1. Contact your local alarm association, yellow pages, friends, insurance agents or local police for a list of companies.

2. When making appointments ask companies to bring a copy of any state and/or city required licenses and a copy of insurance.

3. Ask for three or more references, call or visit all of them.

4. Have all members of the family that will be using the alarm be present at the meeting with the companies.

5. If the alarm is to be monitored, visit the central station. When the agent from the alarm company arrives, ask for identification.

6. Ask for a security inspection of the total space inside and out.

7. Get a signed and dated written quote.

8. Ask if any long term contracts are involved in the quote.

9. To learn more about security systems, read "A Guide for Home and Business Alarm Systems" from the CAA. To get a free publication, write to: CAA, 1148 Fourth Street, Suite 115, Santa Monica, CA 90403.