Wednesday, December 28, 2016

What you will need to save your life in a winter emergency.

 

How to Make a Winter Survival Kit
Everyone should carry a Winter Survival Kit in their car. In an emergency, it could save your life and the lives of your passengers. Here is what you need. According the State of Wisconsin, here is what you'll need:
  • a shovel
  • windshield scraper and small broom
  • flashlight with extra batteries
  • battery powered radio
  • water
  • snack food including energy bars
  • raisins and mini candy bars
  • matches and small candles
  • extra hats, socks and mittens 
  • First aid kit with pocket knife
  • Necessary medications
  • blankets or sleeping bag
  • tow chain or rope
  • road salt, sand, or cat litter for traction
  • booster cables
  • emergency flares and reflectors
  • fluorescent distress flag and whistle to attract attention
  • Cell phone adapter to plug into lighter




Kit tips:
  • Store items in the passenger compartment in case the trunk is jammed or frozen shut.
  • Choose small packages of food that you can eat hot or cold.
911 tips:
  • If possible, call 911 on your cell phone. Provide your location, condition of everyone in the vehicle and the problem you're experiencing.
  • Follow instructions: you may be told to stay where you are until help arrives.
  • Do not hang up until you know who you have spoken with and what will happen next.
  • If you must leave the vehicle, write down your name, address, phone number and destination. Place the piece of paper inside the front windshield for someone to see.
Survival tips:
  • Prepare your vehicle: Make sure you keep your gas tank at least half full.
  • Be easy to find: Tell someone where you are going and the route you will take.
  • If stuck: Tie a florescent flag (from your kit) on your antenna or hang it out the window. At night, keep your dome light on. Rescue crews can see a small glow at a distance. To reduce battery drain, use emergency flashers only if you hear approaching vehicles. If you're with someone else, make sure at least one person is awake and keeping watch for help at all times. 
  • Stay in your vehicle: Walking in a storm can be very dangerous. You might become lost or exhausted. Your vehicle is a good shelter.
  • Avoid Overexertion: Shoveling snow or pushing your car takes a lot of effort in storm conditions. Don't risk a heart attack or injury. That work can also make you hot and sweaty. Wet clothing loses insulation value, making you susceptible to hypothermia.
  • Fresh Air: It's better to be cold and awake than comfortably warm and sleepy. Snow can plug your vehicle's exhaust system and cause deadly carbon monoxide gas to enter your car. Only run the engine for 10 minutes an hour and make sure the exhaust pipe is free of snow. Keeping a window open a crack while running the engine is also a good idea.
  • Don't expect to be comfortable: You want to survive until you're found.

Monday, October 24, 2016


Click the link to see the the Wood TV 8 story.

http://woodtv.com/2016/06/03/life-after-war-marine-and-combat-dog-working-together-again/


GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — This is a story of man and man’s best friend — one best told through pictures from the battlefield.
That’s where Marine Cpl. Jeff DeYoung and his bomb-sniffing, life-saving partner Cena became best pals.
The pair teamed up to seek out explosives in Afghanistan back in 2009.
“He cleared the roads, he found the IEDs, he cleared routes and everything and kept us safe,” DeYoung said of Cena. “During firefights, I would have to lay on top of him over myself because he’s a more valuable asset than I was.”
DeYoung and Cena were split up in 2010. It wasn’t until four years later when they finally saw each other again. Their reunion made national headlines, and they have been inseparable ever since.
But like so many of those who serve, DeYoung, a Jenison graduate, struggled to find his footing after returning home from war. Employers were hesitant to allow him to bring to Cena to work.
Not Charlesbrook Protection Services.  The small security company has allowed DeYoung the chance to work alongside Cena yet again.
“When he got out of the military, he really didn’t feel like he fit in anywhere,” Charlesbrook CEO Ryan Woodford said. “He went from a few companies to a few companies, and was just overwhelmingly grateful that we were going to give him what he needed — which was very minimal stuff.”
DeYoung, who has PTSD, now shares his story to advocate for other veterans. He has become a military ambassador for the American Humane Association.
He speaks at events to advocate for veterans rights — especially for veterans in the workplace — and for those who have special needs, like a service dog.
“It’s not so much as hiring a person with a pet. You’re just hiring a stronger team member,” DeYoung said.
As for Cena, he’s now nine years old. Save for a limp, he gets around all right. How many years he has left is anyone’s guess — but you can be sure they will be spent alongside his best friend.
“We’ve had our bumps and bruises and wild rides. We’ve shared fighting holes in places that people can’t spell. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything. And I wouldn’t trade our days for anything,” DeYoung said. -Evan Dean 

Thursday, August 11, 2016

How to make my business safer- Doors (part 1)

Thank you for taking time to read our blog. Our blog series “how to make my business safer” will continue this week with the topic of doors. Doors are a complex issue and will be broken up over several posts.  A door can be a very vulnerable point for any structure to get broken into. Doors were designed for people to get into a building, we just want to control which people get in.

WINDOWS-

Let’s start with the type of door you select. We think of several different elements when we select doors and often times, looks and styling usually take priority.  One of those elements of style is windows within the door. Windows have lots of benefits, just not when it comes to making your business safer. Windows in doors should be avoided at all cost. However, you are going to select a door that has a window, ensure that the window is placed high in the door. Ensure that it is small enough that if the window got broken someone can not reach the lock or enter through the opening. We would also recommend that the glass is designed that someone looking in is unable to get a clear picture of what is inside. Buy tamper resistant glass if available. 

MATERIAL-

The quality of the door material and its density should not be overlooked. Most doors are either wood, steel or fiberglass. Solid wood doors are expensive and fiberglass often has limitations.  Steel is an overall great option, lower priced than other materials, lower maintenance and provides you protection. There are variety of styles and options to pick from.  When buying a steel door, the gauge of the steel is very important.  The lower the number the thicker the steel. 24 gauge is common at big box stores selling a low end/discount doors. This is not sufficient for security and you should look for a lower number.

NEXT WEEK-


We hope you feel more informed when selecting a door to help make your business safer. Next week we will talk about locks, hinges, strike plates and installation techniques. To see more updates, like our Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/charlesbrookprotection/











Monday, July 25, 2016

How to make my business safer- exterior lighting

How to make my business safer?


 This is a question we often get from clients and there is no one simple answer. There are several ways we can make our businesses safer and it can’t be covered in one post. Over the next several weeks we are going to do a blog series covering many different aspects of how business owners can make their business safer.   We understand that small businesses often times do not have an excess of amount of money to put into security. The things that we discuss will have a range of prices so even the smallest budgets can still improve the safety of where they work.  

Security is formed in layers. A good security plan should have several layers of protection before a threat can get to you, your employees/customers or your products. Often times these layers will not be noticed by the untrained eye but still provide an excellent deterrent to a would be criminal.

The first topic we will cover on “How to make my business safer” is exterior lighting. 


 Using ample, well placed exterior motion lighting is a great, inexpensive way to make your business safer.  Criminals in large, are people of convenience. If they are committing crimes at night, they want to be able to use the cover of darkness. If a dark venue is not available, they may move on to a different, easier location.  Motion lights are a great way to prevent this without using energy when they are not needed. We still recommend using lights that stay on all night at main entrances and other commonly used areas. Motion lighting is best used on the back sides of buildings and other potential blind spots.

Where you install your lighting is very important. It should be installed high enough a burglar can not tamper, vandalize or remove the bulb. If a high location is not available, consider using a cage or other protective device.   Other lights are sold as “vandal resistant lighting.” They offer other protection solutions to prevent someone from taking out your lighting in the course of committing a crime.

Lighting can also keep your employees safe by preventing falls or other accidents from objects that may not have ben seen in a dark environment.

Next question we get asked about lighting is what brand to buy. While we do not endorse any certain brand, generally you get what you pay for.  Look for features that allow you to adjust the range of detection, length of time the lights stay on and angle you can project the light. A very important feature to look for is a battery back up. If a criminal is serious and knows what they are doing, they may cut the power to your building. If so, a battery back is a great way to still detour them. 

 This is just the basics of lighting. We do a threat analysis, free of charge to clients that hire our security guards that goes much deeper into this topic.

Check back often as we will be adding more posts often that can truly help you make your business safer. 


Monday, June 27, 2016

Sheriff's Department graduates first electronic detection K9.






According to Fox 13 of Salt Lake City a new K-9 has joined the ranks of Weber County Sheriff’s Office is jokingly called Utah’s first "porn dog."
The 16-month-old black Labrador named URL, is the state’s first electronic detection K-9. The dog comes from the same trainer as the K-9 who played a role in the arrest of former Subway pitchman, Jared Fogle, according to a press release from the sheriff's office.
URL is specifically trained to sniff out electronic storage devices such as thumb drives, cellphones, SIM cards, SD cards, external hard drives, tablets and iPads.
“Whether it’s child porn, or terrorism intelligence, narcotics or financial crimes information, URL has the ability to find evidence hidden on basically any electronic memory device,” the release states.
Authorities say URL will assist investigators on these specific cases and will also be used at the Weber County Jail to locate contraband, such as cellphones.
“URL does not actually search for illegal materials, but rather his highly sensitive nose has been trained to detect the unique chemical compounds found in the certain electronic components,” the release states.
The K-9 was acquired from Jordan Detection K-9 in Greenfield, Ind. Rescued from a shelter as a puppy, URL went through six months of training before becoming certified.
He is one of nine certified electronic detection K-9s in the country and the only one in the western states region, according to the release.

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Security Guard pays it forward.



We at Charlesbrook Protection Services received this email from a lady named Susian. We had never heard of her prior to this encounter she had with one of our security guards at a gas station in Grand Rapids. He was off duty and on his way to his post for the night . Below is her email:


"To whom it may concern,  My name is Susian, I have not heard of your company until today.  I am writing this as a result of an encounter I had with a guard who is employed by you.  I was in the gas station with my two kids and was paying for my groceries when I noticed I was short money.  One of your employees gave me money to help pay for my groceries.  I know it was one of your employees because he was still in uniform and i remember the patch. I did not get his name but he was a younger, taller and bigger man.  Im writing this because he left before i can get his name and wanted to see if maybe you can thank him for me.  I wish you all of the best, and have a blessed day, Susian. "


 We can thank him for you! Thank you ,Corporal Dorchak. For those of you who know him, this story will not come as a surprise.  Corporal Dorchak is know for doing these types of things. You will also know that he didn't want any recognition for this but we think he deserves it!   He's always willing to lend a hand to someone in need. His morals make him a great officer.  Your actions reflect well on our company and yourself. You are commended for a job well done.  

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Questions to ask a security guard company before hiring them.


Choosing the correct security guard agency should be one of the most important decisions you, your business or your community will ever make. You are trusting your safety to them the personnel they employ.  Asking the following questions will help you make the right choice when selecting a private security company:
Is the company licensed?
In the state of Michigan, private security companies must be licensed through the State of Michigan. Ask to see a copy of their license. The name of that company should be printed on the license. If it is not in that companies name, that company is unlicensed.  The  company should document employees. The State of Michigan no longer requires background checks for employees of a security guard agency.  It is up to the company you're hiring to conduct pre employment screenings. Make sure they are doing this and ask for proof. Not doing so could mean you are letting a violent felon or sexual predator into your place of business. Hiring an unlicensed company puts you at increase risk of being sued and could put you in danger. 
Is the company bonded?
Michigan requires security guard agencies to obtain  bonding in the amount of $250,000 or more. 
Still unsure if they are licensed?
If you are still unsure contact the Michigan Department of licensing and regulatory affairs to verify.
Do they have references?
Ask for current references and contact them. Find out what specific services they are receiving and what their experiences have been. Ask them if they have ever used another company and how their services compare. 
Is the company insured?
Make sure the private security company you are considering carries liability insurance. Ask to be shown proof. 
Do the security officers present a professional image?
The company’s security officers should wear professional uniforms. They should be neat, clean and polished looking. If they are wearing t-shirts or don't look professional, remember they are representing your company as well.  If they don't look professional this should raise some red flags.
Are they the lowest bidder?
The lowest bid is not always the best and probably is that cheap for a reason. If a private security company’s prices are significantly lower than others, they may plan to cut expenses by hiring unskilled workers or failing to have proper insurance. Remember, you get what you pay for. 
Does the company monitor its guards?
Many security guards work off shift hours when the security company’s office is closed, and lack of supervision is one of the top complaints in the private security industry. A top private security company should have chain of command that stays in contact with its officers.  
Does the company document incidents and complete daily report logs.  on my property?
Reputable security companies daily report logs, incident reports, and other such documents/ records. This protects both companies from liability. 
Does the company set up custom security plans?
a one size fits all approach should never be taken. Make sure they are setting up plans to meet your facility and companies unique needs. 
Does the company provide me other services such as light checks or lock ups if I need them?
All services and fees should be clearly specified in your contract.
Does the company have 24 hour communication in place for emergencies if I need to reach them?
A private security company should provide you with a way to contact a supervisor, even at night, on weekends and during holidays.