Reduce False Alarms

YOU CAN REDUCE YOUR
FALSE ALARM RATE

1. Make sure your alarm company is licensed by the county or the State of Florida. Many individuals are not licensed. PBSO will not accept a user permit from an unlicensed alarm company. Call PBSO alarm unit for licensure information.

2. Know what you are buying. Seek estimates from several reputable alarm companies. 'Cheaper is not always better'. Cheap equipment and short cuts equals false alarms.

3. Purchase 'full' protection. A motion detector and a door contact switch are inadequate protection for most homes and businesses. All points of entry should be covered by the alarm system. This means that when the door or window is opened, the alarm should activate. If these areas are not covered, it means the burglar must walk into a room where a motion detector is located before the alarm will sound.

4. Understand how your alarm system operates. This means that when your alarm system is activated, you should know how to deactivate the alarm, cancel false alarms and identify maintenance problems.

5. READ YOUR CONTRACT… Know what your rights are and what rights you are surrendering when you sign the contract.

6. Understand how the police are called.

a. When your alarm activates, the alarm panel will 'seize' your telephone line and dial the central monitoring station. During this time, you cannot use your telephone, nor can you receive incoming phone calls.

b. A signal is transmitted to the central monitoring station computer. It will identify your alarm account and type of signal (burglar, panic, fire).

c. The alarm monitoring company must call your premises to see if the alarm is a false alarm before they call for police assistance. This is a Florida law. Panic alarms are the exception.

d. If the alarm monitoring station does not receive an answer, or the wrong password is given, the monitoring company will notify the police.

e. The police are dispatched to your premises.

The amount of time it normally takes for the police to be notified of your alarm can vary, but three to four minutes is average.

7. If you accidentally activate your alarm:

a. Wait for the alarm company to call your premises.

b. Have your password available.

c. Do not leave your premises until you are sure the police are cancelled. Cancellations can only be made by the monitoring company, not the alarm user.

8. If you are home and someone tries to break or you need help:

a. DO NOT USE THE PANIC ALARM unless you cannot get to a telephone. 911 is a much quicker method of notifying the police. Dialing 911 connects you directly with the police. Your name and address is immediately displayed and police officers are immediately send to your premises.

b. If you use the panic alarm please understand that it may take several minutes before the police are notified of your emergency due to the routing of alarm calls from the alarm panel, to the central monitoring station and then the police.

9. Only those who know how to operate your alarm should have a key to your premises. Service agents such as maids, pest control or neighbors cause many false alarms.

False alarms equals FINES. During each permit year, the sheriff's office will respond to the first false alarm for free. The 2^nd false alarm is a $50.00 fine and the 3^{rd through}6^th false alarm is a $250.00 fine each. The sheriff's office will terminate response for all subsequent false alarms for a period of one year after the 6^th.

Burglar Alarm