Most businesses have a security alarm system installed which provides alerts and alarms if an unauthorized person or intruder were to try and enter your building. Lots of people use these systems, but many don’t understand how they work. Here’s how: Every alarm system has a keypad which is used to turn the system on and off. This is also known as ‘arming’ and ‘disarming’. The keypad isn’t the ‘brains’ of the system, it’s simply how you interact with it. The keypad activates and deactivates devices which are connected to the security alarm system, such as door contacts, motion detectors, glassbreak detectors, beams, or any other device which may be securing your building. The ‘brains’ of the security alarm system is the control panel, which is usually located in an electrical room, telephone room or other secure area of the building. All of these security devices can be connected to the control panel by wires or wireless communication. When armed, if a door is opened, motion is detected, the sound of breaking glass heard, or any other device is tripped, the alarm panel “wakes up” and that’s where Fire Monitoring of Canada comes in. The panel begins sending information to FMC’s Signal Receiving Centre about what is happening in your building. This alarm data can be sent to our Signal Receiving Centre through any combination of phone line, cellular, IP, DVACS or other ULC-approved methods of communication. These alarm signals are received at our monitoring station in receivers, which our operators acknowledge through our alarm monitoring automation software. Alarms are presented to our operators with your building’s information and this is what we use to begin contacting the appropriate people about the alarm. Typically, FMC will attempt to confirm the alarm from your security alarm system prior to notifying police in an attempt to ensure that the alarm is valid. This is a process known as Enhanced Call Verification, and it has been proven to reduce false dispatches of police by up to 60%. FMC can also send real-time alerts and deliver control of your security alarm system to your phone. This would allow you to arm and disarm the system remotely, check on the status of the system and add or remove users conveniently from wherever you are. FMC has been installing, servicing and monitoring security alarm systems in businesses for over 25 years, and understand how unique your business’s monitoring needs are. If you have questions specific to your business’s security alarm monitoring, call us at 888-789-FIRE or visit us a www.fire-monitoring.com for a free assessment.

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