Monitored Smoke Alarm

Who will hear the smoke alarm when you are away?
A monitored system will.

You're ready to leave on vacation and you've thought of everything. The car has been serviced, the newspaper stopped, and the mail held at the post office. All that's left is to activate the security system and you're on your way. That's everything. Well, almost everything.

Your house may now be secure from break-ins, but what about fire, the potential danger within? You may already have battery operated or 110VAC powered smoke detectors, but who would hear them of you're gone? If they are not connected to your security system and are not monitored, who would call the fire department before your possessions or pets are destroyed?a

Fire can strike anyone, anywhere, anytime. It won't be frightened by an alarm, like a burglar would. The burglar won't steal your family photo albums, but a fire will. Jewelry can be replaced, but baby pictures can't. Even though you have a monitored security system, without monitored smoke detectors, your home will never be secure against one of the most dangerous intruders.

Now, System Sensor, a leading manufacturer of commercially-proven smoke detectors, has developed a series of smoke detectors that can be monitored and integrated easily into most new or existing security systems. The same system that guards your home's security will guard your home against fire. Now, turn your security system into one that monitors against real intruders, those that can be frightened away, and one that can't - fire.

Monitored smoke detectors protect you even when you're not on vacation:

  • while you're at work or at school
  • while you're out for the evening
  • when teenagers are at home by themselves
  • in homes where there are elderly, disabled, or hearing impaired
  • if you are overcome by fumes from a smoldering fire
  • if you are unable to reach the phone for any reason
  • 24 hours a day, whether your system is armed or disarmed, whether you're home or away

How a monitored smoke detector works with your security system:

System Sensor smoke detectors are a logical extension to your home security system. Whether they are installed with a new system or added to an existing one, the smoke detectors can be connected directly to the security control panel monitored by your security service.

When smoke is sensed at any one of the protected locations in your home, the detector will send a message to your control panel which will then cause all the evacuation horns to sound. The panel will then relay the emergency signal to your monitoring service where the message is received and a response made. The local fire department is then notified, so that help is on the way, whether you are home or away.

"But I already have a smoke detector."

You may already have a battery-operated or hard wired 120VAC smoke detector in your home, but how to they compare to a monitored system?

Battery-operated- Battery-operated detectors have two major problems. First, they are rarely connected to other detectors, remote warning devices, or a central monitoring station. If they are located outside a bedroom, they may not be heard by a sound sleeper, especially if the bedroom door is closed or just partially open. If detectors are located on a different level of a residence than the bedroom level, then the likelihood they will wake up sleepers diminishes further. A second problem with battery operated detectors is their batteries- if they are not periodically replaced, detectors will not work! Too many fire deaths occur in homes where detectors fail to function because their batteries are dead, disconnected or removed.

AC Powered Detectors- Many AC powered detectors are not connected to other detectors or remote warning devices. Even those that are only connected to other devices can provide a local warning of fire. If no one is home, a fire can develop without anyone taking action to protect valuable property.

Monitored Detectors, especially when located on all levels of a residence and in all bedrooms, provide the best kind of early warning fire protection. If monitored detectors sense a fire developing, they signal an alarm control which activates all evacuation horns throughout a residence and sends a fire alarm signal to a remote central station which can notify the fire department. They provide fire protection when you are home and away. As part of a home security system, monitored detectors provide both an AC primary power supply and a rechargeable back up battery.

Features of System Sensor monitored detectors:

  • State-of-the-art sensing chambers
  • Aesthetically pleasing design
  • Visual alarm, and power indicator
  • Optional maintenance indicator
  • Built-in test switch
  • Backs are sealed against back pressure, air flow, and dirt
  • Fine mesh screen keeps insects out
  • Low-voltage design (12/24VDC) designed for use on most security systems
  • Ionization or Photoelectronic

Smoke detectors do their job using one of two technologies, ionization and photoelectronic. Either technology can detect a fast flaming or slow smoldering fire, but response times can vary. Your security system representative will help you select the one that's best for your home.

Ionization- Ionization detectors respond well to fast-flaming fires, such as paper.

Photoelectronic- Photoelectronic detectors are well suited to detecting slow smoldering fires, which are often generated in households.

For additional protection, photoelectronic detectors are available with an internal heat sensor which triggers an alarm when the temperature at the detector reaches 135 degrees F.

How effective is your alarm system without monitoring?

Can you depend on a neighbor 24-hours-a-day to call the proper agency if your alarm goes off, preventing serious loss or physical injury? Of course not, and the burglars know this, too! Your alarm system can be connected to a Central Station facility whose job it is to respond to signals triggered by your system. The information you provide your dealer includes a list of phone numbers to be contacted in the event of an emergency, i.e., fire, burglary, panic, etc. When the signal is received by your Central Station, a trained operator verifies the signal and immediately notifies the proper authorities as well as any parties you wish contacted.

How is this done?

Your local alarm dealer working in conjunction with a monitoring station, G.M.S in this case, utilizes state-of-the-art computer technology to monitor your system 24 hours-a-day, 365 days a year. This is done through your existing telephone lines to our fully computerized, U.L. certified Monitoring Center. Whenever your alarm is tripped, our computer receives the coded signal. Within seconds, our operators notify whoever you have designated. This may include police, fire departments, friends, relatives.

Some other benefits of monitoring your alarm include:

  • 24-Hour technical support
  • police panic button
  • police silent ambush
  • fire panic button
  • special discounted rates on alarm components and hourly service rates