FAQ

We want to provide the best customer service to both customers and dealers and that involves handling alarms and taking calls while completing office tasks many times simultaneously. This means following an order of priority when conducting incoming alarms and calls at times with high volumes. Our trained operators work effectively in handling all high and low priorities so "hold times" are low and alarm response times are fast. Central station operators will ask if you are calling in a "False Alarm," so we may avoid sending authorities when they are not needed as well as helping determining when they are. Please assist us by being honest and cooperative with operators.

Central Security does not charge its customers for false alarms. False alarms make-up over 90% of the calls regarding system alarms and the central stations works quickly and effectively in determining false alarms from actual alarms. We make it our responsibility to handle every signal and ensure customers' peace of mind for using their alarm systems. However charges or penalties from local law enforcement are separate from the monitoring station and it is the responsibility of the customers and their dealers to educate themselves of local police and fire department regulations and fees

Because Central Security contracts customers through several alarm dealers, we focus solely on providing alarm monitoring. All alarm technical services and remote system access are left to the dealer to provide.

We are solely a monitoring station and do not have training for operating alarm panels. When customers request help operating their systems, we direct them to their alarm dealers following their business hour and after hour services offered

Letting the central station know when residences or even individual responsible parties on the call list will be out of town or unavailable, helps for a quicker response time. Allowing us with this information can reflect the best procedures for families or businesses that are out of town or on leave. This means dispatching police or fire immediately when the premise is known to be vacant and/or having special instructions of house or dog sitters while away. Just call our operators before or even during vacations or times of leave and our operators will assist in taking and inputting the proper information needed. This is a great feature that helps facilitate ease of security monitoring when away from home and greater peace of mind

This is one of the most asked questions we are met with when customers have just received notice of alarms at their premises. Just as it is important to provide information to the correct individuals or agency, it is equally important that we verify each and every individual calling in to receive that information. The way Central Security confirms the validity of our customers is ONLY by being provided the "Proper Code" created by the customer. Whether customers were called and left messages minutes ago or were called hours ago; when everyone calls into the central station we will verify who you are! It is important that customers remember their "Proper Code(s)" which can be a password, passphrase, and/or any combination of an alpha or numerical code. Notice operators WILL NOT use any other information to help verify a customer's authorization, because simple knowledge such as home addresses, home or cell numbers, and general knowledge of premises or persons, can be gathered by anyone with access to basic mediums to information.

Customers that cannot remember or do not have immediate access to their Proper Code(s), will be referred to their alarm dealers to retrieve that information or asked to call back when they can provide it. Alarm dealers can provide access for customers by providing them their Proper Codes or contacting the central station for customers, but can be limited to dealer business hours. No other information can be given to validate authorization for an account because operators can ONLY accept the Proper Code to access customer's accounts.

Yes! If customers so choose they may give hints along with their Proper Code(s) that will be added to their accounts and accessed when customers request to be given their hints. This feature can help customers who have trouble remembering codes or simply not want their codes written down or stored. In this case if you cannot remember your Proper Code you can ask the operator for your hint.

If responding emergency units need response from key holders or need to confirm if someone on site is authorized they will call us. We are also called when they need additional information to the premise, find signs of attempted burglary, or find signs of smoke or fire. In general if and when emergency agencies need to reach you, central station operators will call you or provide dispatch agencies the numbers to reach you at. We have found commonly, that dispatch agencies will only call us back if their officers, paramedics, or fire response teams find problems. If no problems are found then our operators do not receive notes of disposition. The majority of the time no news is good news. However you may call the central station 24 hours a day to check receipt of a message or check to see if any more signals have been handled.

Operators let each number ring at least six times and may try again if they receive a busy line or the call did not call through. Once operators leave a message or receive no answer, they will continue on to the next contact.
However, with environmental signals (ex: water detection or low temperature) our operators try the call list every 30 minutes until someone is reached. Each account can be customized to whatever standards the installing company and/or customer would like.

Timer Tests are check-in signals sent from the alarm panel indicating that an alarm panel is dialing through properly. These check-in signals can be programmed to be sent daily, weekly, or monthly.

When the central station places accounts "offline" or "on test" all signals are received from the panel but do not come into alarm status. Every signal is still processed and logged into an accounts history but operators will not see or handle those signals. Testing or taking your system off line allows contractors and customers to work on, repair, and check on a systems functionality without the worries of false alarms or active monitoring. With this feature we must make sure we comply with local emergency agency protocols and regulations and ensuring alarm systems are not place on off line indefinitely. It is because of this Central Security has placed a maximum "off line/testing" policy. Extended testing is possible but with the approval from local fire department agencies.