Many law enforcement agencies are now passing the cost of false alarms back to the consumer. As the owner of the system, you have a responsibility to use the system properly and to understand how you can achieve ZERO FALSE ALARMS for your local police. False alarms waste valuable police time and money.

 
A FALSE ALARM occurs when an alarm system is set off, the police are called and there is no intruder or emergency situation. User error is the number one cause of false alarms (76% of all false alarms are caused by users), and we are committed to the education of our customers in order to reduce such errors.

Following are some tips so you can prevent any unnecessary and costly false alarms:

• Ensure all key holders are trained in the proper use of the system and that everyone is aware of their current password or pass code (also known as a PIN (Personal Identification Number))
• Instruct domestic and/or repair people on how to fully operate your system.
• Never provide a key to someone who is not familiar with the system.
• When leaving the premise, ensure all doors and windows are locked. Loose fitting doors or windows may set off contact sensors.
• Correct all drafts that may move plants and curtains, both of which may cause an alarm.
• Make sure the keypad is easily accessible from the exit/entry point, and that the arming delay is set for a reasonable period.
• Request a service call as soon as possible after any unexplained alarms.
• Request annual maintenance checks
• After any household changes (remodeling, pets, etc.) contact the monitoring station to be sure alterations do not affect the system.
• Keep your list of contact people up to date
• Test the system frequently! Monthly is recommended by most manufacturers.
• Most importantly, commercial clients should not ignore a ringing phone if they cause an alarm! Answer the phone (even after hours) as it may be the monitoring station trying to contact an authorized person!

If you have any questions about your system or you need a user manual, you can call us at 604-504-5336 or call us toll free at 1-888-248-4868.

What To Do If You Accidentally Set Off Your Alarm

After the alarm is triggered:

• Secure your premises - stop the activity that set off the alarm
• Disarm your system with your current access code.
• Call the Monitoring Station to report the false alarm.

If you do not call but entered a valid code into the keypad to stop the alarm, a Monitoring Station Operator may make a courtesy call to ensure all is OK. Some systems allow us to see that the alarm system was disarmed by an authorized user after an alarm has occurred. (This is called an "After Alarm Code") It is always best to call the monitoring station regardless, just to make sure that the alarm was cancelled.

It's better to be safe than sorry: If you don't know exactly why the alarm went off, do not immediately disarm it. Allow our Emergency Operators to do their job. They will call and let you know in which zone the alarm occurred and ensure that you are safe before ending the call.