Data Sheet

The approach adopted by the police and insurers is going to have a significant impact upon your choice of alarm system upgrade. A Level One response means immediate police attendance; a Level Two response may mean a delay; a Level Three response will see only the keyholder in attendance.  Ringing bells do not get an automatic police response.  To ensure a response all new remotely monitored systems (and systems that have previously lost their police response) must be capable of sending two alarm signals to the monitoring centre.   Is your system still effective?  Is the level of detection adequate for the building’s use?  If your equipment is of low value will you carry the risk instead of the insurer?

 

Once an electronic detection device such as a door contact or passive infrared detector has been triggered confirmation systems require some additional method by which the system can confirm that there truly is an intruder on the premises.

 

 

 

There are three ways of achieving this:

If you use a passive monitoring system and your phone line is cut the police will not be notified.   Active monitoring means that the remote-monitoring centre actively checks that the phone line is always there.  Sending two alarm signals to the monitoring centre gives the confirmation that the intruder is on the premises.  The more sophisticated systems use two alarm monitoring paths, radio and the telephone line.  If one of the paths is attacked the other continues to monitor.  It may be time to consider upgrading your intruder alarm system before it’s too late or at least having it resurveyed to see if it meets your current requirements and is compliant with insurers needs.

For more information on this and other building risk management issues please speak to your Buildings Risk Management Group representative.