Alarm monitoring is a service that remains active 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It tracks every alarm system, CCTV surveillance camera and security service, such as a panic alarm, perimeter intrusion detection system, or access control set-up, across an entire business or premises.
Alarm monitoring ensures that site owners and managers have continual protection in place every single day, whether the premises is open and operational, closed overnight, or shut during festive holiday periods.
Outsourcing alarm monitoring to Clearway’s NSI Gold Cat II Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) assures that trained responders monitor and track all alerts and concerns around the clock, prompting immediate responses in the event of any incident.
Key Takeaways:
- Alarm monitoring means that experienced, qualified responders track all security alarms, surveillance and systems throughout a premises on a continual basis.
- Alarms and alerts are swiftly logged, investigated, and either stood down or escalated to ensure security teams and emergency responders take the appropriate action.
- Using an accredited, high-quality alarm monitoring facility provides the peace of mind that security systems are under careful watch around the clock, even if the premises or site is closed.
Alarm Monitoring Services Explained
One of the biggest downfalls of a conventional security system is that if an alarm is activated or a surveillance camera detects suspicious activity, that information isn’t acted upon or flagged until somebody decides to investigate or notices the data when they next return to the security office.
It is incredibly common for audible alarms to be dismissed since, in a large proportion of cases, they are caused by wildlife or trees. However, when an alarm sounds due to a live intrusion, it is imperative that an experienced responder is on hand to take decisive action.
This is where alarm monitoring services step in. Our military-grade facility provides tracking for every type of alarm and surveillance system. It is staffed around the clock by skilled responders who follow defined policies on how to react when an alarm or alert is received.
Whether it is during the middle of the night, on a day when the site is closed, or during operational hours, the responder will check CCTV cameras to verify exactly why the alert has been activated and then act—whether contacting the police, initiating an evacuation, calling the fire service, or communicating with on-site security personnel.
During the initial set-up, we’ll integrate wireless connections that ensure your business alarm systems can communicate directly with the ARC, even during periods of power outages or after the wiring has been tampered with, implementing cellular transmissions for 24/7 reliability.
How Does an Alarm Monitoring Service Determine the Right Response to an Alarm?
Whether an alert has been raised by an AI-enabled surveillance system, a physical entry alarm, a CCTV tower, or a perimeter intrusion detection system, the process is always to identify, where possible, the level of risk associated with the alarm.
In most cases, responders will look to use alarm verification footage or live contact with on-site personnel, eliminating alarms caused by wildlife, for example, to ensure there are minimal instances of false alarm responses.
The correct protocol may also depend on your site but can involve:
- Initiating an emergency response when two alarm points, contacts or detectors are activated within a minimum time frame.
- Contacting the appropriate parties when two different aspects of your security system are triggered – such as a perimeter alarm and a door sensor.
- Activating CCTV cameras with functionality such as infrared, facial recognition, pan, tilt and zoom (PTZ) and vehicle number plate detection to determine where and why the alarm has been activated.
While the risk of a live intrusion or criminal activity may be low, this diligence prevents false call-outs, which can provide cost efficiencies for businesses, especially those with large areas of land or in rural areas.
Frequent false alarms caused by wind, trees, or wildlife can result in fines from the local emergency response services.
It also ensures that responders responsible for attending alarm call-outs are never put in a position of danger or expected to deactivate an alarm in the early hours without knowing what is happening on the ground.
Which Types of Alarms Can Be Included in an Alarm Monitoring Service?
Alarm monitoring applies to every conceivable type of alarm or device you might use within your security controls – provided the device or system can trigger an alert and circulate an alarm via cellular transmissions.
We often combine fire detection monitoring with CCTV surveillance and intruder alarm systems as a blanket coverage that ensures all devices and alerts are logged and investigated.
This can also extend to panic alarms, automated fall detection devices, smoke alarms, temporary wireless alarms, and body-worn cameras.
There are numerous advantages, in addition to the ability to dismiss false alarms, communicate information with emergency responders, and ensure that any live intrusions are dealt with quickly.
Some businesses, for example, may find that 24/7 alarm monitoring reduces their insurance costs or is a mandatory requirement if the workplace or premises has a particular risk or is at greater threat of criminal behaviour and trespass.
Others choose alarm monitoring to protect the well-being of staff, relying on professional, trained responders rather than requiring personnel to attend empty premises when an alarm is activated. This incurs travelling costs and overtime expenditures and potentially could put staff in harm’s way.
Putting Alarm Monitoring in Place for Your Business or Organisation
Monitored security services are always customised to your requirements, depending on the number of alarms and systems you have in place, the nature of the organisation, and the types of risks identified during your risk assessment process.
Our skilled security teams can also advise on the right parameters and response protocols or suggest compatible alarms and cameras that provide the functionality to verify the cause of any alarm or alert before deciding on the right response.
If you’d like to learn more about alarm monitoring and how it works, please contact us at any time to arrange a good time to talk or discover the quality assurances available when you appoint an accredited NSI Gold II Alarm Receiving Centre as your alarm monitoring partner.
Steve Hardcastle 
Chief Technical Officer
Steve Hardcastle has run several security businesses including NSI and ACS companies and founding Cerberus Security and Monitoring which he headed up for over 25 years.
Steve identifies innovative technologies that provide competitive advantages and creates technology strategies that helps the Group grow, he also supports the existing product range. He can also be called upon to support sales and marketing with technical and practical concerns, as well as any operational issues.
