I Could Be Monitoring Your Alarm System
That title sounds kinda creepy, huh? Like I’ve tapped into some sort of computer system and I’m watchinggggg you. I assure you I’m not. In real life…I monitor commercial and residential security systems. I guess my Facebook says it best:
If you rob people, I will call the police on you. If you have a medical emergency, I will call EMS. If your home or business is on fire, I will call the Fire Department. If your alarm system is on crack, I will call you and write a service ticket. I am Ava, Public Servant.
Yes! I’m goofy.
Curious?
Monitoring alarms is one of those jobs where you rarely get the whole story. I’m a step down from a 911 Dispatcher, but work closely with them. You can’t let your curiosity drive you crazy. You might have received 2 glass breaks, 3 motions, and a door from your local convenience store. With that kind of activity, it’s almost a guarantee that someone has broken in, but you’ll never quite hear the complete story. You just hope it’s open the next day when you stop for gas or to fuel your vices.
Once in a while, a grateful customer will call or write in thanking you which always feels nice. For example, the owner of a Pawn Shop in the next state over had some pros attempt to break in to his shop. They hung tarps on the fence to block the view of what they were doing from passersby. They brought in a device to jam cell phone signals…some alarm systems communicate via cell signals. They had a scanner so they could hear what the police were doing.
The installer had set up the alarm system with fake phone lines. When the thieves cut this line, thinking they had cut the phone line to the alarm system and thereby stopped any dispatch, the alarm communicated this signal through it’s perfectly working and well hidden lines and I was on the phone with the Police in seconds. The thieves fled when the call came over the scanner…they left behind a few hundred dollars worth of their equipment. A lose, lose for them.
Do You Need the EMS?
My least favorite alarms by far are Medical Alarms. These are usually elderly people and their family has set them up with an alarm to help them remain independent a little while longer. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy the elderly; however, not so much through the medium of an alarm system. You can probably imagine the most popular issue here…they can never hear you! God Bless them. Bless them with a new hearing aid…Please! Fortunately, many of them just want you to contact a family member for them as they’ve fallen on the floor and need help up. I am always worried though when it’s a Medical Alarm. For some reason, these feel more “life/death” to me than other alarms.
The Thankful Ones
I love the people! Well, *most* of them. A LOT of people set off their alarms by mistake. They simply forget it’s armed and open a door. Enter me (or one of my wonderful colleagues).
“Hello, this is Ava with _______________. I’m receiving a burglar alarm, is everything okay?”
One of the following responses usually applies and often with an air of embarrassment or whimsy.
It was me. False Alarm. I was:
letting the dog out
letting the cat out
getting the newspaper
my son/daughter opened the door
If you get the wife, it was the husband’s fault and vice versa, but many times it’s followed by:
“Thank you for calling and checking on us.”
I find that I pull a little morale boost from each of those to deal with…the others.
The Not-So-Thankful Ones
I work nights, so I get a lot of:
3:15am — May I speak with _________?
“Do you know what time it is!?!”
I always want to say, “Yes, I’m well aware that it’s 3:15am. I’ve been counting every minute, every second since I got here.”
Wife answers the phone…”Who is this!?!”
Then I give my spiel…”Oh, okay…sorry.”
People who can’t seem to answer the phone the first time you call are never thankful when the Police arrive. People who have requested that the Police Dispatch be canceled are certainly not thankful when the Police go by anyway. I understand. It’s the middle of the night and having to deal with such is a nuisance; however, it is all in the name of security and the alternative had there been an emergency can be a scary thought.
It’s a Pretty Interesting Job
I’ve been doing this for 2 years. I was hit by the economy in 2008 and lost a lot…namely my job as a Technical Writer in Las Vegas, so I headed HOME in the Spring of 2009. A job was a long time coming, but I’m okay with this one. 
I would have thought that alarm systems would be the first thing to go when money started getting tight for businesses and people, but that’s not the case. Having an alarm system means some pretty serious tax cuts for people, I guess. Plus, when there’s a bit of civil unrest due to lack of jobs, people want to feel protected from break-ins and home invasions. The Security Industry is one that hasn’t been forced to participate in the waning economy and I’ve been fortunate to land a job in this realm.
It gets interesting sometimes…like the citizens in Kentucky who chased down a thief attempting to break in their local Smoke Shop. Apparently, they are passionate about their tobacco. Then there was the homeless guy who had wandered into a church during Sunday services and fallen asleep. He woke up some time that night and set off the alarm. I dispatched the Police and they cleared the scene as secure. I guess Mr. Homeless was trying to turn off the alarm because then I received a Medical Alarm from the Keypad. I dispatched EMS. They cleared the scene as well. After I received additional signals, I dispatched the Police a second time. My key holder called me back and told me that indeed there was someone inside the church. I could just imagine someone in the building who needed help and had managed to crawl to the Keypad and hit the Medical. It takes perseverance sometimes. Instinct matters.
Shout Outs
I must commend my local Winston-Salem Dispatch team. I love y’all. You’re the absolute best. High Point, you’re a close second. Salisbury…Mr. 912 I think it is…your pleasant voice and enthusiasm is refreshing. I could go on…I could call names and badge numbers, but I think I’ll save it for an email. A HUGE thanks to Dispatchers everywhere. Keep doing what you do.
