Female Students, Need More Security? Think LED Lights

Sitting at a Home Owner’s Association meeting, a female friend of ours listened intently as she heard report after report of the crimes being committed in the surrounding community and even within their gated community.

True story, one of the residents came out early in the morning to find out that their car had been stolen.

She herself experienced having her community mail box broken into. Then it gets worse.

Besides having her personal mail stolen and possibly being the future victim of identity theft when she contacted the Post Office about the situation, they were going to charge her $50 to have her small box fixed.

Forget that. Next week it could happen again.

She decided to purchase a P.O. Box elsewhere.

What’s next? Residential break ins?

The film that speaks to that paranoia so well is one of Ms. Jodie Foster’s classics.

Panic Room is a 2002 American thriller film directed by David Fincher and written by David Koepp. The film stars Jodie Foster and Kristen Stewart as a mother and daughter whose new home is invaded by burglars, played by Forest Whitaker, Jared Leto, and Dwight Yoakam.

Koepp’s screenplay was inspired by news coverage in 2000 about panic rooms.

The film was commercially released in the United States and Canada on March 29, 2002. The film grossed $30 million on its opening weekend. In the United States and Canada, it grossed $96.4 million. In other territories, it grossed $100 million for a worldwide total of $196.4 million. Critics were generally positive in their reviews.

What fascinated us most about the film was how elaborate and complex the design and command of the Panic Room was.

And to think, that was approximately 18 years ago.

Our friend can’t afford to build a panic room in her home but she and the board agreed that instead of using standard lighting to illuminate the private community, they would install LED lighting across the full domain.

Are you familiar with LED lighting, especially if you are a woman living alone? You probably should be.

A light-emitting diode (LED) is a two-lead semiconductor light source. It is a p–n junction diode that emits light when activated.

When a suitable voltage is applied to the leads, electrons are able to recombine with electron holes within the device, releasing energy in the form of photons.

This effect is called electroluminescence, and the color of the light (corresponding to the energy of the photon) is determined by the energy band gap of the semiconductor. LEDs are typically very but illuminate powerfully.

LEDs have many advantages over incandescent light sources, including lower energy consumption, longer lifetime, improved physical robustness, smaller size, and faster switching. Light-emitting diodes are used in applications as diverse as aviation lighting, automotive headlamps, advertising, general lighting, traffic signals, camera flashes, lighted wallpaper and medical devices.

They are also significantly more energy efficient and, arguably, have fewer environmental concerns linked to their disposal.

In recent years, technology has brought us bulbs — namely, CFLs and LEDs — that put incandescent lighting to shame. Not only are these new options more energy efficient, they can also last years, or even decades, longer than the standard light bulbs we may have become so used to.

You know what? Like many situations that speak to security, sometimes it’s best to consult an expert.

A well-received group titanledusa.net shares, “Titan LED is an Arizona based OEM and manufacturer specializing in Energy Efficiency and Clean Tech lighting solutions. We offer a broad range of proprietary and cutting edge products designed to install and retrofit into a variety of existing infrastructures which include; Warehouse, Retail, Hospitals, Municipalities, & Small Businesses.

With a growing network of agents, Titan LED brings professional services and commitment to exceptional levels. Our sales team is dedicated at demonstrating substantial Cost Savings of 50-75% to our customers and delivering quality results.  While this caliber of energy savings is a primary focus, LED’s also yield multiple built-in benefits that stand independently strong.

LED’s are 90% more efficient than traditional lighting producing more light with less heat. Products are up to 96% recyclable and are Mercury Free. They are built for great longevity with life spans between 25,000 – 125,000hrs and include up to 6 year warranties. No ballast, No noise, Low degradation, and high durability eliminates costly and wasteful maintenance expenditures. Finally, the products are built, 3rd party NVLAP Certified Lab tested and designed compliant to required UL listing standards.”[adToAppearHere]

Sounds very convincing.

What about outdoor lighting?[adToAppearHere]

Another company, cooperindustries.com speaks to that. “From rural town square and suburban garden to campus greenway and inner-city park, communities across the country are investing in public spaces that blend beauty and functionality.

To ensure these spaces remain useful after dark, landscape lighting is a critical consideration. Landscape lighting is outdoor illumination that enhances user experience, boosts safety and adds to the ambiance of an area.[adToAppearHere]

Core components of landscape lighting are: functionality, organic design, LED, light pollution, controls, scale and quality. Eaton has a diverse set of landscape lighting to fit each unique situation. Landscape lighting can be used in residential, commercial and public spaces.

The award- winning Invue Arbor LED architectural luminaire by Eaton is inspired by nature and includes Wavestream™ LED technology.”

Very impressive.

In terms of their parking spaces our friend would certainly appreciate this additional information added by our recent host. “Parking garage and canopy lights are large fixtures that are designed to be rugged and adequately light a space for navigation and safety. Ineffective parking garage and canopy lights will cause blinds spots and light pollution.

When choosing a parking garage and canopy light, it is important to look for vibration rated, IP66, wet location and energy efficiency. Parking garage and canopy lights are intended to have a low profile fixture while providing the necessary illumination for safety.”

“At the end of the day, the goals are simple: safety and security.”… Jodi Rell
In the times that we now live, it is not wise to take security for granted especially if you are a woman living alone.

While LED lights are not the complete security solution, they sure can shed light on how to reduce your chances of being a victim of a crime.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light-emitting_diode

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panic_Room

http://www.titanledusa.net/about-

http://www.cooperindustries.com/content/public/en/lighting/products/landscape_lighting.html

https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/security