Central Station Monitoring

DFT Security's UL Certification means greater peace of mind.

With DFT you can rest assured your emergencies are handled by experienced professionals. It means your home or business or business is protected 24 hours, every day, personally and without delay, using the most advanced equipment. Our "access restricted" state-of-the-art facility has met or surpassed the stringent standards as determined by Underwriter Laboratories (UL).

These requirements include:

Physical Facility

1. The building housing the central station must meet rigid fire ratings as to building material, fire extinguishing ability and emergency features.
2. The building must be secure against intrusion, and include UL rated doors, locks, building materials and security systems.

Central Station Facility Operations

1. Emergency response personnel must be available and "on-site" 24 hours, every day.
2. Records tracking standards on equipment maintenance and staffing must be kept.
3. Back-up communication methods to public service authorities must be in place.
4. UL mandates the number of operators on duty per shift. Non-UL stations have no requirements. Most have only one operator, especially in the late evening/early morning.

Central Station Equipment Standards

1. Alarm receiving equipment must have a redundancy (back-up) in case of equipment failure with 30-second switch over to insure no "down time".
2. A generator must be in place that automatically takes over powering of all central station equipment in case of AC power failure.
3. Central Station must have uninterruptible power supply that insures constant filtered power to equipment and in effect is a fail safe of at least 4 hours back up to generator.

Earning and maintaining the UL certification is not an easy or inexpensive undertaking for a company. DFT Security has chosen to be a UL Certified Central Station because it means superior service and greater PEACE OF MIND for our clients.

Choosing a Monitoring Center

If you choose a monitored system, learn who is going to monitor it. It may not be the company that sells you the basic alarm-and-security system. Many companies subcontract with a monitoring firm to handle calls, and that firm may not even be in your state. You'll know that your monitoring company is secure if it has an Underwriters Laboratory (UL) rating. DFT Security Services operates its own local UL Listed 24-hour Central Station monitoring center.

How is my system monitored?

Communication between your alarm system and DFT Security’s Central Station Monitoring Center begins with the installation of your alarm control panel, detection / initiating devices, and a telephone connection in your home or business. Communication from your home or business to DFT Security’s Central Station Monitoring Center typically works over telephone lines*.

* A "normal" loop start telephone line is required for connection of the alarm panel to DFT Security’s UL Listed Central Station (This is often your existing phone line). Telephone lines are susceptible to failure as a result of bad weather, equipment malfunction or failure and intentional disabling by burglars. Loss of telephone service will prevent DFT Security from receiving the alarm activation signal and thus dispatching appropriate emergency authorities or key holders. DFT Security will not be aware nor notified of any telephone service disruption by the above described alarm system. AlarmNet-C Cellular, AlarmNet-M Mobitex Long-Range Radio and AlarmNet-I Internet Backup monitoring service and backup communications and /or local telephone company supplied secure lines which can notify DFT Security of alarms or phone trouble without normal telephone service are strongly suggested. Please inquire as to the availability of these different services for your location.

If an alarm situation occurs, what happens next?

• When an alarm signal occurs, it is because a specific device or sensor has been interrupted or tripped.
• When that happens, the device is designed to communicate with the alarm control panel in your home or business.
• Once the control panel receives the signal, your system is designed to seize your telephone line (your phone appears “dead” until the communication is complete, approximately 45 seconds) and send a signal over that telephone line to DFT Security’s Central Station Monitoring Center.
• This signal will then be received and displayed via computer to one of DFT Security’s Central Station Operators, who will follow a procedure specific to the type of alarm signal received.
• What happens next may include the Operator calling your home or business to determine if the alarm was accidentally activated, or to determine the type of assistance that you need. Calling to confirm helps DFT Security prevent unnecessary trips by the authorities and avoid false alarm fines or penalties to you from your local agencies.
• Depending on the signal DFT Security's Central Station Operators may also notify the proper authorities and the individuals on your emergency contact list so that they can respond to the emergency or get in touch with you.
• DFT Security's UL Listed Central Station Monitoring Center is local, owned, operated and staffed by DFT personnel.

How Signals Are (Typically*) Handled By DFT Security’s Central Station

Burglary Signal

This type of signal is always verified. An operator will first telephone the premises. If there is no answer after three rings, the authorities will be dispatched and emergency contacts / key holders will be notified. If the line is busy, authorities will be dispatched. Customers who are at the site and know that the alarm is “false” should try to answer the phone promptly and give the operator their Password.

Fire Alarm

This type of signal is typically verified. An operator will first telephone the premises. If there is no answer after three rings, the authorities will be dispatched and emergency contacts / key holders will be notified. If the line is busy, authorities will be dispatched. Customers who are at the site and know that the alarm is “false” should try to answer the phone promptly and give the operator their Password.

Commercial Fire / Fire Sprinkler

There is no verification for this type of signal. The fire department is dispatched first, then a telephone call to the premises is made to alert the customer that the fire department is on its way. If there is no answer, emergency contacts / key holders are called to meet the fire department. If a false alarm has been sounded, please call the central station quickly. Although the fire department's visit cannot be cancelled, it is important that it be informed.

Residential Panic / Duress Signal

There is no verification for these signals. Authorities are sent immediately. If a false alarm has been sounded, call the central station immediately. It cannot be cancelled if the police have been notified.

Commercial Ambush / Holdup Signal

There is no verification for these signals. Authorities are sent immediately. If a false alarm has been sounded, call the central station immediately. It cannot be cancelled if the police have been notified.

Emergency Alert Signal

An operator will telephone the premises first to verify, and follow your special instructions as necessary.

Environmental / Supervisory Signal

This type of signal indicates problems associated with building temperature, gas, flood, sump pump, low battery, power failures or in Commercial fire alarm systems low water pressure or . An operator will telephone the premises first. If there is no answer, the operator will call emergency contacts / key holders.

Late-To-Test Signal

This is an internal signal generated by DFT Security’s Central Station computers when your alarm system misses or fails to communicate its assigned “Check-In” signal. This type of signal may indicate a problem associated with your alarm panel or telephone connection. An operator will first telephone the premises to have you test your system and attempt to determine the problem. If there is no answer the operator will call emergency contacts / key holders and DFT Service & Repair will be notified.

* DFT Security can customize the procedures for every signal sent from your premises to match your exact requirements. Please contact your DFT Customer Service Representative for more information on customization of dispatch procedures.