Upon receiving an alarm, review the alarm details:
- Customer ID and name
- Dealer Information (when applicable)
- Alarm Information
- Event Description
- Priority
- Event date/time
- Zone/Point and Description
- Account Status and Additional alarms
- Alarm Activity - The most recent activity will show in the activity log below the alarm details.
- Any other key information regarding the alarm.
Begin processing the alarm by pressing "D for Do."
Telephone Contact Actions:
Contacting a customer, person, agency, dealer, authority, or branch, the process is the same:
- Press D to launch the action. (It is possible to double-click the action pattern line.) The focus goes to the left-hand side of the form where the navigator switches to the Communication Center view for the phone dialer. Depending on the phone dialing system, the auto-dialer will automatically begin dialing or you will click Dial. If an auto-dialer is not connected, then manually dial the call.
- Upon call connection, select the appropriate Call Response.
- Click Continue.
- Complete the Contact details based on the type of contact.
- Click Done.
Place an Alarm On Hold:
If the disposition of an alarm is not yet known and the action pattern does not contain a Suspend action, it is possible to manually place an alarm On Hold for a period of time.
- Press H, then S on the keyboard to launch the Suspend Alarm dialog.
- Choose if this is for a specified period of time or until a specific time (**If the alarm is to be suspended to a specified time, new alarms of the same type and zone DO NOT release it from suspension.)
- Set the interval amount and period.
- Set the new alarm priority for where the alarm should reside in the Alarm Queue. (Note: this prevents older alarms from overtaking new alarms when the suspension expires. We recommend lowering the priority of any alarm that has already been dispatched and is simply awaiting a disposition. Many sites double the initial priority, changing 1 to 11, 2 to 22, etc.)
- Click Suspend.
Place an Alarm On Test:
If the alarm or the system must be taken out of service, this can be accomplished from the alarm form as well.
- Press O then O on the keyboard to launch the On Test form.
- The password of the responsible party requesting the On Test will need to be validated (whether it's the Operator, Customer, Technician, or Dealer).
- Click Add.
- Coming from an alarm, it is possible to pre-fill the alarm-specific details - ONLY select YES when this is the ONLY event being placed on test.
- Enter the reason for the On Test.
- Complete the entry for the On Test:
- From and To times.
- Whole System or Components.
- Click Done.
- Navigate back to the alarm.
Add a Comment to an Active alarm
To add a note to the current alarm:
- Press A then M on the keyboard.
- Type in the details of the comment.
- Click Add.
Add a Temporary Comment to a Customer Record from an alarm.
If it is necessary to add a Temporary Comment to a customer record from the alarm:
- Press A then T on the keyboard (alternatively the Plus sign to the right of the comment card on the right-hand side of the form is a quick way).
- Type in the description of the comment - be as specific as possible.
- Show on Open automatically selects for Alarm as does Operator Must See, which prevents the Virtual Operator from automatically handling the alarm if there are automatic actions.
- The valid from and to sets to 24 hours from the current date/time.
- Select Auto Purge if it should automatically clear after it expires.
- Set the lower date/time if there should be a follow-up reminder.
- Enter the details of the Temporary comment - be clear and concise with the information.
- Click Done.