Monitoring of Security Systems

A monitored alarm system notifies the professionally trained staff when a system has “activated” and the signal is received at the ULC monitoring station. This could be an intrusion while the system is armed or a smoke detector or wireless medical pendant which is monitored 24 hours a day. Once the ULC monitoring station receives the signal they will first call the premise and then the appropriate response authority for the signal received: friend or neighbours, alarm Response Company, police, fire or medical. The monitoring company cannot dispatch the authorities; its function is to notify the authorities who then dispatch themselves.

In order to receive response you must have the system monitored by a monitoring station. Relying on a neighbour is suspect as best as most people do not pay attention to a siren somewhere down the street. For example how often have you heard a siren going off and what have you done about it. As well, often the neighbours you are relying on are not home.

Using a ULC monitoring station is important as this will ensure that minimum standards set by Underwriters Laboratories of Canada are followed. The staff will be professionally trained and will have industry standard equipment. Some companies will use a phone answering service or similar, these usually do not have up to date equipment nor is the staff properly trained for the demanding calls that sometimes come in, such as fire or medical emergencies.