How Security Monitoring Works

No security system can be one hundred percent reliable unless there is a security monitoring system behind it. Simply installing a sophisticated security system can only set off an alarm when triggered. Considering the huge number of false alarms that are set off every day, there is no guarantee that your security alarm will catch the attention of the neighbors and bring the police to your doorstep. This is where the benefits of 24-hour security monitoring come into play.

Security monitoring should be the first step in any security plan. It provides immediate security and ensures that security systems provide the type of security they were intended to provide. The security system installed at a premise is directly linked to a central monitoring station with the aid of a direct phone line or tamper-proof fiber optic cable. The moment a security alarm is triggered, sensors on the control unit will automatically send a distress signal through the phone line or wireless network to the security monitoring company. Many alarm panels have back-up dialer capability for use when the primary circuit has been tampered with.

Security personnel who are on the job 24 x 7 at the monitoring station will receive the distress signal on their alarm monitoring screen, along with a set of instructions on what actions have to be taken on behalf of the premise owner. Encoders are programmed into the security system to indicate which specific sensor was triggered and the screens at the monitoring station will exactly pin-point the physical location of the sensor on a map of security-enabled premise.

As per the instructions received, personnel at the security monitoring company will immediately dispatch response units, initiate various actions and also notify other family members, if specified. The security personnel may also be instructed to first call the home to determine if the alarm is not a false one. Most security monitoring services include smoke as well as heat detection and are designed to notify the monitoring station even if the alarm is disarmed. Some security systems are also connected to a video surveillance system to allow real-time recording and relay of the intrusion area on the monitoring screen.

Over the years, the list of services under security monitoring services have widely expanded to Access Control, CCTV Monitoring, Environmental Monitoring, Intrusion Alarm Monitoring, Fire Alarm & Sprinkler Monitoring, Critical Condition Monitoring, Medical Response Monitoring, Elevator Telephone Monitoring, Hold-Up or Panic Alarm Monitoring, Duress Monitoring, Auto Dialer tests, Open & Close Signal Supervision & Reporting, Exception Reports, PIN or Passcode Management and so forth.

A security system is the best way to deter burglars. However, constant vigilance and rapid emergency response is possible only through security monitoring services. When you have a security system installed, coupled with 24-hour monitoring, you will have greater peace of mind, knowing that you have the best possible protection for you, your home and your loved ones.

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