24/7 Medical Alarm Alert systems for the elderly
It is a fact of life that when we get older we start needing more help and support from the people around us. It’s also a fact that nobody likes losing their independence so it’s best for the elderly if the assistance can be there, but only when they really need it or request it. There are numerous medical alert systems available, where AMCO is different is we can offer 24/7 medical, fire, personal attack and intruder monitoring for one low monthly monitoring cost through a completely integrated system. Making the AMCO system the perfect alarm system for pensioners and the elderly. 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.
Posted: 2012-01-24
What to look for in an Alarm - guide to which is best system
Recently, AMCO have had a lot of queries from people who have removed their burglar alarms during building work or have been told they’re not fit for purpose, or simply want to upgrade what they have. A lot of people want to know what to look for in an alarm, but unfortunately, there are some rogues in the industry who try to tell customers what they ‘need’ instead of explaining what the components do and offering their recommendations. 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
Posted: 2012-01-23
Alarms with Panic Buttons - Home or Shops
How AMCO monitored panic alarms work for shop owners
One thing that AMCO have seen a lot of lately is households and small business owners calling us to put in panic button alarms, not just to prevent burglaries but to put an alarm system in place to deter armed robberies, thuggery, vandalism and threatening behaviour.
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 LiveTalk 24/7 alarm monitoring, meaning that you get"immediate audio response" in the case of an emergency. 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.
LiveTalk monitoring - unique to AMCO
Watch the following video explaining how AMCO's LiveTalk monitoring works - a system that is particularly effective for small businesses.
Cost Effective panic alarm solution
- Low cost monitoring: our standard monitoring charge is £17.99, 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:
Talk to us!
If you'd like to learn more about AMCO's specialist alarm systems, get in contact by calling us 0800 13 03 999 or email us on sales@amco999.com
Posted: 2012-01-20
Security systems for Newsagents and Corner Shops - why monitored alarms are the best solution
We've been some analysis of our customer base of late, and have discovered we provide security to a fairly high percentage of newsagents and corner shops around the UK. 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
Posted: 2012-01-11
24/7 Warehouse alarm systems from AMCO
The number of warehouses we're providing alarm systems for has been increasing massively over the last few months. The main reason for this is because companies are starting to question the high cost of 24/7 manned security for warehouses, and so are looking for alternative options. The great thing about the AMCO monitored alarm is that it's a great alternative to 24/7 manned security, as instead of paying for a single person to sit and provide security onsite, our *interactive monitoring* means that we can remotely monitor a site via audio microphones and cameras (if necessary) to give visual cover. Although using AMCO's alarm systems you don't have someone onsite, it's arguably a lot more secure as you're not reliant on one single person, but a remote team of people in our monitoring station who provide a stronger collective security support team. To get a better idea of how our interactive monitored alarm systems work, watch the video below (I realise it's an example of a home alarm, but the principle of our systems listening and talking into a property is the same for warehouse security): For more information on our 24/7 warehouse alarm systems, do look round our website here: www.alarm-monitoring.co.uk/about-monitored-alarms/
Posted: 2012-01-07
AMCO emergency alarm - saves life
Posted: 2012-01-06
Minster Alarms alternative for York homes and business
We're big fans of Minster Alarms as a York burglar alarm company (as a competitor of their's!), however their monitored house alarms do tend to be on the expensive side, and also don't necessarily provide as good security as an AMCO monitored alarm. So if you're looking to buy a Minster house alarm in Yorkshire, as an alternative we'd recommend you check out the AMCO system first - as we'd expect you'll get better security for less money - which is always a good thing ;-) To give you a quick run down of why we think the AMCO monitored alarm is a better low-cost alternative to the Minster house alarm for people living across North Yorkshire, here are 3 key points to consider:
- Advanced monitoring package: all our systems come with our *immediate audio response* monitoring, meaning that whenever the alarm is activated our monitoring team can immediately listen-in and talk into the property. If our monitoring staff can hear a burglary or emergency scenario taking place, they'll then call the police or the emergency services (e.g. an Ambulance). Our *immediate audio response* monitoring is much more effective than standard monitoring, and gives you 24/7 response.
- Low cost monitoring: our standard monitoring charge is £17.95 which is extremely good value.
- Low cost installation and call out charges: because we run a low-cost operation, the installation charges for our alarms tend to be low-cost and offer great value for our customers.
To get a better idea of how our systems work, check out this video of one of our customers giving a demonstration of her alarm: For more information on AMCO's burglar alarms, visit www.Alarm-Monitoring.co.uk
Posted: 2012-01-05
Minster alarms comparison
Comparing alarm systems can be quite difficult as in most cases each burglar alarm supplier is supplying different equipment - especially in Yorkshire where there are so many different alarm suppliers, with different costs. That said there are a few things you could look out for in particular. Here's our tips for to making a comparison between a standard alarm from Minster alarms (for example) and a AMCO monitored alarm:
- Type of monitoring: consider what type of monitoring your alarm system comes with. All AMCO systems come with our *immediate audio response* monitoring, meaning that whenever the alarm is activated our monitoring team can immediately listen-in and talk into the property. If our monitoring staff can hear a burglary or emergency scenario taking place, they'll then call the police or the emergency services (e.g. an Ambulance). Our *immediate audio response* monitoring is much more effective than standard monitoring, and gives you 24/7 response.
- Length of monitoring contract: check how long you're signing up to your monitoring contract for. Our standard monitoring contract has a 12 month lock-in (i.e. you sign up to pay your monthly monitoring charge for at least 12 months).
- Hidden extra costs: often alarm companies hide (or at least don't openly share) additional costs to clients. These can be hidden telephone charges for each monitoring activation or expensive call out charges.
We hope these three points are useful. For a better idea of how our AMCO monitored alarms compare with other competitors like Minster Alarms, check out our website for more info. For alarm costs, you can calculate your own price here on our website.
Posted: 2012-01-05
Banham alarm comparison
Comparing alarm systems can be quite difficult as in most cases each burglar alarm supplier is supplying different equipment - especially in London where there are so many different alarm suppliers. That said there are a few things you could look out for in particular. Here's our tips for to making a comparison between a standard Banham alarm (for example) and a AMCO monitored alarm:
- Type of monitoring: consider what type of monitoring your alarm system comes with. All AMCO systems come with our *immediate audio response* monitoring, meaning that whenever the alarm is activated our monitoring team can immediately listen-in and talk into the property. If our monitoring staff can hear a burglary or emergency scenario taking place, they'll then call the police or the emergency services (e.g. an Ambulance). Our *immediate audio response* monitoring is much more effective than standard monitoring, and gives you 24/7 response.
- Length of monitoring contract: check how long you're signing up to your monitoring contract for. Our standard monitoring contract has a 12 month lock-in (i.e. you sign up to pay your monthly monitoring charge for at least 12 months).
- Hidden extra costs: often alarm companies hide (or at least don't openly share) additional costs to clients. These can be hidden telephone charges for each monitoring activation or expensive call out charges.
We hope these three points are useful. For a better idea of how our AMCO monitored alarms compare with other competitors like Banham, check out our website for more info.
Posted: 2012-01-04
Alternatives to Banham alarms in London
Banham alarms are undoubtedly good burglar alarms, and are a good London-based alarm company, however we'd argue that they're not necessarily as good value or provide as good security as AMCO monitored alarms. So if you're considering buying a Banham alarm, we'd definitely recommend having a look at AMCO alarms as a great alternative to Banham. The main reason why the Banham burglar alarm isn't as good as the AMCO monitored alarm is because AMCO provide *immediate audio response* with all our alarms. *Immediate audio response monitoring* means that when an alarm is activated our monitoring staff can immediately listen in and talk into a property, allowing us to check if everything's OK and alert the police or ambulance is there's been a break-in or an emergency. You can find out more about our Immediate audio-response monitoring below in this video, or you can check out more on our website here. Of course there are many competitors to Banham in London, and therefore many alternatives, however of course we'd argue that we're the best - as we're monitored alarm specialists and have engineers across London.
