Don’t be left in the dark: Understand load shedding’s impact on your alarm
We don’t doubt that whether you’re a Blue Security client or not, load shedding has taken a toll on your security system, amongst other things. At Blue we believe that knowledge is power – we’ve heard your questions and we’re armed with the information you need to understand the impact of load shedding on both your security system and your security provider.
Three things that happen to your alarm system when load shedding kicks in:
1.When your alarm system switches off during scheduled load shedding, certain alarm systems send an “A/C Fail” signal to our control centre, to indicate that the system has lost power. Usually a safety precaution to alert a client that their system isn’t powered, it causes havoc during loadshedding.
2. Depending on how long your alarm has been without power, your back-up battery will start sending “low battery” signals. Thereafter, when the battery drains, your alarm system will shut down.
3. Many alarm systems malfunction when the power turns off and on again and causes a power surge, triggering what is called a “false alarm”, which once again sends the control centre an influx of signals.
Three things you should know about the batteries that power your alarm system:
1. The average life span of a battery is between 2 to 4 years, however, with consistent power outages and power surges, your battery’s performance is impacted and its lifespan is lowered. Watch out for the trouble indicators on your alarm system that warn you of a low battery and replace your batteries when needed.
2. Outdoor security devices draw up to three times more power than indoor devices. In order to even out the power distribution it is recommended that an additional power supply be installed. This additional power supply should also have its own back-up battery, to ensure your alarm can withstand being powered up for longer periods of power outage.
3. Another alternative is to invest in an inverter. Intervers, although costly, will power your alarm system for days and can be connected to your gate, garage, alarm system and even some lights.
Two ways in which load shedding affects your security provider:
1. Control centre staff are flooded with thousands of “A/C Fail”, “low battery”, and “false alarm” signals.
2. As many residents have experienced, Telkom lines go down and cellphone networks are severely affected especially during Stage 4. This means communications are impacted and causes delays in calls being attended to.
What Blue does to combat the effects of load shedding:
Our control room is run on diesel generators and inverters, with extremely reliable back-up power. We bring in additional staff and all work tirelessly to action each and every signal, prioritised as such:
1. Panic Signals are first – when in an emergency always use your Blue Panic Button.
2. Alarm activations are second – these are often false alarms and our response officers are pulled from pillar to post. We ask once again, that you please use your Blue Panic App, to cancel all confirmed false alarms.
3. All other signals, such as ‘low battery” signals follow.
On the road, we deploy additional vehicles as our response team flies from activation to activation, treating each and every call as an emergency.
Also on the road is our specialist Tactical teams – whose sole role is to proactively fight crime in our communities, keep a watchful eye over the neighbourhoods, gathering crime intelligence and using it to tackle organised crime. This proactive approach is important as criminals become increasingly cunning, adapting to new situations and developing new techniques using the impact of load shedding to mask their schemes. Recent reports of criminals taking advantage of load shedding to target homes urges residents to be cautious of burglars who are tripping the electrics before a scheduled outage and cutting the electric fence as a means to gain access to a property.
The extensive damage to sensitive electronics, security systems, the increased risk of fires, and the escalation of crime, all of which lead to insurance claims also urges all residents to review their policies to ensure that they are fully covered. Stay informed on the risks of load shedding with our load shedding survival guide and ensure your alarm system stays powered by taking advantage of our battery specials.
Stay informed and stay safe Durban. If you need any assistance regarding testing your home alarm system, battery replacements or advice on how to access our mobile app contact us on 031 717 5000.