Why National Retailers need to double check who they hire to do there security work

 A True Story .An alarm technician walks into a national retailer of novelty's store's in a mall in Washington County Pa.  He greats the manager shows her his work order and the motion sensor  he is suppose to hook up. Well  as usual the wrong one has been sent it can not be hooked in. He asks to use a phone sits down at the cramped managers desk to use the phone to call dispatch  to tell them they sent the wrong unit. He leaves in a huff with a few swear words and says he will be back.
Later that evening the manager a very good looking single woman gets a call on her phone . It is the alarm technician he wants to know if she would like to go on a dinner date. Shes shocked how did he get her number .
Oh maybe he saw it while her cell phone was on the desk. She hangs up thinking that's it . The calls persist . She then calls her corporate security people to report it and they say they will get hold of the alarm provider and get its stopped. But its too late 2 hours later the alarm technician is now banging on the door of here apartment . She calls the police the alarm technician is charged with stalking her and during the interrogation he admits he looked at the Rolodex  on her desk and got her personal information.
 I only know this because I worked for the same  National Accounts Servicing Company  based in  Florida as a Sub Contractor and got called to go in and fix the mess that was created. I went to the store and took care of the problem and apologized to the manager for what she had been thru and hear from her how  the technician arrested was some one I knew.
It did not surprise me
I had a previous run in with this outfit he worked for before for doing poor quality work and they where thrown of a project.

So Ok an isolated incident . No not really because many of these National Alarm  Accounts Servicing Company's do absolutely no background checks on who they hire. They call a local distributor for a recommendation and that's it. I was never asked to provide any kind of info for any National Accounts Alarm Company ever and here I am putting alarms in Dollar Stores , High End Fashion Shops,  Rental Stores, even Pay Day/ Check Cashing Stores. To make matters worse there are absolutely no regulations or rules on the operation of alarm company's who do commercial work in State of Pennsylvania. Nothing is required No Bonding, No Background Checks No Insurance  absolutely nothing . Convicted Felons can and do work for and own alarm company's in Pa. and it is all perfectly legal because there are no regulations.
Add to this the fact Too many of these National Alarm Servicing Company's pay poorly always trying to rip off
installers there is always an extremely high turn over. Stores never get the same technician twice in a row.
and since they send everything by fax and email job order forms can be easily forged and any tech can walk in and in most cases are  never questioned what he is doing there and are left unsupervised in back rooms and store offices to rip off any customer information or stores client list they want.
A pretty sad situation all the way around. When I explained this to a district manager she was in shock her company cared so little that they made sure reputable people where servicing there alarms and that a convicted felon could be doing the work in her stores.
Add in the fact too many of these retailers run very sloppy operations when it comes to store security and maintenance requests to have them fixed  . I have seen 3 techs all show up for same call. Been sent to stores to install cameras already installed . Have double and triple equipment sent to sites and a call tag to send stuff back never sent and it sits there till it is thrown out for being in the way you wonder how any store is making money. So tell me do you work in a national retailer and feel safe when technicians come to your store to do things.?
Most techs also carry no official ID either. Its all done on a trust . If you dress like a tech act like a tech you must be there to work. What a hell of a way to run a business.

Another telephone vendor trying to rip off a Customer

One of my customers recently experienced a water line break in there business and had plenty of items damaged including the fire system and they thought the phone system . Well they call there telephone vendor  who sends out  a technician who tells them the system is shot and needs replaced. He was quoted $4400.00 for 4 phones. which is pretty high considering the equipment costs the vendor about $1600.00  that's a tidy profit for couple hours work of going click click and program it  in under 3 hours.
Well he asks me while installing the new  fire alarm  board which was water soaked and calcified do you work on phones by chance ? well yes I do and in fact the Avaya Phone system he has is one I install and service so he asked me to look it over and give him a price.  He  also asked if I could giggle the old systems boards around to get him partial service. Sure I said  I went down stairs looked at system It did not even seem damaged except for couple cables got wet. I replaced them fired up the system and it was working perfectly there was nothing wrong with it. the whole reason line 1and 2 where not working is because these where the lines the fire alarm was tied to and fire alarm was blocking the lines . So at that point there was no sense in ordering a new system unless he wanted to upgrade.
So then you have to say to your self what exactly did this phone technician look at and test when he came and said the system was dead ? Its very obvious he was not interested in servicing an older system he wanted to sell a new system for his boss and get a nice commission for doing so. Needless to say this company will never again be called by my customer who also told them he is not paying for the service call since they tried to rip him off.he has also told other business friends as well about getting ripped off by this vendor.
Had  I not checked things he would have been buying a $4400.00 dollar system for no good reason and lining a vendors pockets. This was a total rip off and he has filed a complaint against the company who tried to rip him off. A very large telco vendor here in Pittsburgh.
Always always get a second opinion on something like this when a tech says something is dead and its high ticket get it checked out first before getting ripped off.

Another case of Mass fire deaths that where preventable

http://www.wtae.com/news/30752793/detail.html

The story all too familiar a family party and stay over and this time 6 children and 2 adults dead  and as usual no working smoke detectors Its happens 2-3 times a year in the tri-state area of Ohio ,Pa. and West Virginia  multiple residential fire deaths and there is absolutely no excuse for it.
They give smoke detectors away for free. You just have to put them up and maintain them. If these people had a couple more minutes notice they might all have made it out safely, But thru Ignorance, Lack of understanding ,lack of education or just plain stupidity  or all off the above we have 8 dead in Charleston W. Va. just as it was 10 dead  in Brookville Pa. and 10 dead in
Greene County Pa. and 6 dead in Akron Ohio couple years ago under same scenario.We just had the case of 6 dead in a home in Connecticut when some one put fire place ashes in a paper bag and set it in a mud room and there where no detectors in a high end home couple months back.
You say well that's why we should have sprinklers in all homes sorry the same thing would have played out because they would have turned the water off as well because they did not maintain the sprinklers either.
back to that human nature thing it can not happen to me.
Some times you have to wonder if this is not just human nature thinning out the heard as they say.
or there just too stupid too live and its there fate.or they thought oh it just is not going to happen to us.
 It still does not make it right. These deaths where 100% preventable but just like with the case with the Amish and fire. The question  is what we do for the good of the people vs privacy and religious beliefs?
We have the technology to make 10 year battery life tied in cellular reporting smoke detectors which can even tell if there being blocked by something or tampered with. But do we bust down doors and demand there installed and if not we haul them to court and put them in jail because they have not protected there children because there so stupid and negligent ?  sometimes like in this case that seems to be the only answer.

But there's also plenty of questions to be asked of the manufacturers of  smoke detectors and the Fire Service it self.

Why are you still promoting and putting in Ionization Smoke Detectors which are known trouble makers with nuisance alarms and which are known to have delay issues?

These false alarms are known reasons why people take smoke detectors down block them or take the batteries out of them.Why are we not promoting  Photo Electric Smoke Detectors which do not have the falsing issue and accurately catch fires much faster than Ionization type units/

Electrically Operated Lift Chair Dangers

My neighbor
across the street has 2 sweet elderly parents who ran a old fashioned Italian grocery store before they retired and now that there getting up in age they have developed joint problems and several years ago bought one of those electrically powered lift chairs to help get up and down from a sitting position.
It simply plugs into a 120 volt Ac outlet and has a small electric motor which operates the chair. Well couple weeks back
they had a breaker trip in there breaker panel which serves the chair at same time they had several other items on so it looked like a simple overload . I went and restored the breaker and the chair operated just fine with no apparent problems . Then he calls me couple days ago and says the chair goes up but not down , this has happened before it was a bad switch control could I check it out. I go over and start checking things and lift the chair to check all the connections and here to my horrors was the control cable stuck in the metal frame and that it had shorted out .This is what cased the problem 2 weeks back and despite the damage the chair kept operating.
But as you can see the cord is burned the chair very well could have caught fire.
which means this control cable has 120 volts AC running thru it. Not low voltage being transformed down like you would think because of the fact this cord could be caught and shorted causing a fire.
This is a very bad and very dangerous design the control cord should have low voltage being used for control purposes not 120 volts which can fray crack and rub and cause an electrocution to person using the chair.
I temporarily fixed the wire with proper butt splices and tape and have ordered a new cord and in mean time shown this cord to a Electrical engineer I work with occasionally who is involved in fires from electrical products for further investigation.
I am also looking to see if this chair might have been recalled as well.

Linking and using my blog articles

Everyone is more than welcome to share my articles for non commercial purposes just send me a note your doing so and give me credit for what you use.
also If you would like to link your site to mine just drop me an email so I can check it out.
Also feel free to submit articles for me and I will put them up if there appropriate and if its a product you would like reviewed etc. or tell people about I will consider it also because I like new toys like everyone else.

have a great and safe weekend everyone

The Battle of Chicken Hill

As you drive west bound on I- 376 thru the Fort Pitt Tunnels and come out bound from Downtown Pittsburgh as you come out of the tunnels on your right hand side you pass by the site of a famous Pittsburgh gun battle which took place in 1959 in what became known as the battle of Chicken Hill.
between the Pittsburgh Police Dept and 2 notorious bank robbers. I know about this chapter in Pittsburgh History because of the story my grandfather told me who lived near by in Westwood.

First a little back round Chicken Hill as it is known was called this because of early settlers who kept and raised chickens on the hill a small section of Pittsburgh's West End. Which was significantly cut back during excavation in early 1950's for I-376 also known as the Parkway west. where 2 railroad tunnels where day lighted and replaced with bridges over the parkway the lower one that serves the Old Pittsburgh and West Virginia Railroad which started as Wabash Railroad and the higher bridge Operated by Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad which started as the Norfolk & Western Railroad. My dad as a young man actually helped build the intersection known as the Banksville Circle which connects ramps under the bridges.

So on with the story July 23, 1959 a hot sunny summer day 2 men Joesph Gaito and Edward Kern walk into the no longer in existence People's First National Bank and Trust company in Hays Pa. a small ward of the city of Pittsburgh located between Baldwin Boro and Homestead Pa.
The thieves make a clean get away they think taking off thru Baldwin Boro into the south hills of Pittsburgh and over into the Mt Lebanon area  where they are spotted by police and take off towards the west end Crashing there get away car and then taking off on foot up Chicken Hill trying to escape there pursuers . which begins a several hour long gun battle in the hot dusty sunny day between Pittsburgh ,Allegheny County and Pa. State police which saw high drama as both crooks and police climbed around the bridges . Both criminals eventually surrender after both are wounded by sharp shooters but not before 2 police officers are wounded as well. Both men get 20 plus year sentences for bank robbery which Mr Gaito serves and is released never to be heard from again or so you would think . But in the late 80's an elderly Mr. Gaitos is once again a suspect in an armed robbery of a grocery store , he is eventually cleared when a local priest claims he was having dinner with Mr. Gaitos who quietly passes away a few years later in Florida.
There are no markers or any thing else to mark the area of the event just some fading memories , an old Pitt News reel  from KDKA TV and old newspaper articles of the event which happened several months before I was born.
There have been many high profile criminal dramas as well as horrific tragedies around South Western Pa. some even made into movies like Mrs. Soffel and the Biddle Brothers and there escape from the Allegheny County Jail with Mrs. Sofffel the wardens wife and the Murder of Union Coal boss Jake Yublonski and his family . But so many lost to history. I hope to do more research and present some of the more significant cases as they have many important safety and moral lessons that are useful to this day.

A fire at one of my customers buildings lessons learned questions to ponder

Last Tuesday at 8:41 PM 3.13.12 The Alarm Telecommunications Center (ATC) in Wheatland Pa. received a front Stairwell smoke detector activation from my customers apartment building which has a heating business on one side and and an insurance business on the first floor. A typical main street building along west Liberty ave in Dormont Pa.
911 was called and fire dept was already on way as a tenant called to report a fire. The system an Ademco /Honeywell Vista 32 FB combo Burglar fire system did its job when the smoke from the 2nd floor apartment made its way to the front stairwell and activated the system to alert tenants there was a problem. all tenants got out safely including those in the building next door which has some damage in all 8 tenants safely escaped both buildings.
The fire appears to be accidental and Allegheny County Fire Marshal Office is finishing up there investigation of it. Because the system is addressable I was able to hand over to Chief Fire Marshal Don Brucker the print out from the central station as to how the points came in to help with the investigation exactly which detector went off first and then which order they went off from there.
I installed the system around 2005 when the building was sold and required to have a fire system installed to be occupied with help from JS Boyle Electric. Thats one good thing Dormont Fire Marshal Pat Kelly has been making sure that as buildings change owners they install and have working fire systems Mr. Kelly works hard to make sure tenants are safe as he has over 100 apartment buildings in town.

Hopefully the building which is from 1870's vintage with its still visible cut glass windows will have its damaged apartments repaired and be fully reoccupied in a few months and the Heating business is still able to operate and I reactivated a partial alarm to protect the building in the mean time.from fire and burglary.
So what can be learned from this fire .Well one thing is its unique design since it was originally lighted with Gas Lights the building had a window well which allows day light down to the interior of the apartments.They also call these winter gardens some tenants actually hang plants in them etc. normally there open on the top which allows
people to open there interior windows into the well to help cool the buildings as they act as a chimney drafting hot air up. This is also a bad feature as well as it allowed the fire to get a good foot hold before firefighters arrived. Some landlords have sealed them off on top and even in between floors to reclaim floor space and help prevent fire spread as well.
But this building was left alone. Had it been sealed off on top the fire spread might not have been as fast but that's one of the unique things tenants like about the wells you can feel like your outside with out being outside. So to seal or not to seal is the question?
Next there was a small delay before the fire alarm activated should there not be system connected smokes in the apartments as well if there's a fire would this not catch the fire faster?
Yes it would but be careful what you wish for . Those apartments smokes connected to the system means every time a tenant burns toast fire trucks are on the way. Thats why typically system connected smokes are only in stair and hall ways. Buildings with smokes in each apartment tied to system are headaches for fire depts. So you ask is there some kind of compromise system that could have been used. Well most community's require individual battery powered smokes in each unit. But there are options like installing rate of rise heat detectors in each apartment and fixed heats in kitchens there by catching a fire faster and not having all the false alarms and there are even isolated heat /smoke detectors where smoke detector is powered and supervised off the fire panel but only sounds in the apartment and the heat detector is attached to the system . But this is currently not required by code at this time and
it would also add considerable expense to do this. But a good thing if you can afford it.
Then there's the fire alarm a Combo Burg/Fire system .
I hear complaints all the time how some do not like them they would rather a separate fire system be installed. Sorry I have been using them for almost 20 years now never had a problem and they always worked this one even had water damage and was still transmitting signals.
It comes down to who is installing it. Thats one thing I always have to be mindful of I try my best to make sure there done right and that goes for all alarm systems peoples lives are on the line and this proves just how valuable a system can be. Properly installed properly maintained they work.

In my community it was the law a Trolley stopped for a Fire Man

Back in the heyday of trolleys believe it or not in the community of Carrick Pa. which became part of the city of Pittsburgh and is now its 29th ward and where I grew up before moving out of the city . It was the law for trolley operators to stop and pick up a fireman along his route if he was standing there in his fire gear and take him intermediately to the closet stop where the fire was located.
Now remember this was back in the early 1900's not everyone had a vehicle and in fact horses where still being used for delivering milk etc.
So it only made sense that this was and back then trolleys went everywhere . You could board a trolley in Pittsburgh and by switching to various trolly lines at one time be able to go all the way to Cleveland , Detroit even Chicago by trolley and rail line. Some trolley lines even carried freight and even had special ambulance cars which got people to hospitals.
Several other community's which had trolleys also are suppose to have had this law on there books as well.
You can view more carrick trolley pictures and even read articles I wrote on them as part of my Eagle scout project on history of carrick at following link.

http://wiki.carrick-overbrook.org/Trolleys_in_Carrick

Because this was the fastest way to get to a fire scene it was also the fastest way to get away from a crime as well. and in City of Pittsburgh in 1960's an individual became famously known as the Commuter Bandit as he would rob a bank then hop on a trolley to make his escape even back then trolleys often had there own rights of way to get thru areas fast. He was even charged with Robbing a bank in Carrick as well. Ironically a friend of ,my dads who he worked with at J&L steel. His wife Deloris worked at the grocery store where the commuter bandit was the owner it turned out.

http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/470/717/110903/

This was a fascinating era now gone and only a hand full of towns still have trolleys or street cars in use. most modernized and there are a handful of museums like near Washington Pa. where you can still ride one of these great old relics.

http://www.pa-trolley.org/

But Pittsburgh Railways which ran the big net work of trolleys before it was taken over by Allegheny county Transit authority known as PAT Port authority transit. Still exists and was a one time big player in the Alarm Business . They are still known today as Pittway that's right the people who bought and expanded ADEMCO Alarm systems till they sold out to Honeywell.

http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Pittway-Corporation-company-History.html

Silent Knight releases new 2 input 2 relay out module

The good folks at Silent Knight
have come out with a unique module that fits the bill for remotely controlling Doors, Fans and other ancillary functions needed to be done by a fire alarm when it activates the model SK-Relay Mon-2 is different from the original SK Mon-2 which allowed you to monitor 2 points in one area like a water flow switch and tamper valves. The new module will also now allow you to control another function as well.
Such as when the water flow activates it unlocks a door to allow firefighter access or start fans etc.
So many possibility from one module.
If you use SK products check out this new module.
If your not using SK products you should check them out .There solid and dependable easy to program and service and much lower costs than factory authorized installed equipment.

http://www.silentknight.com/products/SKrelaymon2.html

Outside strobe Lights on Burglar Alarm Be careful to fuse them.

In the picture at left if you look carefully you will see a small Blue Strobe Light .
Its intended purpose is to notify police this is the garage the burglar alarm is going off at.
A good idea when you have a long row of garages and such. But a very bad Idea when you do not take precautions installing it so that an experienced burglar can use it as a means of defeating an alarm system .
All a burglar has to do is short the wires together on the strobe
so it creates a short which pops the fuse or overload on the panel disabling the alarm once it activates. Unless some of the following precautions have been taken.

1#- A separate fused power supply is feeding the strobe driven
by relay contact off the panel
which is the best way

2# -Using a low as possible rated fast blow fuse on a strobe output off a panel which allows that fuse to blow before the main fuse. Not as good but better than no protection.
How ever the possibility exists where burglar could attempt to send a surge down the wiring.
But doing nothing and thinking its high enough up no one can mess with it your just deluding your self Burglars are like rats and when its 3am and no one around they have all the time in the world to take care of anything in there way. Do not make there job easier for them

Note: while most new panels everything is isolated this is not always the case on low end products and by putting the short across the strobe first which disables all horns etc . when phone line is then cut you do not have to worry about phone line monitor activating sirens . or like James Caan said in the movie Thief as he looked at the safe " This baby Is mine. Another good case for separately powered cell or supervised internet connection.

A Fire Chiefs concern over False Alarm Prevention covers

Safety Technology International Inc. has for many years now made an excellent line of products to help prevent False Fire alarms and Protect from damage and vandalism life safety equipment.
One of there best known products found everywhere is" The Stopper " a Hinged plastic cover that is placed over Fire Alarm Manual Pull stations to prevent accidental and deliberate activation of Pull stations . Its very simple design and works well it can be used with and with out an electronic sounder to even further deter pranksters who attempt to pull a false alarm. In one case at Holy Family's School for At Risk Children in Turtle Creek Pa. where they where having troubles with a student who enjoyed causing false alarms during lunch time my self and a helper had no sooner put several up in cafeteria and school hall and stopped to take a break and we heard one of the covers going off and the 16 year old student was caught and facing felony risking of a catastrophe charges .

http://www.sti-usa.com/products_fire.asp

I even had a custom cover made for a Emergency Boiler shut off switch in a hallway of a school that was being pushed and the little fool wet his pants it was so loud besides being caught.

But with this in mind I had a Fire Chief express to me his concern that some one who needs to activate the pull station for a real emergency might become confused by the loud alarm in the cover and think they have activated the fire system when they had not done so. However having done a good bit of research I have not found one incident of this. If any one has would you please let me know. for now though I will keep using there excellent products to help prevent false fire alarms .

Silent Knight releases new Firemans Phone System

You might say to yourself firefighters need a Phone system in a building? Well yes there are times a Phone system is needed
with Fire Alarm Systems particularly in Sky Scraper type buildings and large sprawling buildings where 2 way radios may not penetrate all the way thru a structure.
With this in mind Silent Knight has released its new fireman's Phone system model SK-FFT which allows multiple paths and communications at one time . Designed to work seamlessly
with its Addressable Fire Panels it fits the bill for those times when you need a Phone system.
Now you do not pick this phone set up and dial an outside number it is for interior communication with in the building.
Typically you will find the master control unit in the lobby next to the fire system where a master head set is located with in the cabinet you will find portable hand sets from 2-10 a firefighter carry's with them to the fire incident floor so he can talk to the master control headset after plugging into a jack usually located on every floor near the elevators. Some buildings depending on size and need may have more than one jack.
the system is designed with supervised wiring so you know its always ready and back up battery system if power is lost. A firefighters phone system should not be confused with a voice evacuation system you might also find next to the fire system as well that panels microphone is used to make announcements in the building to occupants such as which stairwell to use or its a false alarm or to stay in place.

When you need Faast Fire Detection

Though not a new technology it has been around for a few years it has been highly developed to a science by System Sensor . A company whose products I love to use.

http://www.systemsensor.com/faast/

FAAST or Fire Alarm Aspiration Sensing Technology utilizes a series of special Orange CPVC piping to quickly and accurately draw air into a sensing chamber where 2 technologies a Blue LED carefully checks for even the smallest amount of smoke and a Laser checks and identify s if it is dust or other debris and rejects it There by allowing for very accurate smoke detection but eliminating false alarms. the systems are 2-3 times a conventional smoke detection system but in very critical areas like data hubs, server and telecommunications rooms museums etc .

It can detect a fire fast before significant damage occurs the faster a fire is detected the faster it can be put out. before sprinklers activate or FM200 systems.

have a critical need data or similar operation look into FAAST

Security is not a Profit center so a Bean counter decides to put your life in jeopardy

Recently there was a shooting at Western Pa. Psychiatric Hospital in Pittsburgh where a gunman killed one and injured several others.
the lobby had no armed guard or metal detectors
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/police-2-dead-7-injured-in-pittsburgh-psychiatric-clinic-
shooting/

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/s_785731.html

Why ? you might ask it comes down to bean counters and the perception the hospital gives. they did not want to give guards guns a psych patient could grab there reasoning not police or security experts opinion . They do not want to make the place look like an armed camp .

First the bean counters. Because security is not a profit center in a corporation and makes no visible profit why spend on it. I say BULL SHIT .
Security is what protects your making profit which is going right out the door with the dead gunmen .
Because these security decisions come down to bean counters who look at statistics and probabilities etc . If the risk is low why spend money on securing a facility.
Well now you have your answer 2 dead 7 others injured. Are you satisfied you pompous ass holes
at WPIC

I agree Guards with guns should not be in locked down secured areas But certain individuals should have access to non lethal weapons like taser, bean bag guns, laser blinders etc which could have knocked out or debilitated the gunman if they could get to them fast enough or catch him off guard.
There are many hospitals with non uniformed guards they do not want to give the perception its unsafe bull shit again I feel safer knowing some uniformed guards are there. Even if there not armed. This whole armed guard thing comes down to this perception by hospitals we do not want our guests to think it is unsafe. Then to go and post No Weapons permitted on premise why not just invite the gunman in if your going to go off and kill people and kill the most you can kill before you get shot or shoot your self why not go to a mall, hospital, school where there's no weapons you know you have easy targets and easy access and cops are a few minutes away. Which is exactly why he came in the unsecured lobby and did not try to sneak a weapon thru the emergency room. As I listen to KDKA news tonight police have identified the gunman are now at his apartment and they say he had maps and details all marked out to get ready for the attack. It apears he was a patient there with long stays and wanted to kill his doctor.

So what did we have in the lobby at WPIC today an armed Pittsburgh Policeman till we let our guards down again at the hospital.

Its too late to close the door after the horse is out of the barn why did you not have this done earlier this might never have happened?

Pierce Manufacturing recalling Emergency vehicles

Report Date : March 5, 2012 at 09:42 AM NHTSA Campaign ID number : 12V080000

Vehicle Make / Model: Model Year(s): PIERCE / ARROW XT 2010-2012 PIERCE / DASH CF 2010-2012 PIERCE / QUANTUM 2010-2012 PIERCE / VELOCITY 2010-2012 Manufacturer: PIERCE MANUFACTURING Mfr's Report Date: FEB 24, 2012 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 12V080000 NHTSA Action Number: N/A

Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL

Potential Number of Units Affected: 276

Summary: PIERCE IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010-2012 ARROW XT, DASH CF, QUANTUM AND VELOCITY EMERCENCY VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 13, 2010, THROUGH FEBRUARY 8, 2012, AND EQUIPPED WITH DETROIT DIESEL DD13 EPA 2010 ENGINES. THE ENGINE SHUTDOWN SOFTWARE NORMALLY PROVIDED TO PROTECT THE ENGINE AND VEHICLE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN DISABLED ON ENGINES INTENDED FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLE APPLICATIONS.

Consequence: IF THE VEHICLE OPERATOR RECEIVES AND IGNORES MULTIPLE WARNINGS INDICATING THE NEED FOR OPERATOR INTERVENTION, THE ENGINE MAY SHUT DOWN UNEXPECTEDLY. UNEXPECTED EMERGENCY VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTDOWN UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS COULD HAMPER RESCUE OPERATIONS AND PLACE THE PUBLIC AT RISK.

Remedy: PIERCE WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DETROIT DIESEL DEALERS WILL DISABLE THE ENGINE SHUTDOWN SOFTWARE, FREE OF CHARGE. PIERCE HAS NOT PROVIDED A NOTIFICATION SCHEDULE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PIERCE AT 888-974-3723.

Notes: OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION’S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

Not Following Cash handling Policy Puts Lives at Risk results in firings

3 Employees of Family Dollar Stores learned a very hard lesson after it was robbed of several thousand dollars and they ended up losing there jobs .

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2012/02/29/family-dollar-worker-fired-after-armed-robbery/

Family Dollar like many large retail stores has a very strict cash handling policy meant to cut down on embezzling , theft and robbery when it comes to how money is handled.

7-11 Convenience Stores after a string of serious robbery's in 1970's there stores started the policy no more than $35.00 in the till at any time and also prominently posted it on the stores doors to cut down on armed robbery's. Funds over $35.00 immediately go into a locked time delayed drop safe. This has drastically cut down armed robbery's in there stores.

This is why Family Dollar and other stores have followed suit with similar policy's. Money has to be put in drop safes and drop safes emptied to main safe and main safe contains a certain amount of money and the excess is to be deposited in night deposit and not left on store premise.

This is because the stores are not located in prime areas and criminals have these and every other business under constant surveillance waiting for employees to make mistakes get lazy and then score . Which is exactly what happened at Family Dollar there is absolutely no excuse the money was allowed to build up .Those managers who where let go allowed so much money to be built up put not only employees but the shoppers and general public's lives at risk.

But they do not see it that way along with others. Thats too bad these policy's are in place for a reason and you see the end result because they did not follow it. Some one could very well be dead from this.

When you work in retail and handle money you have to constantly think and act like your in a fish bowl and every action is being watched and it is by the criminal community . Even shoppers making comments can trigger problems when they see large amounts of money and shoot there mouths off to friends some one is always listening as well.

Thats why the signs during WWII " Be aware you may be watched and heard " and loose lips sink ships. "

Handle money correctly or be prepared to loose it ,your job and even you life.

With so much resposibilty why are Guards paid so Little?

It has happened again another completely senseless
criminal act regarding the handling of money by a security company one young man is dead and the other on the run for his life after a armored car guard has killed his Partner and fled with the money some where around $2 million in Pittsburgh pa.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_784238.html

But the bigger question to all of this is why do we pay people pennies to watch millions of dollars in money and property and then expect a professional response.
I worked as a security Guard For the now long gone Burns International Security, Mc Glenon Detective Agency ,CPP Security , Commonwealth Security, Pa Professional security . Holmes Protection etc and all paid poorly and I was responsible for watching over millions of dollars in Property . By the way every company I worked at as a guard are also closed and gone as well.
Including Holmes where I worked as a runner repairman of alarm systems in Jewelry,Fur stores ,banks etc at the time making 2 dollars over minimum. To be trusted to respond fix the alarm and reset it .I was 20 when I worked for Holmes not old enough to legally own a hand gun but was able to carry one on my hip working for them.
Now granted I was an Eagle scout so back round check was no big deal but what little checking they did do back then even now is totally amazing. It is a known fact even up to couple weeks ago that known convicted felons where working as security guards in Local schools here in Pittsburgh Pa. .
Now to Carry a gun as a guard in pa. you have to pass and undergo training for a Act 235 license but its really a joke . 40 hours of class and 1 time at range is not enough . But some states have no training or background requirements at all to be a guard and armed.You just need a gun carry license.

But that's the way it is in the security field they tell you the client how important your business is
and how professionally trained there guards are when all along most make minimum or little above and armored guards get $8-13 dollars an hour that's it. Now there are some places that have there own guards and pay more but there far and few and in most cases its get a warm body in there to keep an eye on things so we get a fat check from client every week.
Dam shame but that is the truth that's why so many company's come and go in this industry couple lawsuits and there gone. They really do not care about you because if they did they would pay a professional wage and act like professionals. Not change names and sell out every few years.

It has now also come out about this guard who shot his partner and stole 2 million stole radios from fire dept and they declined to charge him and lotto tickets where missing from a store why was he not suspended from his job why did fire dept not prosecute Like I say fire service is it own worst enemy and this proves it again.

March Is Colon Cancer Awareness Month

I am one of the most fortunate people on earth having so far survived a terminal disease diagnosis of Stage IV Colorectal cancer at the age of 47 in 2007.
I am now out 4 years from diagnosis only 5% of those diagnosed with Stage IV Colorectal ever get this far . That means for every 5 of us who make it 95 have died from it. I was originally given 6 months to a year or so to live.

Because we can go out of remission and get cancer a second some times 3rd or 4th time after you are diagnosed stage IV and survive .

Your disease is considered terminal there is no cure you try the best you can to keep the monster in the box. Some are fortunate enough to make it 10-20 or more years with out problems.

The Month of March has been designated Colon Cancer Awareness Month
by the Fight Colorectal Cancer .org

http://fightcolorectalcancer.org

Colorectal Cancer is the number 3# cancer killer behind Lung and Breast Cancer

and in many cases it is completely preventable if caught in an early stage and not ignored by your doctors like mine was saying I had Colitis instead of doing a colonoscopy before my 50th birthday.

Yes 50 is the magic number for most to get a scope but as they are now finding out Colorectal cancer is hitting younger men and women even in there 20's if you have a family history of polyps and colon cancer they now say get scoped at 40 even 30 years of age.

Just do not take the Dr.s word you have Colitis or Chrons etc. get scoped and demand it.

Now many people I know fear a colonoscopy do not its no big deal the hardest part of the whole deal is the clean out before you get scoped . They are making it even easier these days no more drinking that big jug of juice . couple pills some powder in a Gatorade and that's it.

Now you will here story's of your awake and pain etc. and its all total Bull shit I have had 4 Colonoscopys so far no problems they put you in a semi twilight sleep and you have no idea whats going on it takes 15-20 minutes you wake up full of gas some times blow it out and that's it.

However there is a short scope they do you are awake and there is a small amount of discomfort and again its no big deal nothing to it. I had it done and Doc doing the scan even gave me a picture to show the cancerous tumors what they looked like so I had an idea what I was dealing with after I had an episode from bleeding during a Bowell movement.

Ok so what are the signs?.

Some times there are no signs and in my case the so called Colitis I was having was masking them. All along the colitis was being caused by tumors which where building up in my Bowell 7 in all big as a grape and one started bleeding and became cancerous spreading cancer cells to my Liver.

But generally symptoms to be worried about.

Small skinny ,irregular or flat stoles on a regular basis.

black looking stoles.

Eating certain foods and then becoming extremely violently ill in your stomach .

Blood that fills a toilet more than just a drop or to you get with hemorrhoids.

Sudden loss of weight and anemia . You could be bleeding out like I was and not realize it

But then again remember some times there are no signs as well. Thats why you need to go in get scoped and if they find a polyp get it clipped out before it turns cancerous.

Can you prevent colon cancer well in my case it was genetics that played a big role I was going to get it at some point despite fact I took care of my self.

But 1# Do not smoke period

2# keep weight off and exercise regularly

3# Limit red meat now that does not mean you can not have a steak every once in a while but consider other foods as well.

they say vegan is way to go but I know vegans with colon cancer so go figure.

4# eat your vegetables especially broccoli and carrots raw is even better.

But biggest thing get in get checked and do not be a woozy boy. or girl get you butt checked.

Thank you to all those who have and still have me in there prayers.