In this day and age, it is essential to have alarm systems in place to guarantee the safety and security of people and property within your business. As with any technology, there is the potential for annoying glitches, but sometimes false alarms can pose a serious issue, potentially wasting emergency services time or causing the alarm to not respond when necessary.
Here we detail our top tips for avoiding false intruder alarms.
1. Thorough Training – The first step may seem obvious, but it is essential to provide comprehensive training to all system users. Understanding how to operate the alarm effectively will mitigate any false alarms from accidental misuse.
2. Changes in timings – A simple thing like a change in working hours or daylight savings can disrupt the system and trigger a false alarm when someone is in range. If there are any changes to your usual working hours, please inform our Customer Service Department in advance to ensure the time is correct on the system, if it is not automatically set.
3. Double-check - Before arming the system, always double-check that the premises are empty. It's definitely worth doing a toilet and storeroom sweep before setting your alarm.
4. Secure the premises - Before activating the system ensure that all doors and windows are securely closed. Not just for the sake of security, but also to help prevent any weather or wildlife from breaching the secure perimeter.
5. Keep it clear - Make sure that none of the detection devices are obstructed, this can not only cause false alarms but also could mean the alarms may not work when you need them to.
6. Exit routes - Use the designated entry and exit routes when entering or leaving the premises. This will prevent any alerts from pre-armed areas.
7. Notices – It is crucial to yourself and your staff to deactivate any system before accessing protected areas. Clear signage can assist with this, as well as strict processes.
8. Changes in Building – If there are any modifications to your building(s) or belongings you must notify G&K (or your service provider) as quickly as possible. These may affect the scope and performance of your system.
9. Be reactive and proactive – If you do experience a false alarm, it is still important to investigate it thoroughly and take the necessary measures to prevent recurrence.
10. Maintain - Regularly schedule maintenance checks for your system with a G&K Engineer to ensure its continued functionality.