Waukon's Brad Winters preparing to launch Portable Alert home security system
Perfectly portable protection ... Brad Winters of Indi-Com Electric and Surveillance is pictured above carrying the patent-pending Portable Alert home security system he created and is preparing to launch as a new business venture. Winters combined three common household security measures of motion detection, smoke detection and freezing temperature detection into one portable unit such as the one pictured above. Photo by Lissa Blake.
The Portable Alert system pictured above is being prepared for launch by Waukon business owner Brad Winters of Indi-Com Electric and Surveillance. The patent-pending alert system housed in a suitcase-type portable case features a motion sensor, smoke alarm and thermostat all connected to the blue warning light pictured and a notification network of up to 10 telephone numbers to warn absent property owners of a possible intruder, fire or freezing temperatures resulting from a furnace malfunction. Photo by Lissa Blake.
by Lissa Blake
There are a variety of home security systems currently on the market. But a local company is ready to launch one that is completely portable.
“All of this technology already exists on the market, but not in the way we’ve compiled it and put it into a portable unit,” said system creator Brad Winters of Waukon, owner of Indi-Com Electric and Surveillance in Waukon. “What we’ve done is create a fully portable security system that will provide protection against freezing, smoke and intrusion, all in a portable box.”
Winters said he created his new, patent-pending invention to fill a need that was expressed by customers. “Anybody with a river cabin, a second property, or any property that is vacant at some point in time will truly benefit from this,” explained Winters.
His new company, Portable Alert LLC, is ready to go live later this month. “We’re ready to rent the units right now. We still have a few details to work out before we start selling them,” he said.
The standard unit will sell for under $1,000. Rental will be $100 for the first week and $50 for every week thereafter, with 40 percent of the rental fee going toward the purchase.
HOW IT WORKS
Winters has created a lightweight, easy-to-operate, portable security unit out of basic materials. “The only requirement right now, is that the property has to be equipped with Internet service,” said Winters, adding he is working on getting into a market where cell phone signals could be utilized in lieu of the Internet.
The standard model comes with a thermostat, smoke detector and a motion sensor. In addition to a strobe light that can be placed in a window to go off when the freeze sensor is triggered, the system is set up to call or text up to 10 phone numbers in case any of the sensors go off.
Each sensor is attached to a 20-foot cord, which the person operating the system can easily set up.
Units are equipped with a battery back-up and a timer. The system will send a “hit” or notification to a designated contact number each day to confirm that everything is working, similar to the daily test the local fire departments use. It will also send an alert in case of a loss of normal power.
“We’re still troubleshooting some of the sensors. I was getting a hit at home late at night, so I set up a camera and found out it was picking up a mouse on the floor of my shop. We’ve since reset the sensor to pick up 60 lbs. of mass or more,” said Winters.
OPTIMISTIC
Winters said the sky is the limit as to what the new units can be used for or how they might be able to be modified.
“This is just our basic model. There is no limit to what we can do with it, or what market might emerge that we can use to promote our product. We’re definitely embracing technology here,” he said.
Indi-Com/Portable Alert currently has eight full-time and two part-time employees between the two businesses. Winters said he is planning to expand, but is still testing the waters to see what kind of interest is out there.
“We’re very cautiously optimistic. We need to sense the response and reaction by the public. But we are positioning ourselves to do that and make those progressive changes going forward. Ideally, it would be great if we could generate more jobs and if this could be marketed nationwide,” he said. “And there’s no reason to think we can’t assemble the units here in Waukon.”
For more information, call Portable Alert at 563-568-3838.
