Any alarm installed in your premises can be remotely monitored. This is achieved by programming a communications device in the alarm panel to a specific computer located at Central Monitoring Services.The way communications occur varies and can be tailored for the level of security required and the ongoing charges incurred by the reporting costs. Most monitored alarms communicate via the telephone and incur a local call charge to the client account each time they communicate.
Why have an alarm monitored back to base?
If you have a Smoke Detector attached to the alarm, you can be guaranteed some-one will respond if that alarm goes off and send the Fire Brigade if necessary.
If you have a Medical Emergency button attached to the alarm you can be guaranteed some-one will respond and send the ambulance if necessary.
If you have a Hold Up button attached to the alarm system you can be guaranteed some will respond and send the Police.
If you are away on holiday and your alarm goes off you are guaranteed of someone responding and ensuring something is done to check and make sure your premises is secure.
Peace of mind to know that someone will always follow up on an alarm at your premises 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
Can you rely on members of the Public to do that?
Are we a Graded Control Room?
We are in the process of building works which will bring the level of our building grading up to “B” level. Our procedures, equipment and response times already make us a level 1 performance Monitoring Centre. Monitoring Centres are the name given to Control Rooms as defined by Australian Standards AS2201 Part 2. The Monitoring Centre is the whole operation including the building and equipment supplying the actual Control Room where Operators action alarms.
What are Keyholders and what are their responsibilities?
Keyholders are people (family, friends, neighbours and employees) who have been given keys and alarm codes to attend if requested by CMS in the event of an alarm at your premises. If CMS need to contact a keyholder they will advise the nature of the alarm event for action. If required CMS are available for any further action or follow up.
Keyholders are also authorised to request CMS send a Security Patrol to an alarm event.
Keyholders are given to CMS by the Owner / Alarm Installer and are entered into the database for the specific alarm action for those premises on the understanding that the keyholder has given permission and understands his / her responsibility in the matter.
Why dont the Police call CMS back if they have been sent to an alarm?
The Police will only contact CMS if they have found a genuine problem, i.e. Hold Up, Break & Enter etc. This would normally be for additional client action to resolve the problem.
Why can it take a Patrol so long to attend to an alarm?
The Australian Standard for a Security Patrol to attend to an alarm event is 30 minutes. The Patrol would not normally accept a job if an extended delay is known to exist.
If there are major storms in an area they will most likely not be able to attend your alarm as quickly as you would like, they may be held up on other alarm events. We like to use the analogy of trying to get a Security Patrol at certain times of the day is like trying to get a taxi in the city at 6:00pm on a Friday night. Like all manpower service providers there is a limited number of Patrols available at any particular time.
Patrols operate in regional areas and the choice of the best Company should be made to suit your conditions with your Alarm Installer.
Do CMS Install / Service alarms?
No we don't, we have chosen to concentrate our business on the monitoring of alarm systems only. What we will do is provide you with the names and telephone numbers of alarm Installers that use our Monitoring Services and allow you to make a choice as to who you wish to use.
Do CMS provide Security Patrols?
No we don't, we have chosen to concentrate our business on the monitoring of alarm systems only. We use 3rd party companies that specialise in providing Security Patrols to attend to alarm events.
Why do I get calls at 3:00am at home to tell me my alarm has gone off?
CMS treats every alarm it receives as a genuine problem and we do not stop until we know for sure that everything is OK and there is no problem at your premises. CMS operators have been trained to put themselves in the position of the client and ask themselves how they would like an alarm at their house or premises to be actioned.
Where is CMS located?
Inner West of Sydney. The location of Central Monitoring doesn't matter to the service of monitoring.
Response is just a phone call away independent of distance.
What if I have an alarm system already in my house / business and my own alarm technician who is not listed with CMS, can CMS still monitor my alarm?
Yes, we will send you an invoice every 3 months in advance for the cost of the monitoring and if there are any problems with the alarm system we will advise you and it is then your responsibility to contact your technician to organise service. Your alarm will need to be programmed to connect to CMS by your alarm Installer.
I have a barring on my telephone line that will not allow it to dial a 1345 number. Can I use the normal landline number to connect my alarm?
At this stage CMS have chosen not to release those direct landline numbers. CMS has engineered our systems with backups and redundancies to cover most contingencies using the 1345 (Securidial Numbers). If CMS ever decide to re-locate their premises and we miss one of these panels not programmed with a 1345 number that client will not have any security at their premises and CMS may be held liable in the event of a break in and potential loss of business and or financial cost.
How does an alarm system communicate with CMS?
All alarm signals CMS receive are either communicated to us via the telephone line or via the Mobile GSM Network or Securitel high security monitoring. Every time your alarm reports to CMS it sends us a signal. The cost of this is a telephone call for a phone dialler, a timed mobile phone call for the GSM service, or no charge for the Securitel as it is included in the monitoring fees.
About Us
