TW Systems, Inc. is participating in the 2012 MS Walk: Richmond on April 21 at Innsbrooke in Glen Allen, VA.  Please  join our walk team and help us raise money to find a cure for this disease that not only affects one of our team members but the lives of thousands of others in our community.

By joining TW Systems’ Walk team, you will be signing up not just for a day of fun, but also for a celebration of the great things we can achieve when working together for a common cause. Each step we take is one step closer to a cure – and closer to A World Free of MS. So what are you waiting for? Register online or make a donation on our team’s behalf at www.iwalkforms.org. Get your family, friends, and co-workers together to join in raising money. It will be a great day for all involved!

If you can’t walk with us, please make a donation of any amount. Any help you can provide is greatly appreciated! Hope to see you at the walk. In the meantime…

Click here to view the team page for
If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address:

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?team_id=283315&pg=team&fr_id=18143&et=qZ2WeyOatnr0YdPEB4tVqw&s_tafId=235419

Click here to view the company page for TW Systems Inc.
If the text above does not appear as a clickable link, you can visit the web address:
http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?company=TW+Systems+Inc.&company_id=49918&pg=company&fr_id=18143&et=z_qVAdCLXVHvRD7uPDsaJw&s_tafId=235419

P.S. If you would like more information about the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, how proceeds from the Walk MS are used, or the other ways you can get involved in the fight against MS, please visit www.MoveVA.org.

http://www.nbc12.com/story/16927315/police-nab-5-teens-in-string-of-chesterfield-breakins

FACT: Rate of home burglaries without certified alarm systems: 1 in 3 homes without 1 in 250 with an alarm system.

FACT: 59% of burglaries occur during the day. While 41% occur at night.

FACT: On average, a burglary occurs in the US every 14.6 seconds.

FACT: 66% of most burglaries are forced entry, 26% unlawful entry, and 8% forcible entry attempts.

FACT: The average burglar lives within 2 miles of their target and is a male teenager.

FACT: Only 14% of US residents have an anti-burglar protection system installed in their homes.

FACT: Many insurance companies covering homes offer premium discounts for having an alarm system.

 1.  What are the characteristics of a “typical” home burglar?

a.  Male, age 25 – 40, lives within a few miles of his targeted area.

b.  Female, age 15 – 25, lives within 20 miles of her targeted area.

c.  Male, teenager, lives within two miles of his targeted area.

2.  How frequently does a burglary take place in the US?

a.  Every 5 minutes.

b.  Every 14.6 seconds.

c.  Every 2 minutes.

3.  What percentage of burglaries are residential?

a.  65.8%

b.  75.4%

c.  48.7%

4.  What time of day do most burglaries occur?

a.  11:00 pm – 5:00 am

b.  10:00 am – 3:00 pm

c.  8:00 am – 1:00 pm

5.  How much time does a burglar stay in a home?

a.  2 – 5 minutes

b.  7 – 10 minutes

c.  8 – 12 minutes

6.  Which is the first room a burglar goes for valuables?

a.  Kitchen

b.  Master bedroom

c.  Office/extra bedroom

7.  Where are the first places burglars look for valuables?

a.  Freezer, bedroom closet, and dresser drawers.

b.  Shoe boxes, freezer, and between mattresses.

c.  Linen closet, old pocket books, and freezer.

8.  What are the FBI’s burglary rates of homes with/without alarm systems?

a.  1 in 10 without an alarm and 1 in 100 with an alarm system.

b.  1 in 20 without an alarm and 1 in 200 with an alarm system.

c.  1 in 3 without an alarm and 1 in 250 with an alarm system.

9.  Does landscaping (i.e., Keeping shrubs & trees trimmed and/or away against your home.) pay a part in preventing burglaries?

a.  Yes

b.  No

10.  What’s the longest a burglar wants to spend breaking into a home?

a.  30 seconds

b.  60 seconds

c.  90 seconds

Answers below…

Answers: 1-c, 2-b, 3-a, 4-b, 5-c, 6-b, 7-a, 8-c, 9-a, 10-b.

In addition to providing the space we need for our growth, our new location will also be a “demo building” for many of the services we provide:

• Security Systems
• Burglar Alarm Systems
• CCTV
• Audio Visual Systems
• Staff/Employee/Patient/Resident  Locator
• Help Call Systems for Healthcare and Educational Facilities, Criminal Justice Facilities, including Courts
• Asset Tracking

Additional Services We Provide Include:

• Fire Alarm Systems
• Fire Alarm Inspections
• Motion, Glass, Carbon Monoxide & Gas Detectors
• Cabling: Telephone, Cat 5, & Structured
• Mass Notification Systems

Our new address is:

8505 K  Bell Creek Road
Mechanicsville, VA 23116

We look forward to you visiting us and checking out or “demo building” soon.

Home Fire Escape Planning

•  Practice finding your way out of the house with your eyes closed, crawling or staying low and feeling your way out of the house.
• Never open doors that are hot to the touch.
• Teach your family to stop, drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire.
• Make sure everyone in your family knows at least two ways to escape from each room in the house.
• Make sure everyone in the family understands and practices how to properly operate and open locked or barred doors and windows.
• Designate a meeting place outside and take attendance. Get out and stay out.
• Remember to escape first, then notify the fire department.
• Finally, practice makes perfect! Practice your home fire escape plan every month.

Smoke Alarms Save Lives

• Working smoke alarms save lives and can double your chances of surviving a fire.
• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home.
• Test your smoke alarm monthly.
• Clean your smoke alarm often. Keep it free of dust and replace the battery at least twice a year. Remember, improperly working smoke alarms, especially alarms with missing batteries, cannot warn you of danger!

Carbon Monoxide Alarms – Exposing the Silent Killer

•  CO gas comes from several sources, such as gas-fired appliances, charcoal grills, wood-burning furnaces or fireplaces and motor vehicles.
• Everyone is at risk for CO poisoning, particularly unborn babies, infants, children and senior citizens.
• To protect your family from CO poisoning remember to install CO alarms near sleeping areas and on each floor.
• Remember to have a qualified professional check all fuel burning appliances, furnaces, venting and chimney systems once a year.
• Never use a range oven to help heat your home.
• Never use a charcoal grill in your home or garage.
• Never keep a car running in a garage.
• When purchasing a new home, have a qualified technician evaluate the integrity of the heating and cooking system.

Sprinklers

• The combination of working smoke alarms and home fire sprinklers reduces the likelihood of death from fire by more than 80 percent.
• Fire sprinkler systems offer the optimum level of fire safety because they control the fire immediately in the room of origin, help limit the spread of fire, and often extinguish it before the fire departments arrives.
• Families with children, senior citizens, and physically impaired members have special fire protection needs. Home fire sprinkler systems provide added protection for these people.

Tips contained within this blog were obtained from the Virginia Department of Fire Programs. For more safety information visit the Virginia Department of Fire Programs at www.vafire.com.

Smoke Alarms Save Lives

• Working smoke alarms save lives and can double your chances of surviving a fire.
• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home.
• Test your smoke alarm monthly.
• Clean your smoke alarm often. Keep it free of dust and replace the battery at least twice a year. Remember, improperly working smoke alarms, especially alarms with missing batteries, cannot warn you of danger!

Heating -

No matter what heating device you use in your home, there are safety measures you can take to prevent fires.

Keep Fireplaces and Wood Stoves Clean

• Have your chimney or wood stove inspected and cleaned annually by a certified chimney specialist.
• Clear the area around the hearth of debris, decorations and flammable materials.
• Always use a metal mesh screen with fireplaces. Leave glass doors open while burning a fire.
• Install stovepipe thermometers to help monitor flue temperatures.
• Keep air inlets on wood stoves open, and never restrict air supply to fireplaces. Otherwise you may cause creosote buildup that could lead to a chimney fire.
• Use fire-resistant materials on walls around wood stoves.
• For wood stove fuel and fireplaces use only seasoned wood, not green wood, artificial logs, or trash.
• Never leave a fire in the fireplace unattended. Extinguish the fire before going to bed or leaving the house.
• Soak hot ashes in water and place them in a metal container outside your home.

Kerosene Heaters

• Kerosene heaters may not be permitted in certain areas. If you use a kerosene heater, use only the recommended fuel. Always refuel outdoors safety away from your home.
• Allow the heater to cool before refueling and only refuel outdoors.

Special Populations -

Because fire safety information is critical to planning and overall preparedness, the Virginia Department of Fire Programs recommend the following safety tips for special populations:

• Include everyone in your home and make a home escape plan, making provisions for anyone who has a disability. Practice your plan at least
  twice a year.
• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home and outside of each sleeping area.
• When developing your evacuation plan, remember to inform others if you have special needs. For example, if you live in an apartment building you may want to share your plan with the appropriate building and management personnel or your local fire department.
• If necessary, have a ramp available for emergency exits.
• Unless instructed by the fire department, never use an elevator during a fire.
•  Be sure your street address is clearly marked and visible from the street.
• Know which local emergency services are available and have those numbers posted or memorized.
• People with hearing impairments cannot hear alarms and voice Announcements that warn of danger and the need to evacuate.

Plan Your Escape

• Practice finding your way out of the house with your eyes closed, crawling or staying low and feeling your way out of the house.
• Never open doors that are hot to the touch.
• Teach your family to stop, drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire.
• Make sure everyone in your family knows at least two ways to escape from each room in the house.
• Make sure everyone in the family understands and practices how to properly operate and open locked or barred doors and windows.
• Designate a meeting place outside and take attendance. Get out and stay out.
• Remember to escape first, then notify the fire department.
• Finally, practice makes perfect! Practice your home fire escape plan every month.

Tips contained within this blog were obtained from the Virginia Department of Fire Programs. For more safety information visit the Virginia Department of Fire Programs at www.vafire.com