Panic Alarms. Especially after all the crazy shootings, these alarms become more important than ever. They’re not solely for business and there are multiple ways they can be triggered, so it’s imperative that you, as well as your customers, know the process and how it works.
As you, the dealers, know… These particular alarms come in several different forms.
Sometimes it’s as simple as your customer giving the Duress Code instead of their passcode when Central Station calls to confirm a burglary.
- With this word our dispatchers have been instructed to assume the customer is under distress and in need of rescue.
- The dispatchers will act as though nothing out of the ordinary occurred, quickly hang up, then contact police.
- Please remember– if your customer is confused about what their password is and gives both, it becomes the operator’s discretion as to whether or not to dispatch or assume that the confusion is genuine. Don’t be surprised if they err to the side of caution and proceed with dispatch.
Residential Panic Alarms –
There are two kinds of Panic alarms.
The Standard Panic, able to be triggered by the following:
- Pressing the panic button on the keyfob or keypad
- A special panic button hidden in the house
With these alarms, our dispatchers call only the subscriber number(s), then dispatch police if they do not receive proper code or no answers. No further calls are made after this point unless there are specific notes from you, the dealer, either requesting to be informed or further action to be taken.
The Residential Duress Code is the other type of residential panic. This alarm is usually set off by typing a specific code into the alarm panel that stops the alarm at the premise, but alerts the dispatch center of a potential issue.
We go straight to dispatch on this kind of residential panic!
Commercial Panic Alarms –
These alarms are often described as the following:
- Hold Up Alarm
- General Panic
- Zone Described Panic (Cash Register, Safe, Front Desk, etc.)
- Lockdown Panic
This particular alarm ALWAYS goes straight to dispatch except with special instructions. And we NEVER verify this type of alarm unless there are specific notes from you, the dealer.
The response to School Panic Alarms has changed significantly due to all the tragedies that have occurred over the last few years. Most schools now have Lock Down instructions to accompany Panic Alarm Dispatch. For obvious reasons, our operators only call Emergency Services.
How do they know how to properly instruct police? They count on YOU! How you label your alarms and whether or not you submit zone descriptions make a difference in how quickly the police can narrow down a search or which is the proper response.
In all these cases, it’s extremely important that your customers know how to reach the Central Station and what their codes are in the event of a false alarm. The sooner we’re made aware of a false alarm, the more likely we are to be able to prevent an unnecessary dispatch. Many police departments no longer cancel dispatches on panic alarms, so time is definitely of the essence!
Let’s make sure our customers are taught, and taught well!