So, we’re running a wee campaign at the moment to try to get as many of our customers writing / talking / sharing our systems with others.

We’ve already had a few people talk / write about us.  Here are a few examples:

Alarm Monitoring Company review on a chat forum

Alarm Monitoring Company reviews on a review site

and, AMCO reviews on Google

and finally, Video reviews of Alarm Monitoring Company alarms on YouTube

We’d also appreciate any reviews on Twitter / Facebook too, so if you’ve got something awesome to say about AMCO please share it online!

Review of our systems – more wanted! is a post from: The Alarm Monitoring Company, specialist in monitored alarms.

The key difference is that with an AMCO monitored alarm we can immediately listen and talk into the property via a speaker / microphone, once the alarm is activated.  If a intruder is verified, then our monitoring team will quickly call the police.

What this means in practice is that in the case of a burglary the burglar runs off, and in the case of a fire we can alert the fire service too.

Anyway, we hope this diagram is useful in explaining how our alarm systems work!

For more information on how our alarms work, check out our *how our alarms work* page

How AMCO interactive monitored alarms are different (and better!) is a post from: The Alarm Monitoring Company, specialist in monitored alarms.

To find out more about what happened, we did a quick film interview with Mr A who talked us through his ordeal and how AMCO’s alarm saved his life.  Watch the full story here:

Mr A, also kindly sent us an email explaining what happened in his own words, and said we could republish it to share it wider with the world.  Here’s what Mr A said in his words:

Re- ‘Life saving fire & ambulance services alert on 1/12/11

Having returned from the local leisure centre on a cold evening and with unbeknown low blood sugar (I have had IDDM type 1 for over 30 years and now experience diminished awareness of impending hypoglycaemic states). I managed to disarm the security alarm in order to enter my house and turned a halogen heater on in my front room.

I began trying to make a phone call whilst sat close to the heater. Within minutes I was rolling about on the floor having fallen into a quite severe hypoglycaemic state. I think this was exacerbated by my previous workout at the leisure centre. Normally the halogen safety ‘cut off’ should have turned the heater off when I fell but the fire service believe a thick rug had prevented this. Quite possibly I may have actually been holding the rug against the ‘cut off’ switch. In these low blood sugar states whilst I can usually retain some awareness my actions can be totally incapacitated. The heating elements began scorching the thick rug and within just minutes the AMCO smoke alarm (located upstairs on the landing) must have been triggered.

Though my mind during this episode was a blur I realised that the house had filled with a dozen or more people. i.e the ambulance and fire brigade services. The whole incident from me returning to my house and been taken to the hospital took less than 30 minutes. As previously stated my incapacitation during hypoglcaemic attacks meant that without the prompt actions of monitoring service intervention, despite whatever alarms had been sounding, it was unlikely that the emergency services would have been notified.

I am truly indebted to AMCO monitoring service. I hope the above can be used to promote public awareness of what to me has proven to be a highly commendable service. If I can provide any further explanation please let me know.

Yours sincerely,

Mr. A [full name not disclosed]

————

For more information on how you can get an AMCO immediate response system installed, check out ourinformation site.

AMCO saves a life in Preston – video interview is a post from: The Alarm Monitoring Company, specialist in monitored alarms.

Burglar alarms for bookmakers

We offer a system that will detect an intruder into your companies premises as soon as an intruder enters, or according to specifications that you set. Our advanced audio monitoring lets us identify if a genuine intruder has entered within moments, and we have developed techniques to identify staff when stores may have a high turnover of temporary staff or cleaners. If an intruder is detected we can then inform the police and also challenge the intruder and let them know they have been identified and that the police are on their way. This advanced monitoring solution means they do not stick around for the time it takes to break/remove a safe or valuable TV and IT equipment.

Experience within the betting industry

We have a wide portfolio of stores nationwide that we have been protecting for many years. This experience means owe understand your requirements and also the techniques burglars or armed robers use when targeting the betting industry, from the oportunistic to the professional. We are also highly experienced in securing staff against agressive and barred customers, agressive drunks, acts of vandalism and underage persons who are refusing to leave. We can help bookmakers comply with legislation in relation to gambling commision requirements on the protection of the vulnerable and protect the health and safety of your staff.

Access control

We utilise multiple methods of access control, such as magnetic locks and deadbolts so stores can identify troublesome persons before it enters the store and prevent access. We have wide expeience of retro-fitting equipment according to the risk factors of the store.

CCTv monitoring

We can fit both overt and covert CCTV, designed for general coverage of the store, blind spots and close range images of offenders faces. These can assist in proescution, the production of security bulletins about known confidence-tricksters and detection and evidence of theft, both internal and external.

Work around your existing business

We have wide experience of working in trading stores on maintenance, installation and the addition of our monitoring equipment, CCTV and maglocks. Our engineers understand the requirements of a working bookmakers and can install proffesionally and with a minimum of incovenience around your customers and staff.

Hold up / panic alarms

Whilst most companies use panic buttons that can only be used in an emergency, with the police response of cutting off your response after false alarms, we offer a unique alternative. The AMCO interactive monitoring solution is ideally suited for bookmakers, as we will explain the system in detail to your staff and staff are actively encouraged to use it when suspcious, this gets them used to the system should a robbery occur. The system uses unique codewords to prevent both armed robberies or to alert us to the fact that your staff are suspicious and require monitoring assistance. This gives your staff the added peace of mind that there is a 24/7 security presence available at the push of a button.

Cost saving advantage

Because of our experience within the industry, we can offer monitoring for a low price and we are used to working with a massive range of existing equipment. We can offer maintenance and installation at a fraction of the cost of some of our major competitors.

To talk about your business requirements please call 0845 833 8823. We can cater for bookmakers ranging from small independents to major national chains. We are highly experienced in taking systems over when monitoring contracts run out, and may be able to save your business thousands in alarm costs, thousands in losses and, most importantly, make your staff more secure.

Bookmaker/Betting Shop Security is a post from: The Alarm Monitoring Company, specialist in monitored alarms.

We will just need a few details of what you have already so we can give you an accurate quote for the add on work.

If your panel is in working order

If your existing alarm is in working condition, that is great news as we can work with most alarm panels and add our interactive monitoring service. To make sure we know what we need to do and that your panel is compatible we just need a few details.

Are you happy with the coverage of your existing alarm sensors

We will always discuss this in further detail with you whilst we’re adding on monitoring, but if you know of any or would like to add extra sensors, please let us know. Alarm systems are all limited in the number of sensors they can have, and we will need to check your existing system has space for more. If the sensors are old and not picking you up when you walk into a room, we will have to replace them with more modern sensors.

Where is your panel situated, and what is its model

Alarms often comprise of two main components as well as sensors, they have a control panel and a keypad. Sometimes these are combined. Common locations for the keypads are in hallways or cupboards. The panels are often found in under stairs cupboards, airing cupboards, loft spaces or in the case of existing monitored alarms, near phone lines. AMCO recommend fitting of alarm panels in secure locations, somewhere a burglar will not access within 20 seconds.

If you have the manual, let us know, otherwise the model will often be written on the keypad or the panel cover. If it is not, if you call our team on 0845 833 8823 with a description of both we may be able to identify the model over the phone.

If the panel is not in working order

If your panel is not in working order, do not panic but call us. We may be able to rectify the fault on the existing panel, it could be caused by a number of issues, but if you call us with details of what the fault is we may be able to deal with it. If not, we will have to replace the panel, and may have to replace sensors. We can test wiring to see if it is in working order. If it is not, we will also need to do new wiring runs.

You can add AMCO monitoring equipment from only £179.99 to your existing alarm system. To check your system is compatible please call us on 0845 833 8823 or visit our online compatibility checker

How to upgrade to alarm monitoring is a post from: The Alarm Monitoring Company, specialist in monitored alarms.

How quickly can an intruder be detected

With a well-designed system focussed around key vulnerabilities in the house an intruder should be picked up near-instantly. Also if someone gets in through a route that isn’t your normal entry route the alarm goes off immediately, there is no delay for entering a pin code.

With an AMCO monitored alarm, the system then connects to us and we are able to verify there is an intruder, scare them off, and notify the police and keyholders. This whole process takes less than one minute.

Where should I keep valuables?

Whilst the AMCO system will scare off intruders in your house, it is impossible to prevent somebody smashing a window and running of with an item of yours. For that reason we recommend not keeping jewellery, laptops, cash or valuables near a window or within easy access should a break in be attempted.

How easy are the systems to operate?

Unless requested by the customer we always set the alarm systems up so that they are as easy as possible to set and unset. We also, once payment has been received, do not lock any part of the system out, a common practice in the industry to cause customers to require costly engineer visits.

Do you have any other home security advice

Yes, we do. Advice can be specific to the type of home you live in. We would recommend viewing some police advice on securing your home.

Please contact us for any further home security advice on 0845 833 8823

Burglar Alarm Advice is a post from: The Alarm Monitoring Company, specialist in monitored alarms.

What type of system is best for you / your loved ones?
We can place wired panic buttons near any locations where accidents are likely to occur such as near staircases. We also offer a wireless system that can be carried in a pocket or worn as a pendant on a neck-chain.  The wireless system is fully compatible with all AMCO wired or wireless alarms and is a minimum of inconvenience in installation, which will usually take less than an hour to install.  We can also add the wireless medical button system to any new installation or any monitoring upgrade.

So what happens when activated?

In case of activation one of our monitoring team will speak over a loudspeaker placed in the property, and will ask what service is required.  We will then notify ambulances immediately and/or any relatives that have been listed for us to contact.  The microphones we install are very sensitive, so if someone is struggling to speak we will be able to identify what is happening.  Please see the article of how an AMCO alarm saved a gentleman’s life here for an example of the system in practice.

To discuss yours or your loved ones requirements, or for further security advice, please call our head office on 0845 833 8823 and ask to speak to a security consultant.

24/7 Medical Alarm Alert systems for the elderly is a post from: The Alarm Monitoring Company, specialist in monitored alarms.

Wiring - before you do get builders in to rip out an existing system we would recommend you contact us first. The old alarm system needed wiring to be hidden to the sensors, and with some quick tests of the wiring we may find it to be usable in upgrading your system. The wiring is one of the most time consuming, and therefore costly parts of system installations. If you do not have existing wiring then we may need to move furniture, pull carpet up, take floorboards out etc. to hide wiring. Whilst we will put everything back as we find it, this can be an inconvenience during installation, however there is an alternative.

Wireless – until recently there have not been many decent wireless control panels or sensors available. AMCO have put numerous systems through rigorous testing and have found a suitable system. This is not completely wireless though, it will require hard wiring to any microwave/dualtech sensors, the phone line and should be in an unswitched fused spur. AMCO can normally install the system in 4-5 hours, with minimum inconvenience – depending on complexity and the size of the house. The disadvantage to wireless systems is that devices have batteries that need changing as well.

A control panel is the brains behind your alarm system, it takes readings, provides information and power to the rest of the devices. It should be located in a secure location, where a burglar cannot get to quickly. For monitored systems this should ideally be within close proximity to a phone line and power. The control panel should be attached to mains power by an unswitched fused spur, and contain a battery back up. The battery should be within its working life, and depending on battery type needs replacing approximately every four years.

A remote keypad, normally LCD or LED – where the user sets or unsets the system. This could be by pin code or proximity fob. AMCO do not recommend using proximity fobs as they could be stolen/pickpocketted along with house keys giving full access to the property. An important consideration is what you want to be able to do with the keypad. If you are just using it for basic setting, unsetting, part setting of your alarm, then an LED panel may be cheaper and look less obtrusive/industrial.

A contact is a two part sensor of a simple magnetic reed and a magnet. When a door or window is closed the reed is closed with it. When the door is opened it springs back to being open letting the alarm panel know the door / window has been opened. They can be either surface mounted or flush mounted (hidden within the door frame and door. We would recommend a contacts is always backed up by another sensor, and is used to signal to the panel you have entered through the correct route.

A passive infrared sensor (PIR) is a type of movement sensor. It works by measuring infrared light radiating in its field of view, and detects a change in heat. Glass and walls are not transparent to infrared waves so the sensors cannot see past glass. Due to the design of PIR sensors, they are not suitable for areas with rapidly changing temperatures such as garages. These should be placed around vulnerable locations in the house.

A microwave sensor sends out pulses of microwave energy and measures the reflection from objects in its field of view, similar to radar. They are often combined with PIR sensors to form a dual-tech sensor, which is the most accurate. It requires both human body heat and movement to set the sensor off.

A vibration/shock sensor works by detecting specific frequency vibration, such as the vibrations of glass shattering. They are normally placed near windows, or doors not normally used for entering the property.

An alarm bellbox, normally high up on the front of the property is a toughened plastic or fibreglass box which lets potential burglars know you have an alarm system. In areas that have large houses or easy access to a particular side of the property it may be best to have more than one. An active bellbox will contain a live bell and strobe. Live bells are notoriously unreliable and prone to false alarms, and are often considered an annoyance by neighbours and very rarely cause a situation to be investigated.

A communicator is an essential piece of kit that transmits information from your alarm panel to a monitoring station. This means key-holders and police can be informed almost as soon as an alarm is triggered. AMCO use a 24/7 advanced audio monitoring communicator. When an alarm is triggered the communicator lets our monitoring team know, but also transmits audio of what is happening inside the premises. This means we can listen in to exactly what is happening and let key holder and the police know. We will also speak in to the property to frighten off intruders – minimising the damage and loss should a burglary occur.

Fire, Attack and Medical
One other thing to bear in mind is with the AMCO immediate audio response system, we can add panic or medical emergency buttons, wired or wireless to any system.  We can also add wireless smoke detectors, or fully wired smoke detector and change in heat detectors suitable for kitchens or bathrooms.

What other security should I get?

West Yorkshire police have recently launched this fantastic guide – available nationwide.

For further information on alarm system design – you can get one of our security consultants to design and quote you a system. Pleae see local office numbers here , or alternatively call our head office on 0845 833 8823

What to look for in an Alarm – guide to which is best system is a post from: The Alarm Monitoring Company, specialist in monitored alarms.

Unfortunately, most alarm companies give up on trying to deal with anything other than burglaries and armed robberies, we do not. Traditional raid alarms send a signal to your monitoring company, who in turn call the keyholders and then the police using a ‘URN’ reference. If the system is installed badly and false alarms, or if you press the panic buttons just a few times, the police will not respond anymore.

The AMCO difference
Our systems come with a 24/7 “immediate audio response”

Whenever the alarm or panic button is activated we listen in to the property and verify what is happening. If our monitoring team hear anything untoward we will notify the emergency services (Police, Fire or Ambulance) or speak in to frighten off the criminal appropriately. Our system wil give you the peace of mind that someone is taking you seriously. We feel our “immediate audio response” monitoring is much more effective than standard monitoring.

Cost Effective solution

- Low cost monitoring: our standard monitoring charge is £17.95, with absolutely no hidden charges (unlike some others on the market!).

- Low cost installation and call out charges: because we run a highly competitive operation, the installation charges for our security systems tend to be low-cost and offer great value for our customers. We may even be able to add our system to existing alarm parts you may have saving you even more.

To see a demonstration of our system, check out this video explaining the system:

For more information on AMCO monitored alarms check out our guide
About Monitored Alarms

Alarms with Panic Buttons – Home or Shops is a post from: The Alarm Monitoring Company, specialist in monitored alarms.

The reason why AMCO’s monitored alarms are chosen by so many newsagent and corner shop owners is that they provide 24/7 immediate response security for single manned shops.

As many shops of this nature are only manned by a single person, the fact that AMCO’s immediate audio-response monitoring gives immediate 24/7 cover is extremely reassuring for shop owners and their staff – as in any emergency scenario by pressing a panic button, we can immediately listen in and speak into the property.

If you haven’t seen one of our monitored alarms in action, check out this video which gives an overview of how our panic buttons work in an shop emergency scenario:

For more information on our 24/7 immediate response monitored alarm systems, do look round our website here:  www.Alarm-Monitoring.co.uk

Security systems for Newsagents and Corner Shops – why monitored alarms are the best solution is a post from: The Alarm Monitoring Company, specialist in monitored alarms.