FIRE PREVENTION LTD.

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Suite 128, 11180 Coppersmith Place, Richmond, British Columbia Canada V7A 5G8 Office Hours: 8:00am - 5:00pm M-F Telephone: (604) 275-0075 Facsimile: (604) 207-2481 24 hour Emergency (604) 506-2448

MONITORING YOUR ALARM SYSTEM

An Alarm system is only as good as the phone line it's attached to. Let's face it. In this modern world, we hear a lot of sirens. Car alarms, police, and other emergency vehicles inundate us with a whole host of weird and very loud sounds. They're designed to catch our attention, but we've also become rather innured to hearing them. How may of us have heard a car alarm in a parking lot, and NEVER looked? They are so common-place these days, that even the manufacturers are taking a different route to address the problem. The advent of engine "immobilizers" has become the single best response to the problem posed by the public's complacency. No one really pays attention to a siren and unless your alarm system is capable of transmitting an alarm signal to someone that is ready to initiate an appropriate response, it simply doesn't matter how much money you "throw at your system", NO ONE is going to hear it.

In North America, there are a large number of companies that offer services from simple monitoring to what's termed "runner" dispatch. Let's look at the types of services being offered today:

EMERGENCY MONITORING: The "basic" package allows for monitoring personnel to respond to a variety of alarm conditions that your panel is capable of transmitting. These can range from intrusions, to fire, to flooding, to detection of carbon monoxide. The list is almost endless. Your alarm provider should be able to offer all of these services. A word of caution however: Some providers charge extra for each and every monitored signal they receive over and above a basic "package". Check with your provider.

RUNNER RESPONSE: The perfect compliment to the basic Emergency Monitoring package, and the best way of addressing the high cost of false alarms. In some city jurisdictions, police response to premises that do not have physical signs of break-in is considered a "false alarm", and often carries with it a City Bylaw "ticket" or a Fine. A "runner" is a trained security guard that is dispatched to the premises in alarm, and will perform what's called a "perimeter check". This entails a thorough physical inspection of the perimeter of the premises. If anything unusual is noted, the guard will contact the local Police, and the monitoring station who will in turn start calling the keyholders/owners of the building.

GUARD RESPONSE: A step above "runner" service, most responding guards have access to the premises, a code to the security system to disarm it, and the means by which a more thorough check of the premises can be accomplised. As they are physically on site, they would be able to remain behind in the event a window has been broken, contact the owners/keyholders, make appropriate arrangements to temporarily repair or shore up any damage, clear the premises, and re-arm the alarm system.

What do you look for in a monitoring station? First off, the representative to whom you're talking with should be able to assure you that the station complies with one (or more) of the following:

 

ACE FIRE PREVENTION LTD.
PREMIUM MONITORING SERVICES

Monitoring fees for digital and encrypted transmission accounts start at $25.00 CDN per month which is invoiced either quarterly ($75.00 for three months service), semi-annually ($150.00 for six months service), or annually ($300.00 per year). GST is not included. There are no additional charges or hidden fees for any signals your system is capable of producing. There is a nominal ONE-TIME-ONLY $55.00 CDN set-up fee for accounts in the Lower Mainland/Vancouver area. This includes programming your existing digital communicator, setting up your keyholders, and issuing "pass-cards". Additional charges may be applied to those accounts requiring "secure" transmission format such as DVACS, RF (Wireless Communication), Cellemetry or Cellular Backup. In most cases these charges are billed directly from Telus or your Cellular provider, but in some instances will be added to our basic monitoring fee.

For more information you can email us or telephone (604) 275-0075.

 

FAQ

What do I need to take advantage of your services?
You will have existing alarm control equipment that YOU own. We will not be able to extend our service to customers that are currently leasing or renting their alarm equipment from another provider.

What if I don't own the equipment?
There is usually a termination clause that forms part of the original equipment contract. In some instances, the alarm provider will simply remove their equipment, in which case you will have to replace it. This may or may not be cost effective depending on your particular circumstances. We will be happy to provide you with a competitive no obligation quotation as an alternative to continuing with your existing lease/monitoring contract.

What about terminating my existing contract?
In most cases there is a "notice period" your provider requires to terminate a contract. This is usually thirty (30) days prior to the end of your present contract term. We would recommend you verify this by reviewing the terms and conditions specified in your provider's "terms of service" agreement. If you own the monitoring equipment outright, you will have to make arrangements with your alarm provider to have your equipment "released" which will allow us to program your system to communicate with our station.

Who will service my equipment?
We provide a full range of services to our customers, including an annual system test (applies to the actual communications equipment only) for a nominal $140.00 flat fee (GST extra). Customers participating in this program can expect to have their communicator's back-up battery replaced if required at no additional charge.

What about fee increases?
All of our monitoring contracts lock your fees in for an initial period of three (3) years. This means that you are guaranteed NOT to receive a fee increase for that period of time. We don't anticipate any increases in the forseeable future.

What's different about a U.L.C. digital communicator?
There are several things. The most important is that the unit monitors two telephone lines (not just one), and is capable of transmitting signals on either. The other difference has to do with the metal enclosure and the fact that ULC (Underwriter's Laboratory of Canada) requires a prominently displayed AC power light as well as a trouble or fault light. The following digital communicator controls are available from most alarm dealers and are ULC listed for fire alarm monitoring:

 

DSC® PC-5010ULC (must have DSC® PC-5700ULC dual-line monitor module) and a compatible keypad Silent Knight® 5104C * Ademco® Vista 128FB Fire-Lite® Fire-Watch 411 and 411UD Fire-Lite® 911AC Fire-Lite® UDACT-F (for use in Fire-Lite® MicroScan™ 9200, Sensiscan™ 2000 and the equivalent Notifier® fire alarm controls)

 

Where is Ace's monitoring station located?
The station is located in Burnaby, B. C. It's run by A.P.I., one of the largest independent ULC listed monitoring facilities in North America. A.P.I. maintains satellite data centres in two other cities each of which can act independently if the need arises. They meet all Provincial and Municipal regulatory requirements.

What's required to monitor a fire alarm system in British Columbia?
Your local fire department is the final authority having jurisdiction in this respect. NFPA 72 and ULC provides the criteria for the proprietary on-site equipment necessary to perform the data transmission, the type of telephone or communication interface, the central station alarm receiving equipment, and the central monitoring station itself. In ALL instances, the equipment we supply for the purpose of monitoring a building's fire alarm system will meet these standards.

If my building doesn't already own one, what's the cost of installing a U.L.C. listed fire alarm communicator?
In the Vancouver/Lower Mainland area, it's $850.00 CDN (including the alarm setup fee, GST is extra). If you have existing digital communication equipment, the ONE-TIME-SETUP fee quoted above applies. If your equipment utilizes DVACS or some other form of secure encrypted communication, then upgrading to one of our digital communicators may be far more cost effective. For a free, no obligation survey, call or contact us.

What about guard or runner response?
Runner service is available for a low monthly payment ($15.00 CDN) in addition to your monitoring fee. This simply means that instead of dispatching the police, a security guard is sent to your premise. They will perform what's called a "perimeter check" to ascertain whether-or-not you've been the victim of a break-in or someone has accessed the premise without the proper authority. Guard response is another option. This is tailored to your individual requirements. Please contact us for more details on this aspect of our service. Please note that we will NOT dispatch a guard responder to a premise that has sent a fire alarm, medical emergency, or panic signal. The appropriate "first responders" (ie. Local Fire Department, Ambulance, or Police) will be dispatched instead.

 

* NOTE: The Silent Knight 5104C is no longer Listed by ULC as an acceptable communicator. Those units still in the field are "Grandfathered" (for the most part), but we would urge building owners and managers to check with their local Authority Having Jurisdiction to ensure any such installation still meets their requirements.

 

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