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!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
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.
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.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
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!
Sunday, July 18, 2010
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.
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.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
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.
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.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
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.
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.
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