SOP – Community Care

211: Alarm and Fire System Calls

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by

kdub
in

Many associations have alarm systems usually for the fire and occasionally burglar alarm systems.

Alarm monitoring groups are required to call and notify Action of any error conditions, even if they only occur once and clear quickly. When troubleshooting error conditions, ask probing questions to determine the severity of the situation:

  • Burglar Alarm
  • Daily Test Signal Missed (Daily System Confirmation) or Communication Failure
  • Fire Alarm
  • Low Battery Signal (Battery needs to be replaced)
  • Supervisory Signals
  • Tamper Signals
  • Trouble Signal
  • Water Flow Detector (Similar to Fire Alarm)
  • Zone Trouble Signal (Similar to Supervisory Signal)

Burglar Alarm

  • Obtain name of Association and location (address, building, zone), and time of alarm
  • Ask if police have been called
    • If alarm is in the clubhouse (Reserve/Edenglen…) H/O’s or janitorial staff may not have disarmed the alarm properly
      • If Police have not been dispatched: check profile for any special instructions. Report to Patrol Service to inspect (open RUSH WO)
      • If Police have been dispatched: open a work order for informational purposes, alert manager (call on cell if necessary), await instruction

Daily Test Signal Missed (Daily System Confirmation) or Communication Failure

  • Obtain name of Association and Location (address, building, zone), and time the signal was received.
  • Is this a chronic issue?
    • If not chronic (i.e. only occurred on the date they called) advise Monitoring group to call us if this should recur the next day
    • If it is chronic (i.e. Daily test signal has been missed for two or more days), check the profile for instructions. If the profile does not contain any special instructions, open a work order assigned to “Manager” and send to the manager to ask if a service ticket should be opened to have the system inspected

Fire Alarm

  • Obtain name of Association and Location (address, building, zone), and time of alarm
  • Monitoring Group will dispatch Fire Department in real emergency.
  • Fire Alarm Sounding/Alarm System Problem Detected (no Fire present)
    • Call service department of Alarm Company to report alarm sounding, note ETA if available. (Only if w/o trained otherwise send Alarm and Fire PRE)
    • Check the profile for instructions. If the profile does not contain any special instructions, open WO. Note in the work order that the request has already been called in (include who you spoke to and a service ticket number, if available). Email a copy of the work order to the manager.
    • Advise manager immediately for real emergencies (on cell if necessary )

Low Battery Signal (Battery needs to be replaced)

  • Obtain name of Association and Location (address, building, zone), and time the signal was received.
  • Check the profile to see if there are special instructions regarding battery replacement (a few associations have a board member who knows how to replace the battery). If not, proceed to the next step:
  • Ask to be transferred to the service department, report issue, note ETA if available
  • Open WO. Note in the work order that the request has already been called in (include who you spoke to and a service ticket number, if available). Email a copy of the work order to the manager.

Supervisory Signals

  • Obtain name of the Association and Location (address, building, zone), and time the signal was received.
  • Ask if the signal reset or cleared? Is this a chronic issue?
    • If the signal has not reset or cleared, check the profile for any special instructions. If the profile does not contain any special instructions, open a work order assigned to “Manager.”
      • Email the work order to CCPriority and mark “call in 2 hours” in the category section of the email in CCPriority. (For calls received after hours, the call will be followed up on first thing the following morning) 
      • Note in the work order that the w/o should be emailed to the manager for direction if the signal has not restored within 2 hours.
    • If the signal has restored/cleared and it is not chronic (i.e. only occurred once on the date they called) advise Alarm Monitoring Group to call us if this should recur
      • Call can be terminated no further follow up required
    • If the signal is chronic (occurring multiple times during the day), check the profile for any special instructions. If the profile does not contain any special instructions.
      • If there is not a work order already open, open one assigned to “Manager.”
      • Email the work order to the manager to see if a service request should be sent to the alarm company to check the system.
      • If there is an open work order, document the call and email the manager with the updated information.

Tamper Signals

  • Obtain name of the Association and Location (address, building, zone), and time the signal was received.
  • Ask if the signal reset or cleared? Is this a chronic issue?
    • If the signal has not reset or cleared, check the profile for any special instructions. If the profile does not contain any special instructions, open a work order assigned to “Manager.”
      • Email the work order to CCPriority and mark “call in 2 hours” in the category section of the email in CCPriority. (For calls received after hours, the call will be followed up on first thing the following morning) 
      • Note in the work order that the w/o should be emailed to the manager for direction if the signal has not restored within 2 hours.
    • If the signal has restored/cleared and it is not chronic (i.e. only occurred once on the date they called) advise Alarm Monitoring Group to call us if this should recur
      • Call can be terminated no further follow up required
    • If the signal is chronic (occurring multiple times during the day), check the profile for any special instructions. If the profile does not contain any special instructions.
      • If there is not a work order already open, open one assigned to “Manager.”
      • Email the work order to the manager to see if a service request should be sent to the alarm company to check the system.
      • If there is an open work order, document the call and email the manager with the updated information.

Trouble Signals

  • Obtain name of the Association and Location (address, building, zone), and time the signal was received.
  • Ask if the signal reset or cleared? Is this a chronic issue?
    • If the signal has not reset or cleared, check the profile for any special instructions. If the profile does not contain any special instructions, open a work order assigned to “Manager.”
      • Email the work order to CCPriority and mark “call in 2 hours” in the category section of the email in CCPriority. (For calls received after hours, the call will be followed up on first thing the following morning) 
      • Note in the work order that the w/o should be emailed to the manager for direction if the signal has not restored within 2 hours.
    • If the signal has restored/cleared and it is not chronic (i.e. only occurred once on the date they called) advise Alarm Monitoring Group to call us if this should recur
      • Call can be terminated no further follow up required
    • If the signal is chronic (occurring multiple times during the day), check the profile for any special instructions. If the profile does not contain any special instructions.
      • If there is not a work order already open, open one assigned to “Manager.”
      • Email the work order to the manager to see if a service request should be sent to the alarm company to check the system.
      • If there is an open work order, document the call and email the manager with the updated information.

Water Flow Detector (Similar to Fire Alarm)

  • Obtain name of Association and Location (address, building, zone), and time the signal was received.
  • Fire Department will be dispatched
    • Ask for specific information on Association, address/building
    • Check the profile for instructions. If the profile does not contain any special instructions, open a work order for informational purposes
    • Advise manager immediately (on cell if necessary)

Zone Trouble Signal (Similar to Supervisory Signal)

  • Obtain name of the Association and Location (address, building, zone), and time the signal was received.
  • Ask if the signal reset or cleared? Is this a chronic issue?
    • If the signal has not reset or cleared, check the profile for any special instructions. If the profile does not contain any special instructions, open a work order assigned to “Manager.”
      • Email the work order to CCPriority and mark “call in 2 hours” in the category section of the email in CCPriority. (For calls received after hours, the call will be followed up on first thing the following morning) 
      • Note in the work order that the w/o should be emailed to the manager for direction if the signal has not restored within 2 hours.
    • If the signal has restored/cleared and it is not chronic (i.e. only occurred once on the date they called) advise Alarm Monitoring Group to call us if this should recur
      • Call can be terminated no further follow up required
    • If the signal is chronic (occurring multiple times during the day), check the profile for any special instructions. If the profile does not contain any special instructions.
      • If there is not a work order already open, open one assigned to “Manager.”
      • Email the work order to the manager to see if a service request should be sent to the alarm company to check the system.
      • If there is an open work order, document the call and email the manager with the updated information.