How I Use My System: Eric Garner

Eric Garner is the COO of family-operated Mountain Alarm, an installer based in Ogden, Utah. He has worked full time with the company for eight years, and manages the relationship between the company's offices in Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Arizona and Montana. Security Systems News caught up with Eric and talked about his home system…

What kind of system do you have at home?

In my home that I built, we hardwired … a DMP XT50. We [also] have a family cabin [where] we actually have a 2GIG with Alarm.com. It's kind of nice to have two separate platforms, especially in the cabin where my parents and also my siblings all have the app and share a login, because we all go up there.

Why this particular system?

I really feel like the DMP equipment is probably the most robust equipment out there. We've been a DMP dealer since—I believe—1991, and we have, probably, systems from '91 that are still working properly.

What is one aspect of your security system that you wouldn't want to live without?

I don't even have [my keypad] mounted to the wall. I actually have it on a desk stand in my home office, and I never use the keypad. What's really changed our lives, and has been convenient for my family, is the DMP app. [While] traveling we can arm/disarm the system. The other thing I love is the garage door controls through the app as well. We rarely use our thermostat that's mounted to the wall. Both my wife and I, when we need to turn the thermostat up or down, we just do it right from our cell phone, right from the app.

Where do you see security going next? What are some big trends?

I think security's going to become easier to use, we've already seen it with the app and the lack of the keypad. With the younger generation, I really see keypads going away—I see the keypad going in the closet … not being on the wall. I see more and more home automation. I think that we're going to be able to control everything that's inside of our home through [an] app.