Benefits Of Central Station Monitoring Versus Self- Monitoring
The reason for purchasing an alarm system is for protection of your: family, home, business and employees.
Self-monitoring has some significant limitations which should be considered. What happens if:
- You are out of cellular range and not able to receive a notification from your alarm;
- You are in a business meeting;
- Your phone is not with you;
- Your cell phone battery dies?
If you or your emergency contacts are not by your phone 24/7 when your security system is triggered, no one is looking out or you. Every second counts in the event of an alarm condition that may have devastating impact to life or property.
The benefit of having your alarm system professionally monitored by a ULC-listed monitoring station is the peace of mind in knowing that any alarm or trouble condition will be actioned 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days of the year. Trained Dispatchers operate around the clock, and respond to alarm signals by dispatching police, fire, or medical personnel when needed. They are there for you at all times, and will ensure the proper authorities are dispatched as quickly as possible.
Insurance Discounts
With your alarm system being professionally monitored; most insurance companies will give discounts of varying levels to clients with alarms that are monitored for: security, fire, flood, and temperature. A self-monitored system won’t meet this requirement for insurance carriers.
CAMERAS – A Great Supplement to a Monitored Alarm
We sometimes speak with clients who are considering installing video cameras as an alternative to their monitored alarm system. We design video solutions so this is an opportunity for us, but we always make sure we point out that video systems are useful to supplement a monitored alarm’s protection.
Although they are a good deterrent, surveillance cameras record footage but typically don’t do anything with it in real-time. While you may be able to identify a person on the footage after the fact, you’re not able to stop a crime in progress.
However, by having a monitored alarm system, we notify you and the authorities quickly in the event intruders attempt to enter your home or business, increasing the odds of apprehending the offenders and reducing losses as they are less likely to stick around once the alarm goes off.