comes in. By assessing the potential dangers in your home, Progressive Technology Security Systems can assist you with home security choices that make sense for you. Do not wait for something tragic to happen before you consider alarming your house. Systems today are easily affordable, so there is no better time to protect your family and property from so many potential dangers.

For those of your with iPhones, iPod Touches, and iPads, did you know that you can download an App directly through the Apple iTunes store that will work with most existing DMP systems. Call us for more details on activation of this service with your panel. Click the following link for the direct iTunes App!  https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/virtual-keypad/id447825243?mt=8

Don’t let yourself of your family become a statistic! Did you know that in the San Diego County alone there are a total of 5,662 Violent Crimes and 31,725 Property related crimes that happen each and every year. As seen in the picture below, CrimeMapping.com is a safe and easy was to see how safe the area your home or business is located in.

Windows: A third of burglars get in through a window. Doors: Two thirds of burglars gain entry through a door. Fencing: The type of fencing, hedging or walls around a property can attract or deter thieves. A low or sagging fence, or a back gate with a weak lock could provide easy access. But a thorny hedge or trellising on walls could put burglars off. Garages: It is important to make sure garages and sheds are secure as they may contain tools which actually help burglars gain entry to the main house. Ladders, for example, should be locked up. Valuable items, if not locked in a secure cupboard should also be visibly and permanently marked.

Click Here for Crime Statistics – San Diego Did you know you can view the crime statics in your area? This site is designed to keep the general public informed about the burglaries and violent crimes in their area. “Better be despised for too anxious apprehensions, than ruined by too confident security.” — Edmund Burke

Did you know that Progressive Technology Security Systems now has all their manuals for their panels on their website? That’s right, you can now simply click and look through the manual for the particular panel and learn all about it! Check out the following link for more details: http://www.protec-alarm.com/MANUALS.html

In many modernized homes you’ll be able find the latest in technological innovation, all of which tend to be centralized and controlled from a main console. Central vacuums, central humidifier, and central a/c have quickly become popular trends amongst developers. However, another common invention that connects each room in the house is an intercom system. Once thought to be only installed in large mansions or apartment buildings, these devices have recently become a familiar phenomenon in many residential houses as well. And since they not only open up the lines of communication between your family members but also serve a serious security function, these speakers are the next best thing to a gated community right in the home.

Would you like us to provide you with an e-mail instead of a pesky mailed out quarterly/monthly/yearly invoice? We now have the capability to do so. Simply fill out the attached form and return it to us with your payment!

Did you know that we offer a DESIGNER SERIES of keypads? That’s right! We offer security keypads to match any decor! Call us today or visit our website for more information on pricing!

DID YOU KNOW..

Choosing Progressive Technology Security Systems means you’re opting for a provider with a strong reputation, extensive experience, and a commitment to delivering high-quality security solutions. Their dedication to protecting your property and ensuring your peace of mind makes them a reliable choice for all your security needs. The post Progressive Technology Security Systems is a smart choice: appeared first on Progressive Technology Security Systems.

In the event of an alarm, make sure your system communicates to your monitoring center. Both AT&T and Verizon will discontinue their cellular networks required to operate 3G cellular devices soon. They’re migrating away from the old telecommunication technology and adopting the faster and more efficient Long-Term Evolution or LTE. As a result of this 3G shut down, every security panel with that old network will stop working.

We are proud to announce our partnership with the Maritime Museum and the building of their new ship, the San Salvador. We are very proud to be providing security service to the ship as well as t, and look forward to seeing its completion. The keel of a full-scale replica of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo’s flagship he used in 1542 when he sailed into San Diego Bay was laid Friday at Spanish Landing Park.The Maritime Museum of San Diego is building the faux San Salvador, with an eye towards opening the exhibit this summer.”This is going to be a full-scale, working replica of Juan Cabrillo’s ship the San Salvador,” said Maritime Museum Executive Director Ray Ashley

The majority of burglar alarm activations are not by bad guys. False alarms account for 10 to 25 percent of all calls to the police. Each call usually requires the response of two officers for 20 minutes. In 2002, American police responded to 36 million alarm calls, costing $1.8 billion. The cost is not only financial. An officer’s time on duty is a finite resource; false burglar alarms lead to a misallocation of police capital. Most of the burglar alarms are installed in affluent neighborhoods, but burglary rates are much higher in lower income areas. With the police clearing so many false alarms in suburban areas, urban areas are vulnerable to actual burglaries. Police spend their time where there is a high density of burglar alarms, not where there are a lot of burglars. This may be why, despite a huge up-tick in the installation of burglar alarms, the clearance rate for burglaries remains under 15 percent. The problem is bad and is likely to get worse. Research into false burglar alarms is based on the approximately 32 million security alarm systems already installed in the United States. But every year another 3 million alarm systems are installed. A recent trend is the marketing of mobile alarm systems, which can be worn on clothing, handheld, or carried in a car. Some departments are already experiencing astronomical rises in their workloads. From 1985 to 2001, the Arlington (Texas) Police Department experienced a 494 percent increase in residential alarms and a 186 percent rise in commercial alarms. Ninety-nine percent of these alarms were false. 

By placing surveillance cameras in common areas and installing credit-card-type computer-aided entry systems, landlords and co-op and condo boards can determine not only who is in a building and where but can keep records of every time someone enters or leaves a building or even an apartment. But when do such systems become an invasion of privacy? And can residents do anything to limit the information an owner can collect. “We are in desperate need of legal protections that regulate the use and potential abuse of private information,” said Donna Lieberman, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union. “Unfortunately, this is an example of where law is way behind technology.” Ms. Lieberman said that few laws, and hardly any court cases, exist that address how much information about residents a property owner can accumulate in the name of enhancing security. “As a legal matter, this is a nuts-and-bolts landlord-tenant issue,” she said. “And sooner or later, it’s going to be litigated.” Mark Lampe, director of marketing for Integral Technologies, an Indianapolis-based manufacturer of video and access control systems, said that when surveillance cameras are integrated with computer-aided access control systems, it is possible to identify whose card is being used to open a door, and then back up that information with a video image of the person actually using the card. That means that a resident who must use a key card to enter a building could be having his picture taken by a camera in the lobby. And a resident who needs a key card to enter her apartment could be having her picture taken by a camera in the hall. “As manufacturers, we can’t dictate how our equipment is being used,” Mr. Lampe said. “We leave that to the lawyers.” Daniel Curtin, a Manhattan real estate lawyer, said that landlords could use the information they collect to prove that rent-regulated tenants are not using an apartment as a primary residence, as the tenants are required to do, or that tenants are subletting without permission. Even more disconcerting for some is the fact that information about an individual’s comings and goings (and whom they were with) can probably be subpoenaed as evidence in criminal or civil proceedings. Mr. Curtin said that while it is well established that cameras are allowed in public places like hallways, lobbies and laundry rooms, it might be possible for a tenant to make a case that a particular surveillance system constitutes harassment. “If you have a camera on every floor, nobody is going to be barking about that,” he said. “But if you happen to have cameras only on floors where you have regulated tenants, that could constitute harassment.” Steven Sidrane, a real estate lawyer in Hewlett, on Long Island, said he has received calls from tenants required to give landlords detailed personal information, including copies of their driver’s licenses, to get key cards for new security systems. “Clearly a landlord is entitled to issue keys only to tenants who can identify themselves,” Mr. Sidrane said. “But to require a tenant to provide a copy of a photo I.D. is going a little too far.” He said that while it is uncertain how courts will react, tenants, by claiming that landlords’ actions violate their leases, might limit the information landlords can accumulate. “The rent laws prohibit a landlord from changing the terms and conditions of a lease,” he said. “I think that under the rent laws, a person can argue that collecting unnecessary personal information, and subjecting them to constant surveillance, is a change in the terms of the tenancy.”  But high-tech surveillance systems do enhance security – a key issue in the post-Sept. 11 era. “Where is the line between better security and invasion of privacy?” he said. “I don’t think anybody really knows.”