Preventing False Alarms
Preventing false alarms on an intrusion or fire system is a key priority for dispatching agencies. Estimates indicate that over 90% of all alarm calls to police are actually false alarms. As a result, police are applying resources to situations unnecessarily and their response times on real alarms are often slower due to the “boy who cried wolf” assumption. Avoiding false alarms on their systems is in the alarm owners’ best interest as well. Not only does it strain the police or fire responders, but many jurisdictions have also implemented fines for excessive false alarms.
Preventing False Alarms
Here are some tips for preventing false alarms.
- Training. The most common cause of a false alarm is user error. Train all members of the family on how to use the alarm. Your alarm company will train you at the point of installation. There are also videos online for every system type and almost every possible scenario if you need a refresher. Train pet sitters, cleaning people and anyone else who accesses your home as well.
- Get the app. Arm and disarm the system from anywhere with remote services on your phone. If a houseguest forgets the code on the alarm, you can disarm remotely to avoid a call to the police department.
- Answer the call. When your alarm goes off, unless you disarm it within the set timeframe, the monitoring station will call you to check whether you need a dispatch. Unless special protocols have been set up, they typically call the first two contacts on the list. If neither person can be reached, they will dispatch the police. We recommend saving the number for the monitoring station (which may be different than the direct number for your alarm company) in your phone so you recognize the call.
- Know your password. You set up a password with the alarm company when your account was created. You will be asked for this password when you want to cancel an alarm. If you cannot provide it, they will not be able to stop the dispatch. The password is necessary to be sure it is actually an authorized person cancelling the alarm and not the burglar!
What else can you do?
- Put the system on test. You should test your alarm on a regular basis. Before doing this, call the monitoring station and ask that they put the system on “test.” This way you can check with them that the signals went through but there is no risk of actually triggering a dispatch.
- Notify the alarm company of construction plans. If you are having windows or doors replaced or having work on the house that may damage devices, let the security company know upfront so they can remove or protect them.
- Keep devices clean. Especially with fire alarm devices, be sure they are cleaned on a regular basis. Build ups of dust and pet dander can cause false alarms. And fire alarms are an automatic dispatch, so there is no opportunity to cancel the alarm before the fire department shows up. Spider webs are another culprit for false alarms on motion detectors.
- Upgrade old equipment. If your system is more than ten years old, it is time for an upgrade. Especially if you have a hard-wired system, at the very least you want to have a health check from your alarm company. Wires can become brittle over time or can be chewed by pests. New wiring may be needed or a wireless system can be installed.
Alarm Permits
To help cover the costs of false alarms, many cities or counties require a burglar alarm permit that must be renewed each year. These vary from $10 – $500 annually. It can be much more expensive to ignore this requirement. There are often fines for any requests to dispatch when a permit is not on file for the address. In addition, some agencies will refuse to dispatch on your alarm if you do not have a permit on file.
We Can Help!
Cultris Security can help in preventing false alarms. Whether you need with training, a health check or a system upgrade, call us at 281-506-8466 or visit us online to learn more.
Image by Christelle Olivier from Pixabay
