Newsletter for August 22, 2010

Yellen Security Consulting

Topic: Some people just don't care....

This week, I thought I would highlight an article I found on KSL.com.  I have edited the article to highlight the important parts.  To read the full article, visit http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=157&sid=11805171

To sum up the story, three convicted criminals escaped from prison in Arizona on July 30.  On August 19th, the final escapee was caught after a massive manhunt.  The criminals were also suspected of committing several other crimes, including two murders after the escape.  

McCluskey, 45, and Welch, 44, are suspected in several crimes, including the killing of a couple in New Mexico whose torched bodies were found in Santa Rosa. Officials said the Nissan had New Mexico license plates that were stolen around the time they were killed.

Around 4 p.m. Thursday, the U.S. Forest Service ranger investigated what appeared to be an unattended campfire in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, Gonzales said. He found the silver Nissan Sentra backed suspiciously into the trees as if someone were trying to hide it.

The ranger had a brief conversation with McCluskey, who appeared nervous and fidgety.

Arriving officers left nothing to chance _ fully expecting a guns-blazing shootout by two desperate fugitives. A helicopter, ambulance, bloodhounds and a secondary team were brought in to respond to any reports of officers down at the campsite.

Hogle said McCluskey and Welch were standing next to a car that belonged to a neighboring camper as the SWAT team swarmed in. He yelled at McCluskey to "get down." When the fugitive didn't comply, Hogle said, he took him down with force.

McCluskey told authorities he would have used the gun in the tent to shoot them if he had been able to reach it. He also told them that he should've blown away the ranger when he had the chance, police said.

McCluskey was serving a 15-year prison term for attempted second-degree murder, aggravated assault and discharge of a firearm, and previously did time in Pennsylvania related to a string of armed robberies in the 1990s.

These inmates possibly killed at least two people, and would have killed many more if they were given the chance.  This is a perfect example of how some people just don't care.  For those of you who believe we live in a world where most people are good, I hope this gives you a new perspective.  One of the inmates was caught in Wyoming, the other was caught in Montana.  McCluskey was suspected of traveling to Montana, then back to Arizona, where he was caught.  The quickest route from Arizona to Wyoming and Montana is through Utah.  This means that most likely, three killers traveled through Utah on their way to Wyoming and Montana.  One of them did it twice!  They may have even traveled right through your town.  

Give me a call so I can help you protect yourself from the evil of this world.  Don't wait until you are already a victim of one of these terrible people.  Now is the most important time to protect your home and your family.  

Newsletter for 8-15-10

Newsletter for 8-15-10

Special update.

Yesterday, I completed a course to become a NRA certified instructor in basic pistol.  What this means for you is that I can teach you the basics so you can become familiar with a pistol.  So whether you have never picked up a gun, or need help with getting more familiar with your handgun, just give me a call, and I can help you.

Another thing I learned was very scary to me.  I admit that I had no idea about this incident, but wish that I had been informed.  A short while ago, there was a raid performed by police on a gang's "hangout."  While searching the home, large detailed maps were found with X's on certain homes all throughout San Bernardino County, California (one of the largest counties in California).  None of the officers could figure out what the pattern was for the X's.  They tried to think of everything it could possibly be, with no success.

Finally, they placed a map in front of one of the gang's members and asked him what the X's marked meant.  The gang member said that the X's represented every house belonging to any person who is a member of the LDS church.  The gang member said that if something really bad happens, the gang member's were instructed to immediately go to these houses and steal the food storage.  Knowing that most LDS members have food storage, they knew where they would most likely find enough food to survive.

So what do you think the gang members spent their money on?  Food storage, or guns?  That's right, they spent money to purchase guns, so they can steal the LDS members food storage.  So, if you are LDS, the most important item to have in your food storage is a method to defend yourself, your family, and your food storage.  Your food storage is not complete until you have a way of protecting it.

Now, I have heard the arguement that the church teaches to have enough food storage that you can share, but that is not what I am getting at.  If your neighbor comes over and asks to share your food storage, you should let him.  However, you should have a way to protect yourself from a gang of marauders trying to steal your food storage.

If you want more information on what type of firearm is best, or where you should purchase a firearm, or how to operate your new firearm, just give me a call and let me help you with that.

Newsletter for August 8, 2010

Hello my valued readers:

I apologize for not posting anything yesterday.  My life has been rather busy, and I am comforting a pregnant and sick wife.  Please look forward to next weeks newsletter, which should be on time.

Thanks,

Kenny

Yellen Security Consulting Newsletter for August 1, 2010

Newsletter for August 1, 2010

Special on Firearms

This weeks topic is considered to be about as controversial as abortion, the 2nd Amendment. Each person has their own opinion about the 2nd Amendment and the rights of an individual to carry a firearm. First, let's look at what the 2nd Amendment reads:

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Seems like a pretty clear and to the point sentence, right?  Well, that depends on who you talk to.  Some people say that James Madison was talking about the same thing when he referred to "Militia" as he was when he referred to "keep and bear arms."  Meaning that James Madison was setting us up to have the National Guard, a well regulated Militia that has the right to bear arms.  Then there are those who say that James Madison was referring to two separate topics in the same sentence.  Meaning that James Madison was talking about having a Militia, and that we have the right to keep and bear arms.  Some joke that James Madison actually just wanted us to be able to have two arms of a bear, or bear arms.  Obviously, we all know what side of the debate I fall on.  As a gun owner myself, I feel like James Madison was giving the rights to the individuals, not the government, to keep and bear arms.  After just fighting the revolutionary war, and freeing themselves from England, do you really think that James Madison wanted to create a National Guard controlled by the government?  The same National Guard that they just revolted from?  You can create your own opinion about this, because the purpose of my newsletter is not to convince you politically one way or the other.

Robert E. Heinlein once said that an armed society is a polite society.   Every day I carry a concealed firearm.  I feel strongly that someday I might need my firearm to protect myself from the evil of this world.  Every day I hear about another person killed in senseless violence that could be prevented so easily.  So I carry my firearm, and pray that I may never have to pull the trigger.  It is better to have something and not need it, than to need something and not have it.  

Many people misunderstand what I am saying and think that I want every man, woman and child to have access to a firearm.  This could not be any further from the truth.  What I want is every person who is physically and mentally ready to carry a firearm, to do it.  Who should not have a firearm?  Felons, anybody convicted of a violent crime, anybody convicted of a crime involving a firearm, people who are not mentally capable of having a firearm, and people who are not physically ready to carry a firearm.  

This week I discovered that the child my wife will be bringing into this world in December is going to be a girl.  When my daughter is old enough to understand, I will be teaching my daughter about firearms.  When she is physically strong enough, she will shoot her first gun under my supervision.  She will be raised around firearms and she will know the danger and importance of them.  This is one of the many steps I will take to keep my daughter safe.  Parents who place firearms in children's hands without teaching them first, have already failed their children.  You must learn to crawl before you can walk, you must learn the danger of firearms before you can have one.

Carrying a firearm is a big deal when it comes to safety.  You can carry mace and you can carry a stun gun, but you can't beat the safety and peace of mind a firearm brings you.  I strongly encourage firearms to be part of any person's security plan.  You can do a lot of things to keep you and your family safe, but nothing is more important than personal protection.  This is why I plan on putting on a concealed weapon permit class as often as possible.  Please email me at kyellen@yellensecurity.com for more information.

I realize that I have barely scratched the surface on the discussion of firearms.  There is so much more to firearms than what I have discussed.  If you would like to know more, please feel free to call me at 801-810-MORE or email me at kyellen@yellensecurity.com.  

Last week's trivia question was "what are the best type of lights to have pointed at your vehicle?"  There are two possible answers.  Either the brightest light you can find, or a motion sensitive light.

Yellen Security Consulting Newsletter for July 25, 2010

Newsletter for July 25, 2010


Special on Vehicle Safety


Vehicle Safety is not an easy topic to discuss.  When we start talking about vehicle safety, we have to first realize that our vehicles are one of the hardest things to protect.  We leave then unattended for hours every day and rely on the security of the place we park to protect our vehicles.  Even when we install an alarm on our vehicle, it does not alert us or the police that the vehicle is being broken into.  The vehicle makes an audible sound that relies on people near or around the car to be alert and notify police.  Why do you think that so many vehicles are stolen every year?  It is nearly impossible to prevent them from being stolen, vandalized, or burglarized. 


Occasionally, I will watch a T.V. show called "What would you do?" The show is a hidden camera show that is supposed to answer the question, what would a person do in a particular situation.  They place random people in a situation and act out a particular event to see what human instincts will drive us to do.  The other day I watched the show and they set up a scene where three teenagers were breaking into and spray painting a car in a public park.  The show made me laugh as people refused to do anything about the three people vandalizing a car in public.  So what is the difference between a car in public view being vandalized, and a car being stolen or burglarized in the middle of the night.  When we rely on random other people to be the protectors of our personal property, we are setting ourselves up for failure.  These random people we rely on are not trained or prepared to deal with car theft.  Some of them are not even capable of picking up the phone and calling 911, this was clearly demonstrated in the T.V. show I talked about.


So how can I protect my valuables when I park my car?  First of all, park in a well-lit public area.  Make sure that cars frequently pass by your vehicle.  When shopping, make sure you park near a store, where cameras are more likely to be pointed.  If you can, make sure you can see your car from the building you are in.  At work, if your employer requires you to park as far from regular parking as possible, ask them to place bright lights all around that area.  Make sure the light extends beyond the cars so it is harder for people to hide in the shadows the lights create.  Next, don't leave valuables visible in your vehicle. Hide them as best as you can, but don't forget that criminals know this too!  Don't leave your car in a parking lot with a blanket covering a big lump in your back seat.  Try hiding it in various compartments already built into your car, or take them with you.  If you are notorious for having a huge covering of Mcdonalds and Burger King garbage all over your car, you are already set for hiding your valuables.  You can just cover your valuables with the garbage.  Most criminals can spot the cars to break into, a vehicle filled with garbage and junk is not optimal for a criminal.  Don't forget the most important tip of all!  NEVER, EVER leave your vehicle unlocked and unattended.  Whether it is for one second, ten minutes, or a few days, don't ever leave it unlocked.  For more tips, give me a call at 801-810-MORE, or visit my website at www.yellensecurity.com.  The information provided here is only a small amount of the knowledge I have for protecting yourself. 


Last week, I asked you what the type of plant is best to surround your house with to make it safer.  The answer is the thorniest rose bushes you can find.  Place them under all ground level windows.  Criminals will hide in regular bushes because of how well they can conceal people.  Make the bushes as thorny as possble to keep intruders away.


This weeks trivia question is: What type of lights are the best to have pointed at your vehicle?  Don't hesitate to answer, there are no wrong answers!

My class field trip...

On  July 16, 2010 I joined a group of Murray Chamber members on a special "field trip" to Energy Solutions.  No, I am not talking about the building that used to be the Delta Center, I am talking about the hazardous waste processing plant about 45 minutes from Wendover.  The plant tour is available to members of the public at no cost, plus they provide a lunch.  So if you are interested in learning more about hazardous waste processing, I encourage you to take advantage of this offer.  They will provide lunch and a nice ride over in an air-conditioned bus.  Just call 801-649-2000 to schedule the tour.

The reason for this newsletter is simple, I learned a lot and I want to share this with you.  I learned that Energy Solutions is not allowed to take fuel rods or other radioactive material that we so commonly associate with hazardous material.  There are technically four types of radioactive materials.  Class A, Class B, Class C, and Highly Radioactive material.  Class A is the weakest form of radioactive material, and Highly Radioactive material is the highest form.  Class B and Class C materials include radioactive sensors you find in smoke detectors and material you might find in a wristwatch.  Class B and Class C materials are used consistently in household products.  So what type of radioactive materials might you find at Energy Solutions?  Class A only.  They are prohibited from taking smoke detectors or watches or any other material that contains Class B and Class C radiation.  Honestly, I expected to see big barrels of glowing green sludge that you often see Homer Simpson messing with.  I was completely surprised at the types of material they actually take there.

So where does Class B and Class C radioactive materials go?  They are all required to go to a processing facility in Washington D.C.  So none of those materials are supposed to be processed by anybody else.  Most of those materials end up in land fills, even though they are not supposed to.

They also showed us how the waste is unable to penetrate our water supply, because of the type of ground Utah has.  They showed us how safe they make the radioactive materials, and how we don't need to worry about them destroying Utah.  They told us that this site was specifically selected because it is not susceptible to acts of God like earthquakes and hurricanes.  

Another thing we learned was that they have set aside money to fund constant monitoring of the materials they place there for 100 years.  Most of the material will lose its radioactive qualities after 25 years and become no less dangerous than soil in our backyard.

After taking the tour, I became less worried about what Energy Solutions is doing out there.  I am not worried about Utah becoming a "dumping ground."  I encourage Utah lawmakers to allow other states and countries to pay Energy Solutions to take their waste too, as this will bring in more money for Utah.



The above picture seems misplaced, but it is very important to help you understand the waste processing plant.  This type of plate is coated in a particular paint that gives off radiation.  It is considered a Class B or Class C type radioactive material.  Energy Solutions had a Geiger counter and placed it up against a similar plate.  The Geiger counter went crazy.  So if we can eat off this plate, why is it so dangerous?  Why can't Energy Solutions just take this type of material?  I believe this is because so many of us are misinformed about what hazardous waste facilities really do.  I want to again encourage you to take a free tour of Energy Solutions.

Come to our Webinar

Yellen Security Consulting has decided to try out a new service.  We are going to host a Webinar on Residential Security.  The cost is $10.00.  Click here to learn more!

Yellen Security Consulting Newsletter for July 18, 2010

Newsletter for July 18, 2010


Special on Burglary


Last weeks topic was on the limitations of law enforcement.  I felt this topic was important because I wanted people to have a better understanding of what the police are able to do.  Without this very basic understanding, people will be unnecessarily upset with law enforcement.  


The information I included in last week's topic only skimmed the surface of what police are capable of doing.  As a matter of fact, it would probably take me a few months of constant training to educate a person so they fully understand what law enforcement goes through every day.  You might be asking yourself, "how can I fully understand law enforcement?". There are two possible ways to take care of this.  Option one is not as feasible for everybody, and that is to become a police officer.  The other option is quite simple, go on a ride along with your local police department.  


Many people don't know that most Law Enforcement agencies allow the general public to take a free ride with a police officer.  This option is available to you specifically so you can have a better understanding of law enforcement.  All you have to do is call and ask (don't call 911, call the non-emergency number).  I strongly encourage all of my readers to take advantage of this offer.  If you want to know more, feel free to email me with your questions. 

This weeks topic is on Burglary.  Burglary is a simple crime that affects millions of people.  As the economy  continues to struggle, criminal desperation increases.  People who normally wouldn't take such chances, quickly find themselves taking new risks.  With the number of Burglaries increasing every day, the question quickly arises," How can I protect myself?"  The quickest fix is what everybody wants.  So they call an alarm company.  The alarm company comes out and installs a product that best suites your budget.  Most of the time, the alarm is not even set up to take care of your biggest concerns.

So, how can you completely protect yourself from Burglary?  The answer is quite simple.  First, you can never be completely safe, but you can make your home very unappealing to Burglars.  Simply take a few extra steps to secure your home.  Most of the tips to secure your home cost less than $100!  So instead of calling that alarm company to install an expensive alarm, why not try a few things that will keep you safer for just a couple of dollars?


Many people think that it is law enforcement's job to protect them.  They don't want to spend money on their own safety because they just figure it won't happen to them, and it is not their job to worry about that.  This type of thinking is dangerous to your family.  There are multiple reasons to protect yourself and your possessions while you are not at home.  One of the reasons I would be worried, would be that you will never again feel safe in your house, no matter what you do.  People think that feeling that way is for wimps and losers, but it's not!  If you can't feel safe in your own home, you will never feel safe again.  The other problem is that statistically, burglars are rarely caught.  When they are caught, they either don't have your stuff anymore, or they have damaged it.  


This reminds me of a story from when I was younger.  My father proudly displayed several decorations on the outside of his home.  The decorations were a terracotta sun, moon and stars.  Shortly after we moved to a small town, they were stolen.  My father made a police report, and amazingly enough, they were found and returned.  However, by the time that police found them, the thieves had spray painted them an ugly silver color to make them unidentifiable.  The spray paint ruined the beautiful decorations which were no longer proudly displayed on the side of our home.  The safety and security of our home had been compromised, and an irreplaceable item had been damaged.  No amount of insurance money would have restored either of those.


So the next time that you find yourself saying that it won't happen to you, or that you have insurance and don't need to worry about it, I strongly encourage you to reconsider.  Look through your house right now and decide if you lost everything, if it could be replaced.  What I encourage you to do is to take one of my basic security courses.  Each of my courses discuss various ways to protect yourself.  


Coming up next week: Car Safety!


Trivia Question:  What type of plant is best to surround your house with to deter criminal activity?  Place your answer in the comment section


Feel free to comment as much as you would like on this story.

Yellen Security Consulting Newsletter for July 11, 2010

Newsletter for July 11, 2010

Special on Law Enforcement

As an ex-law enforcement officer, I am well aware of the abilities and limitations that are placed on law   enforcement officers.  That is why I feel that the best topic to begin with for my newsletter is on Law Enforcement.

Law Enforcement is a difficult job, and is one of the most scrutinized careers any person could ever choose.  Decisions are made in a split second that could not only change another persons life, but it could change their own.  As in the example of Johannes Mehserle who was the cause of the Oakland Riots in early 2009, a law enforcement officers career could quickly change.  Mehserle was a BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) cop, which is very similar to a transit officer, but with more police power.  On New Years Eve 2009, Mehserle was responding to fights breaking out in the subway system, which quickly turned into a very volatile and unsafe situation.  During the arrest, Mehserle pulled out a gun and shot a person he was trying to arrest in the back.  Mehserle has since been arrested for manslaughter and is awaiting trial.  In this example, many people focus on whether or not Mehserle was justified in his decision to use lethal force.  I have decided to withhold my judgement for this situation as I was not there for the incident.  Many factors will be accounted for in his trial, where he will be tried by a jury and not by uninformed members of the public who make  judgement calls based on things they hear or read in the media.

What I see in this story and the reason I tell it, is that law enforcement officers make quick decisions that will be analyzed for years to come.  Many people are hard on law enforcement officers because they don't understand them.  Another example of that would be when members of the public say that law enforcement officers should "shoot the gun out of a suspects hands." This notion is purely Hollywood and has no place in real life situations.  Many law enforcement officers spend months training just to shoot the center mass of a target the size of a regular person.

So what type of expectations should you have from law enforcement?  That is a great question, which I will answer with a simple story. Earlier this week, the license plate was stolen off of my personal vehicle.  The person who removed my license plate bent down in front of my vehicle while I was asleep in my apartment and stole the license plate.  I was able to find the screws in front of my car, meaning the person did take it and it didn't just fall off.  So the first question I have is what would somebody want with my license plate?  My best guess is that they want the Wyoming license plate.

My first step was to report the theft to law enforcement.  I called the dispatcher and told them that I needed to report a theft.  I spoke with a law enforcement officer on the phone and explained the situation.  He asked me a few questions about the license plate and myself.  I answered them as best as I could, and he gave me a case number.  Then he told me that it was almost time to get my plates in Utah anyway.  I never saw an actual law enforcement officer, and a law enforcement officer never came to my home.  So, why am I not mad about my encounter?

The answer is very simple, I understand law enforcement and I know the abilities and restrictions placed on them.  I did not expect anything more than what I received.  Law enforcement has limited time to investigate these types of crimes.  Actually, I am lucky somebody even took my call.  Somewhere there is a line drawn in the sand where it is our responsibility to protect ourselves.  So I moved my vehicle to a better lit spot.  I also spoke with my landlord and asked for better lighting in that area.  I also have a simple plan in place in case my landlord refuses.  This will leave my vehicle better protected at night while I sleep.  Three simple steps that will make my vehicle safer, and I didn't even have to complain about my local law enforcement.

At Yellen Security Consulting, my goal is to help you know what to do to protect your property and make you safe.  An alarm system would not have prevented the theft.  An alarm system would not have even gone off.  My knowledge helped me to know exactly what to do to protect myself.  I don't want to be selfish, I want to share this knowledge with everybody.  Please give me a call and let me help you!  Call 801-810-MORE.


Please feel free to comment on this newsletter in the comment section.  You can also share any examples you would like.

Blog added!

Hello readers,

I would like to welcome you to my security consulting blog.  I imagine that many people are wondering why a business would have a blog, but I would like to assure you that I have that same question.  My intention is to post security tips at least weekly on this blog once that I have an interest.  So check this blog often to see what kind of information you can receive from me for free!  You can also click follow me on the left and receive email updates whenever I post something!

Be sure to check out www.yellensecurity.com!  If you need to get in touch with me, don't hesitate to call me at 801-810-MORE, or email me at kyellen@yellensecurity.com.  Don't forget, I provide most services that relate to safety and security.