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Your alarm system - review it regularly

An intruder detection system is installed to reduce the risk of loss. It does not stop a burglary or assault from taking place and without corresponding physical security and security awareness, it may prove to be of little value.

"Our experience shows the life cycle of an alarm system is typically around five years," says Clive van Ryneveld, managing director of Armed Response at Chubb Security South Africa.

"Not only do some components have a tendency to deteriorate over a period of time, but technology moves on very quickly too, with significantly more effective solutions becoming available every year.

"In fact, we recommend a review of an installed system every two to three years with a major review after a five year period has lapsed," continues Van Ryneveld.

This applies not only to commercial and industrial installations but to the home environment as well.

Van Ryneveld also stresses that any alteration in the structure or layout of your premises, or any major change in the value of the risk, should also be included in the re-assessment of your security system.

Van Ryneveld says the onus rests firmly on the client to regularly test his/her alarm and ensure that their chosen security company's monitoring centre is receiving regular signals.

Chubb Electronic Security (CES), a division of Chubb Security South Africa, offers a total security solution and installs, maintains and monitors electronic intruder alarms and surveillance systems.

Chubb suggests the following prior to testing your alarm:

* Contact your local monitoring centre and inform them that you are testing your alarm system.

* Confirm with the monitoring centre that it has received your alarm signal.

* Finally, confirm with the monitoring centre that your alarm system is off testing mode.

It is advisable and indeed necessary to frequently test any fixed or mobile panic buttons, but please advise your monitoring centre first. False alarms cost lives and to do this as a means of testing response times could cost a person their life.

When testing your alarm signal, it is important to note the following:

Make sure that all persons and animals have vacated the area.

Make sure that all doors and windows are secured.

Make sure that stock or boxes are not placed in front of beams or passive detectors.

Make sure that all key switches are in the 'off' position.

Make sure that no circuits are isolated.

Make sure that you reset the control panel.

Initiate the arming sequence.

Exit the area to be protected by moving from the control panel directly to the exit point (door, etc).

Complete the arming sequence. (The arming sequence will vary according to the type of control panel installed and may include key switches, key pads, a timed period or a deliberate action such as closing a specific door).

Enter the premises and wait for the alarm to activate.

"If difficulty is experienced with arming the panel after these procedures have been followed, then we suggest you contact the service centre of your security provider. False alarms are a major problem in our industry and can be eliminated to a degree by the frequent testing and maintenance of alarm systems," says Van Ryneveld.

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