Here at EPS, we often get asked about home and business monitoring, and why it is so important to have in collaboration with your security system. Below you will find answers to these questions including how monitoring works, what kinds of monitoring options are available, and the benefits of trusting your home or business security with a professional Monitoring Center.
What is alarm monitoring?
Your security system is equipped with the technology to communicate between the system and a monitoring center. When an alarm is set off, a signal is sent to the monitoring center where they follow a specific protocol to contact you and the correct emergency responders to deal with the matter. Monitoring means there is always an eye on your security system, prepared to act in the event of an emergency.
What types of alarm monitoring are available?
Full-service Dealers: Your security provider owns and operates its professional monitoring center. A security company with a monitoring center is a company who provides the complete package. Not only will your security system be installed and maintained, but the same company will monitor it. This typically means the monitoring center is located in, or nearby, the community you live in
3rd party monitoring: Many national security companies use a third-party company to monitor the security systems they install. Your security provider installs the security system, but after installation, they hire a separate company to monitor your alarms for you. These monitoring centers are typically located in major cities all over the country and monitor alarm systems for multiple companies.
Self-monitoring: These types of security systems are often referred to as DIY systems, meaning you install and monitor the system yourself. If a fire alarm goes off, it is on the customer to respond by calling the proper emergency responders, regardless of where you are, what you’re doing, and if you’re available to respond effectively. The biggest downfall of self-monitoring is the reaction time necessary to respond to an alarm event can vary wildly from person to person. Without a monitoring center, an alarm event may go completely unattended if the customer is away or unavailable to respond in a timely manner.
What are the benefits of professional alarm monitoring?
- Without professional alarm monitoring, your alarm system alerts you locally through a loud siren. At best, these alerts can also be pushed to a cell phone through a compatible app. However, the potential emergency is not communicated to anyone else. This can be problematic if you’re not able to respond, don’t know why the alarm is triggering, or don’t know who to call.
- Professional monitoring connects the alarm system to a real person who can verify the emergency and dispatch the correct emergency responders. If you were unable to respond in emergency situations like smoke inhalation or even because of an intruder, the alarm system would still send the alarm and procedures are in place to escalate even without response.
- Outside of emergencies, a monitoring center can also serve to remind you to change your batteries or let you know if there is an issue with your system. The point is, someone is there for you.
What does it mean to be monitored by EPS Security?
When a dedicated professional such as EPS Security monitors your system, you are monitored by a team of local security experts right in your backyard. What sets EPS apart from other security companies is our local, community presence and commitment.
Third-party alarm monitoring centers are often located in an entirely different state than the one they service. These third-party companies lack knowledge of the local geography, weather, or even area events that may be contributing to alarm activity. Also, service calls typically must be routed back to a local dealer, which can delay needed repairs.
At EPS, we are your neighbors, we have a great relationship with your local emergency responders, and we are readily available when you need us. When you choose EPS, you are selecting a monitoring center that provides full service right where we live and work. With quality customer service and certified professional alarm monitoring, you can rest assured you are getting the most out of your security system.
Find out more about monitoring and the services we provide by clicking the link below!