Home Security And The Babysitter

Mom and Dad sometimes need their get-away time from the kids.  You can call it a mental rest break.  If there are young children, it implies that someone will need to supervise them while you are out.  Whether it’s a grandparent, in-law, adult neighbor or the teenage babysitter, if you have a home security system, the person left in charge will need to know how to operate it in your absence.  NEXUS Home Security offers some tips on how to make your night out a relaxing and pleasant time for both you and the babysitter.
Babysitter Guidelines – Before leaving to go out you will need to provide basic information to the babysitter to avoid “surprises”.  This should be well organized to handle most anything. This includes:

• A list of contacts and telephone numbers, including the doctor.
• A list of emergency service numbers:  police, fire, poison control.
• Location of the first aid kit with children´s allergies and medical information.
• Guidelines for children´s normal routine, bedtime, TV, etc.
• Basic guide on how to use the home security system:  arm/disarm, call for help, etc.
• Permission.  When in doubt, the babysitter should call you.

Home Alarm System Guidelines – For additional security of your children, your babysitter should know the basic operation of your home alarm system.  Depending upon the type and features of alarm system will determine the level of information provided.

• Know how to arm and disarm the home security system. If your home security system permits, assign an alternative (or temporary) rather than the master access code.   Explain and show how to enter the access code in the alarm system control panel.  Then have the babysitter arm and disarm the system to ensure that the procedure is understood.
• Explain the procedure to cancel an emergency request to the monitoring center in case the alarm system triggers by accident. This may include the need to respond to an identification “challenge” by the monitoring center personnel via telephone or the touch-screen control panel with intercom.
• In the event of smoke or CO detection, the alarm system will automatically advise the monitoring center of a potential emergency. The monitoring center will then attempt to contact the babysitter.  The babysitter will need to know how to respond to the contact.
• If the babysitter will be leaving the house with the children, there will be the need to arm the security system from outside. Normally this would be by simply pushing the on/off button of a remote keyfob device.  This can also be done with a smart-phone and software application, if the home alarm system offers this function.

Home Alarm Video Surveillance – If you have a wireless home security system with WiFi video cameras, then your alarm system will allow you to remotely view video images from your Internet enabled device (smart-phone, tablet or computer) whenever you desire.  If your alarm system includes motion detectors, you will be alerted when an event has occur allowing you to remotely access the system as well.  If your home security system includes intelligent access control devices (wireless door locks and lighting), you will receive an alert when a door has opened or closed that might require your attention.  Advising the babysitter that you can “visually check-in” remotely at any time should provide a higher level of security in case something unexpected happens.

For more information, please visit:  http://www.NexusHomeSecurity24.com/