U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for February 21

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21: FIRST BURGLAR ALARM

Profile America — Tuesday, February 21st.  We live in an age concerned about security.  Many homes display signs warning that they are protected by a certain brand of security system, and television ads extol the benefits of competing brands.  The first burglar alarm was patented in Massachusetts in 1853.  It featured a battery-powered bell on each window and door to be protected.  The patent rights were purchased five years later by Edwin Holmes, who made the first installations.  By 1872, he was installing systems in New York City that connected locations to a central office. Today, installing and monitoring security systems is a $16 billion a year business in the U.S.  You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources:  Kane's Famous First Facts, 2132
2007 Economic Census, NAICS 56162

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button). 

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau