The Pacific Northwest has come to be known for an emphasis on all things local. From locally brewed beer to locally grown organic produce, more and more people in Portland, Seattle, Tacoma and the surrounding areas are realizing the benefits of staying close to home. The expression “locavore” has even sprouted up to refer to someone who only eats locally produced food. While the benefits of food grown and produced near to your home are pretty obvious – supporting the local economy, fewer overhead costs for transportation and distribution and a fresher flavor – the advantage of sourcing other goods and services from homegrown businesses can be equally sweet.

With all the buzz about local, it’s understandable that many companies have appropriated the word for their own advantage, even when it’s less than true. For example, many national security companies operating here in the Pacific Northwest will claim to be local during their sales pitch, but ask them a few questions and it becomes clear that they have stretched the truth. Monitoring done in Texas? Not local. Executive leadership in Florida? Again, not local. Technicians subcontracted from a company based out of Colorado? Nope, not local.

As a local security company, our approach to local is honest and sincere. We have five offices in the Pacific Northwest, and everything our business does is based out of those offices. Our technicians and alarm monitors are our own employees who are trained by us and are highly experienced with our products. Our sales representatives and customer service team report directly to our management staff and are salaried so that they can design security systems based on your needs, not their commission checks. Our accounting department and administrative team work in our offices to make sure that our customers, who are also our neighbors, are happy and secure.

Next time you’re at the farmers market picking out locally grown produce, think about extending a “locavore” attitude to the other aspects of your life as well.