Alarm Monitoring Services: How They Work
An ear-piercing siren and flashing strobe lights create an immediate sense of emergency and indicate an alarm of some sort has been triggered. Now that the alarm has been triggered and the warning sirens have sounded, what happens next?
If you have a monitored security system, it won’t just be the neighbors or passerby alerted to the commotion, but also highly trained technicians in a central monitoring facility. Through special telephone or mobile lines, radio channels or computer software, alarm signals are received by the central monitoring station and, depending on the type of signal received and the municipality in which your building is located, the staff take the appropriate next steps.
In some cases, the reaction may be immediate notification of police other emergency response personnel such as firefighters if a smoke or carbon monoxide alarm is going off, or paramedics if it’s a medical alert pendant signaling. In some cases, the central monitoring company may first try to contact the home or business owner to ensure a false alarm hasn’t been triggered.
Not all central monitoring facilities provide the same type or quality of service. Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is the largest and most well-known independent, not-for-profit testing laboratory in the world. For nearly a century, UL’s Alarm Certificate Services Program has been the leader in the security industry’s safety standard, setting and verifying minimum requirements for alarm service.
Always make sure the central monitoring station providing your service is on the UL Certified List. You have peace of mind knowing your security system must be installed, maintained, tested, and monitored in accordance with the most up-to-date applicable codes and standards.
If the central monitoring service needs to contact you prior to dispatching authorities, there will generally be at least two phone numbers they will try to reach you on. If they don’t reach you on either of these two numbers, emergency personnel will be called. If they do reach you, there is usually a password you must convey. If you are incapable of answering for any reason and cannot relay the password, authorities will be dispatched.
Monitoring isn’t required for your security system, but it’s highly recommended. The noise and commotion caused by the sirens and lights might scare off a thief in the night, but that’s not the only protection a security system provides. What if there is a fire or carbon monoxide leak? What if the occupants of the home or business are incapacitated? Making sure emergency personnel arrive on the scene as quickly as possible is paramount. Monitoring adds an important extra layer of security to your investment.
At FSS Technologies, we can monitor alarm systems of nearly any make or model, including 2GIG, ADT, Protection 1, Stanley, DMP, DSC, Ademco, Napco, Honeywell, G.E., FBII, Safewatch and many more.
If you would like to learn more about monitoring with our team of experts, contact our pros!
Explore Our Other Blogs
Fire Systems for the Healthcare Industry
Healthcare facilities face uniquely complex life safety challenges and fire hazards. Unlike other commercial properties, hospitals, clinics, and long-term care centers must safeguard patients and protect equipment that’s both expensive and essential to life safety, and maintain 24/7 operations with no downtime. With vulnerable lives at stake, the healthcare industry must adhere to strict fire…
Video Doorbell Privacy Issues
Video Doorbells In the News Video doorbells are one of the hottest home security tools on the market today. We agree. Once you have a video doorbell, you’ll probably wonder how you ever lived without it. Check out our blog on How a Video Doorbell Works to learn more. However, like any technology on the…
Business Fire Alarm Installation Guide
A fire alarm system is part of the business security system that keeps your business, property, and employees safe. A fire can become life-threatening in two minutes and can engulf a building within five minutes. Your business could go up in flames in a matter of moments without the proper equipment and detection systems in place to protect everything…
4 Questions & Answers about Smart Home Devices
Smart Home Technology Let’s face it; we are in love with our smartphones. According to Pew Research Center, more than 81% of Americans now own one; that is up from just 35% in 2011. With so much power in the palm of our hand, it’s not surprising that we want to use our smartphone for…
What Are The Different Types of CCTV Cameras?
Your company’s security camera is part of a closed-circuit television system (CCTV). CCTV uses one or more cameras, through either wireless or wired transmission, to send the broadcast from the camera directly to a monitor, set of monitors, or a recording device—providing you peace of mind in the case of crime, fire, theft, or accidents…
Can Motion Sensors be Triggered by Light?
Motion sensors are a common part of our world today. Wave your hand under the faucet and the water runs. Pull open the closet door and the light turns on. Walk near the doors of the grocery store and they automatically slide open. Motion sensors are devices that detect movement. They are common features in…
Motion Detector Installation Basics
Motion detection devices are a crucial component of any security system, commercial or residential. They allow owners to cover a relatively large amount of space with a small number of devices. Motion detectors also are known to detect activity that window sensors might miss. When it comes time to install motion detection devices, remember these…
Can Your CCTV and Access Control Systems be Integrated?
When setting up security for your business, you might consider adding CCTV and access control systems. These two security measures work great to deter crime on their own, and provide even greater security when integrated. This pairing has many advantages, but it is also a complex setup that may not be right for you. There…
Can I Install Monitored Security in My Apartment?
The most recent FBI data estimates that there are over 1.2 million burglaries a year, resulting in around $3.4 billion in property loss. Although property crime as a whole has been on the decline, the rise in popularity of video doorbells and more comprehensive and integrated home security systems shows that Americans are no less…
Should My Business Have a Panic Button?
What Exactly is a Panic Button? As the name implies, a panic button is a button or switch that an individual activates when there is an emergency that needs immediate attention. Panic buttons are often hidden from plain sight so they can be activated subtly or in secret by the correct individuals. How Does a…