If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that video cameras help catch crooks and that British crime dramas are the greatest proponents of video security systems. “D.C. Hawthorne, get the CCTV footage from the corner store.” The pandemic has made everyone hyperaware of the tumultuous situations both globally and in local community and have caused us to become more protective of our homes and businesses. As economic decline swooped in, seemingly overnight, property theft became a real concern, and learning new and innovative ways to protect property from theft took priority.
The Security System Reporting Process
The number of newly installed video security systems has grown over the years, especially during the pandemic. As many businesses were forced to close due to mandatory stay at home orders, it became incumbent upon business owners to ensure their business property was secure while nobody was on site. Now that the systems have been installed, how are the authorities alerted when an emergency occur if there is nobody present at the facility or location?
Modern tech has provided a few solutions for the security reporting process. These solutions generally revolve around the budget for the video security system. The most hands-off option for any business owner is to install a video security or property theft deterrent system that utilizes 24/7 central station monitoring. Central station monitoring places the video system monitoring onus directly on a third party provider. Many times this third party provider is the installer of the video security system. In this scenario, the third party provider utilizes skilled technicians to oversee the video footage on a constant basis from a remote location. The video cameras stream to the central station and should an emergency arise, the technicians monitoring the video streams are able to immediately alert the proper authorities to attend to the scene, be it police, fire, or medical services. Central station monitoring takes the pressure off of the business owner from having to be alert and aware at all times as to the needs of the business and allows those owners to attend to other pressing details of their business and family life while having the peace of mind in knowing their property is protected as the technicians are in direct contact with the specific authorities needed for this precise incident. These systems also monitor motion sensors and any other alarms utilized by the property and receive signals when an alarm is activated. These signals indicate from where the issue has arisen, and allows the central station monitor to advise emergency authorities with particularity
Should there be budgetary limitations that do not allow the business owner to utilize central station monitoring, then there are advanced video security systems that allow property owners to monitor their facilities while off-site via the use of IP video cameras and remote access to those streams through apps downloaded on cell phones, computers or laptops. When an alarm is triggered, the owner may access the video streams to see what the particular issue is and alert the proper authorities to handle the situation. The onus is squarely on the property owner to alert the authorities with these systems.
Professional Over Do It Yourself Systems
Of course professionally installed and monitored systems will provide the highest quality of service with the most peace of mind. These professionally installed systems link directly with police dispatch to ensure emergency services are available to handle your incident in the least amount of time possible with the least amount of damage. Central station monitoring has been proven to be a reliable system for processing emergencies, allowing an experienced third party to examine the data and contact the proper authorities in the shortest amount of time possible with all of the relevant information at their fingertips.
Systems without central station monitoring certainly run at a disadvantage. When an alert signal is sent and received, there is no third party professional to interpret the data with a cool head to process the information with the proper authorities. The owner of the video security or alarm system is required to contact the authorities on their own and may, at times, be unable to remove the natural human emotion from the situation as their property is being damaged. This has the potential to cause delay in providing relevant information to the authorities and could result in further damage to the property.
The Risk of False Alarms
False alarms are a fact of life for emergency services and security systems. Any small malfunction to a security system could trigger a signal that raises an alarm. There are a few ways for security companies to verify that a received signal is an actual alarm. Video security is the ideal way for central station monitors to confirm an emergency alert. They may also contact the system owner to confirm information prior to alerting the authorities.
On way to minimize the occurrence of false alarms is through routine maintenance and inspections. Keeping on top of your system’s maintenance will help ensure that the only alarms triggered are actual emergency situations, which will reduce the number of bad calls emergency services are sent out to investigate, freeing up their time for the people facing critical situations that require their attention.
Finding a video security company that has your best interest at heart and is determined to minimize your exposure to property theft can be a challenge. Fortunately, the Tampa Bay area has access to A Total Solution. With more than 30 years in the industry, aTS has grown with the technology and proudly employs experienced, certified technicians who are up to speed with all of the current advancements. Once installation has occurred, ATS’ techs will ensure to get you on schedule for maintenance, prepare you for inspections, and make any repairs necessary. They are available for central station monitoring as well as emergency repair service 24/7, 365 days a year.
Trust your security needs to a company with more than 30 years of experience in the security industry. Protecting your property is our job. Contact us today to speak with a certified technician to determine how we can protect your property from theft or upgrade your current system.