“Safe”-ty First for the College Bound

There are so many details to think of when sending your kids off to College and safety is just one item on a long list. If you didn’t think a safe should be on your list of ‘must haves’ for your student, think again! According to J.D. Power, theft is the number one crime on college campuses, affecting an estimated one in 10 students. Those expensive books, laptops, cell phones, iPods are targets of thieves – not to mention cash, credit cards and jewelry! But for a lucky Buttoned Up follower, these will not be worries! First Alert has generously offered a First Alert Water Fire Protector File Chest as a prize to ONE of our followers! It could be you!

Enter To Win

This giveaway is open to U.S. residents over 18. Here’s what you need to do to enter to win:

• Fan us on Facebook and follow up on Twitter and post that you have done so!

• Extra Entry: Leave a comment on this blog (be sure to include your email when you submit the comment, so we know how to reach you).

• Extra Entry – mention this giveaway in a post or tweet with a link back and leave a comment letting us know you’ve done so.

• Extra Entry – sign up for Buttoned Up’s e-newsletter.

• Please post a separate comment for each extra entry so we know it’s been done!

• Entry period closes at midnight PST, Sunday, August 15th, and the winner will be announced Monday, August 16th.

**Note winner will be picked at random using Random.org and announced in the newsletter on Monday, August 16th. Winners will be contacted by email.

Winners will have seven (7) days to contact us and claim the prize before another winner is selected.

Top 10 items stolen on college campuses*

Books –

While these may not seem like a hot commodity, books are expensive and something every college student needs to succeed. Plus, at the end of the semester, books equal cash. A compact dorm safe can keep them secure when not in use. First Alert offers a .94 cubic foot Water/Fire/Theft Digital Safe that has concealed hinges to resist prying. It also is UL classified to withstand an external temperature of 1700 degrees Fahrenheit (F) while maintaining an internal temperature of less than 350 degrees and is waterproof even when fully submerged so books, term papers, documents, electronics, electronic media and other valuables are protected from fire, flood and theft.

Cell phones and iPods –

Theft of these items and other small electronics runs rampant on college campuses across the country. Ideal for deterring would-be thieves, as well as protecting against fire and water damage, First Alert Security and Data Chests are tested and certified to withstand an external temperature up to 1,550 degrees Fahrenheit and are waterproof even when fully submerged. These are ideal options for protecting all types of electronic media including memory sticks, CDs, DVDs and external hard drives.

Laptops –

Laptop computers are major targets both on and off campus. For secure laptop storage, First Alert’s Deluxe Security Box with Cable is large enough to hold a notebook computer up to 17 inches and is insulated with double steel wall construction. It also includes a 48-inch security cable that can be attached to stationary objects (like your bed or desk) for additional protection.

Cash, credit/debit cards and jewelry –

Money and credit/debit cards are among the most commonly stolen items because they have instant value. And, jewelry remains a mainstay on the top 10 list year after year. For convenient and reliable protection, a cash box safe is a great investment in keeping valuables locked up and tucked away out of sight. First Alert’s Cash Box is constructed of durable powder-coated steel and features a removable tray along with hardware for mounting in a drawer for added security.

Materials used for identity theft –

Information can easily be taken from college forms, bank statements and even unsolicited credit card offers (popular among the college crowd). To keep personal information personal, store documents in a locking file chest. The First Alert Fire Protector File Chest stores standard letter size hanging file folders and is independently verified to protect papers as well as electronic media (memory sticks, CDs, DVDs, etc.) at temperatures up to 1,550 degrees F. First Alert also offers a new line of shredders to help safely and efficiently destroy documents and other items containing personal and/or financial information.

Rounding out the top 10 list

Rounding out the top 10 list of most commonly stolen items on college campuses are bicycles and televisions – both a bit too large to store in a safe or lock box. But, for nearly everything else on a back-to-school list, these items can be useful tools in lessening the chances of students becoming victims of campus theft.

The convenient safe solutions from First Alert are priced starting from $19.99, First Alert safes, security chests and lock boxes are sold nationwide through mass retailers and hardware stores, and online at FirstAlertStore.com.

*Source: CollegeStudentSafety.com