The Impact of False Alarms

False Alarms & RMR
False alarms can be defined as an alarm trigger that is cancelled or does not require emergency intervention. False alarms have a significant impact on the security industry, as they can strain resources and divert attention away from genuine emergencies may result in penalty charges to the alarm company. The impact on the homeowner results in fines that are passed on to them, and slower response times as emergency services continue to be inundated with calls. This leaves the homeowner feeling unsafe and dissatisfied with their system, which jeopardizes their loyalty, affecting the alarm company’s Recurring Monthly Revenue (RMR).

 The Impact
As a result of increased calls, data from 15 law-enforcement agencies show that many police departments are taking longer to respond to 911 calls as they grapple with officer shortages, reducing the effectiveness of police response and resolution. Data collected from RSPNDR, a national network of on-demand licensed guards, suggests that only 0.25 percent of alarms are caused by crimes that would realistically require police intervention. The mission of the alarm industry is to protect life and property, addressing false alarms and making the goal of establishing a protocol that helps the police respond to the 0.25 percent, and a response to the remaining alarms should be paramount.

The Resolution
Alarm owners still expect a response when the alarm is triggered. The Alarm Industry is working to refine the alarm and monitoring ecosystem to ensure it continues to keep its communities safe. This means instituting verification protocols, like AVS-01, a system where emergency services are only dispatched when necessary. In cases where an alarm may not require police service, this is where a platform like RSPNDR steps in. RSPNDR bridges the gap to give Alarm owners peace of mind by managing and dispatching guard services to ensure all calls are being responded to. Thereby, reducing churn and protecting your RMR.

Written by:

Frank Pietrobono – RSPNDR Inc.
SVP of Sales and Business Development

A sales leader with extensive experience in the electronic security industry, working closely with monitoring centers, alarm dealers and integrators. Helping dealers protect and increase their RMR by selling guards as a managed service.