Amthal’s Alarm Receiving Centre, East Midlands Central Station (EMCS), is ECHO-connected, further strengthening its proactive capabilities in alarm monitoring and response.
The ECHO (Electronic Call Handling Operations Ltd) initiative was set up by the National Police Chiefs’ Council to meet the needs of policing and alarm industry response to security systems.
It’s a fully automated electronic alarm transmission service between alarm receiving centres (ARCs) and the police. When ARCs identify and verify an alarm from a monitored installation the alarm signal can be transferred to the police control room in an instant.
The scheme supports about 200,000 intruder and hold-up alarm systems on police response with Unique Reference Numbers (URNs). And with the number of UK Police Forces involved increasing, Amthal’s Alarm Receiving Centre, EMCS, is already connected as a member for the benefit of customers.
Says Matt Johnson: “At Amthal, we maintain constant communication with our alarm monitoring centre. Embracing ECHO is a significant step forward in ensuring maximum response capabilities and a coordinated, fast emergency response when it matters most.”
As technology progresses, ECHO envisages live streaming video images from premises with activated alarms to the responder through secure networks, again improving outcomes for all concerned.
And there is also a potential opportunity to apply ECHO technology to enhance fire alarm transmission and reduce false alarms in areas with critical infrastructures such as care homes and hospitals, increase security for people and property, and improve the cost-effectiveness of deployment by emergency services.
Matt concludes: “This can only be a positive for the industry as we look to provide a common platform that is open to all, addresses the current demands and deliver more efficient, integrated services between security, fire safety, our monitoring centre and the emergency services.”