Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I've got a problem with my intruder/fire/CCTV etc system - where can I get advice?
A: Our 24 hour, 365 days per year Alarm Receiving Centre can provide technical advice on most equipment and can be contacted on (01482) 329271. If the ARC are unable to assist, they can seek further advice from the duty engineer or arrange for the engineer to visit if required. If an engineer is required, then like our ARC, a duty engineer is available 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.
Q: Do I need a separate telephone line for my alarm system?
A: Ideally, the answer is yes. A dedicated line that is available for your alarm system to signal on at all times is the most secure option but we realise that this is not always practical and may prove too costly for the average domestic premise and therefore we can monitor your system via your existing line if required.
Q: Will my intruder alarm system still function during a power failure?
A: Yes, all systems installed to BS4737 have a backup battery which should power your alarm system in the event of a power failure for not less than 8 hours. Systems installed to EN50131 (PD6662) should provide backup power for not less than 12 hours in the case of a grade 2 system and not less than 24 hours in the case of a grade 3 or 4 system.
Q: Why do you need the details of 2 keyholders who live less than 20 minutes away from the protected property?
A: Section 6.1 of the ACPO policy on police response to security systems states:
- All premises with Type A systems shall have at least two keyholders, details of whom will be maintained by the ARC/RVRC or through arrangements with a central keyholding service. Keyholders shall be trained to operate the alarm, be telephone subscribers, have adequate means of transport to attend the premises at all hours, shall have access to all relevant parts of the premises and shall be able to attend within 20 minutes of being notified. The maintenance of keyholders records is the responsibility of the ARC/RVRC, not the police.
It is the police who make this requirement and without these details, they will not issue a Unique Reference Number (URN) to allow alarm activations to be passed to the them. S.C.A.M.P Security are able to act as the first keyholder to assist you in meeting this requirement.
Q: Why should PIN codes or Passwords be provided for all members of staff?
A: PIN Codes (not alarm/customer codes) or Passwords are a means of identifying members of your staff in the event of a problem. This enables us to filter alarm conditions that would otherwise be passed to the police and also to delay/avert response of a keyholder. It also allows us to positively identify a member of staff as either an alarm manager or an alarm user to ensure that no sensitive information is passed to members of your staff who are not entitled to it. Furthermore by maintaining an up to date list of staff and passwords with us, we can verify if a member of staff is allowed to be on the premises or not.
It should be noted that when choosing a PIN code or password, whilst it is reasonably important to choose something which is mainly known only to the member of staff, it is equally important to choose something that can be recollected even under the stress/panic of just having accidentally activated your alarm system. Therefore your partner's middle name may be a good choice, your holiday destination in 1975 may not be !
Q: What will happen if S.C.A.M.P Security respond to my premise and discover a break in?
A: The first attending officer will check the premises externally and identify the break in. They will then wait for assistance before checking the premises further. An additional patrol officer will be dispatched to the premises for backup. The police will then be informed that a confirmed break in has taken place. The officer attending with keys will attend and all officers at the scene will enter the premises and an internal check will be carried out (with the police if they have attended). Your nominated contact will be informed and it will be their choice to attend or not. S.C.A.M.P Security will arrange to have the premises secured (boarding up, roller shutter fitters, locksmiths etc) or in the event of gross damage which cannot be repaired, we can place a static security officer on site until your staff arrive the following morning. We will arrange for the system to be reset and will only resume when the premises are secure or have been handed over to your staff.
Q: Why should I not reset my fire alarm system until the fire service or an engineer has attended?
A: With the exception of the most advanced addressable control panels, most fire systems only indicate a general area in which the system has activated, e.g. 2 zones covering i) Ground Floor & ii) First Floor. The problem device is identified by the means of a light illuminated on the device. When the system is reset, the light is cleared and there is no means of identifying which device has activated. This means that if you call out an engineer due to a problem device, we wouldn't know where to look. Also, the fire service wouldn't be able to narrow down which area the alarm condition has originated from. Until any alarm condition has been dealt with, you should press mute/silence only. If an engineer has been requested and may be some time and you want to reset the fire system to retain fire protection then you should make a note of which device has activated before resetting the system.
Q: What do I need to provide S.C.A.M.P Security in order for them to act as a keyholder?
A: Firstly, it may sound obvious but you must provide the keys for us to hold. This means a set of keys (including access cards/fobs) to enable us to gain access to any device which may have activated. If we need to call an engineer then they may also require access to the main control panel and other control equipment. If a full set of keys is not provided then the location of a keypress on site would suffice where a key is provided to unlock the keypress.
We will also require any relevant customer codes to operate the alarm system (if it is a S.C.A.M.P Security installation then we will usually program a code for our own specific use) and any door access codes.
If the alarm system we are responding to is not a S.C.A.M.P Security installation, then a zone list would be helpful to locate a device or the information of where a zone list is held on site.
Although we will endeavour to fully deal with the matter without disturbing your staff, there are some occasions where advice, information or assistance will be required therefore you should provide contact details for at least two (the more, the better) members of your staff.
We may require the location of the fire panel key on site, particularly if the system is monitored and we respond to fire activations.
We would also ask that we be updated whenever any of the above changes. Therefore if locks are changed on the building or gate, codes change, keyholders change their telephone number, new zones are added to the system, new access systems installed, keypress or fire panel key locations changed etc then we should be provided with the new keys, information etc.
