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TIPS ON REDUCING FALSE
ALARMS
What is a false
alarm?
A false alarm is a request
for a responding authority to dispatch people and equipment where there is
not an actual emergency. A false alarm can be caused through human error,
faulty equipment, misapplication of detection devices, environmental
factors or simple miscommunication.
False alarms are not an
exclusive problem of the security industry (in fact, by some estimates,
more than 50% of all 911 calls are not crime related) however, the growing
number of installed burglar alarm systems is placing an increasing demand
on responding authorities (police, fire dept., ambulance).
Who is to blame for
false alarms?
The focus and blame for
the false alarm problem in the trade press has jumped from one
professional, or one link in the chain, to another. Two years ago, the
spotlight and blame was focused almost solely on the end-user. Listen in on
a seminar or read an article from that time and you would most likely
encounter words to the effect, "End-users had better learn to use
those security systems and cut down on those false alarms. It's not a
manufacturer problem, it's not a dealer problem, it's an end-user
problem."
As the National Burglar
and Fire Alarm Association (NBFAA) focussed its efforts increasingly on
licensing, the emphasis and blame shifted to the dealer. Dealers weren't
installing the systems properly and they weren't training the end-user how
to use them adequately. It then became a dealer problem.
Today, the emphasis and
spotlight is shifting to the manufacturer. A column in the May 1997 issue
of SDM Magazine recommends an industry approval requirement for control
panels, a recommendation intended specifically to address false alarm
reduction. The clear implication is that it's now up to the manufacturers
to provide the answers and solutions to the false alarm problem.
Each one of these
approaches is dead wrong. No single entity in the community has the ability
alone to solve the false alarm problem or, in fact, to provide true
security protection.
What can the
end-user do to reduce false alarms?
As the end user, there
are several steps one can take to ensure false alarms are being reduced on
their end. For example, the following is a small sampling of some of these
ideas:
- No dispatch period: As with any new piece of
technology, a certain degree of trial and error occurs within the
first week to ten days as the end user becomes comfortable with the
equipment. On suggestion is that you request from your monitoring
station a specified no response period to ensure should you make a
mistake, the authorities will not be called.
·
Double
keystoke keypad panic buttons or a security feature on the panic button: In the time of duress a panic
button is the most effective button you could employ on your key pad or
pendant. However, these panic buttons are also a major source of false
alarms. Children and adults alike can accidentally trip this feature if it
is a one keystroke activation. Request the double action codes (where you
must simultaneously press two separate keys down).
·
Eliminate
Silent Alarms:
While the silent alarm is an effective tool for catching thieves in the
act, it is also a source of false alarms as the end user does not know when
they have made a mistake. Installing a sounding device not only informs a
thief that an alarm has been tripped, but will also warn you and your
family of an error or a crisis situation.
·
One
device per security zone: Many false alarms have been caused by problems
occurring after a repair has been performed. This is because the technician
will have a difficult time isolating the problematic device and will
sometimes repair/replace the wrong piece. By isolating each device to it's
own zone, the technician can quickly asses the problematic device and
repair it.
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