Category: EMC Security News

When your home alarm goes off, it can be a frightening and sometimes confusing experience.

Your first instinct might be to immediately disable the alarm siren. But, if you do this, how do you know you didn’t just disable an alarm for a burglar that might have just broken in? The fact is, most of us are not sure what we’d do in this case. The key is to be prepared.

Below are 5 things you should do if your home security alarm goes off:

1. Stay Calm

It is natural for us to panic in emergency situations. As a result, we tend to react rather than think. However, when your home alarm goes off, you should take a moment to calm your senses before doing something rash. It’s easier to think about your options when you’re calm.

A home security system is designed with an extremely loud alarm siren to scare off an intruder. And depending on your system and neighborhood, it could also alert a neighbor. Keeping this in mind could help your anxiety level.

2. Verify It’s Not a False Alarm

The next thing to do is to verify whether the alarm is false. Read any notifications or messages appearing on the keypad display (if it’s nearby) and then investigate, however don’t put yourself in danger to do so. If you suspect that there is an actual threat in the house, find a safe place to wait for the authorities.

3. Keep Your Phone Nearby

This is a must, for a couple of reasons. First, your home security company is instantly notified when the alarm is triggered and will immediately be contacting you to assess the situation. They will also notify the authorities.

Second, you can call someone outside of your home in order to get help. Contact a friend or relative as soon as you get the chance and let them know what’s going on.

4. Know Your Password

When your home security company calls your home, they will ask for your password. If you know it’s a false alarm and don’t want to notify the police, you must have your password.

If you don’t know your password, the authorities will be dispatched. This is because the security company has no way of knowing that you are who you say you are, or if you might be speaking under duress.

5. Have a Plan

An effective plan can help you remain calm and could potentially save lives. The best plan is to designate a safe area to wait for authorities to clear your home of danger. The safe area (or room) should ideally be as far away as possible from any potential break-in areas (such as windows and doors). It’s also a good idea to have a dead bolt installed on the door.

Although security systems can help make your home and family more secure and safe, you will still need to practice vigilance and awareness in case of an emergency. Never put yourself or your family members in danger. The best option is to let your security system do what it is designed to do – and that’s to help you.

Don’t have a home security system? Contact EMC Security to protect your home and family today.

Whether on the Phone or on Website Chat, You’ll Speak to a Live Person

Phone Technicians Available

Going Great Lengths

EMC Security has customer service that goes the extra mile. Our sales representatives and technicians pay attention to the details and listen to what the customer wants. Our technicians are subject to a background check and drug tests and are fully trained on our technology and elevating the customer experience.

While in your home, the technician will always be mindful of your home (wearing shoe pads) and will clean up after themselves. Before leaving your home, you will learn how to use your system and your mobile app if applicable. Read customer reviews on Google and Facebook to see what real customers have to say. If you are a current customer, we would greatly appreciate you leaving your honest feedback.

Alarm Monitoring

EMC Security’s monitoring cost of $16.95 per month and has not changed since 1999. We believe everyone should be able to afford to be safe at home, so we keep costs low. Most notably though is our Secure Path Technology. No matter what extra features a home security system offers, the bottom line is whether someone is monitoring your home 24/7 and can get help to you fast when you need it most.

EMC Security pioneered Secure Path™ , a monitoring architecture that sends a signal simultaneously to two, separately staffed, UL listed, CSAA Five-Diamond Certified command centers, which means a highly trained operator will always be available to answer the call. With an average response time of 14 seconds, homeowners have the added peace of mind that comes with rapid response.

Most security providers utilize a single command center that requires rerouting in the event the first center is busy or otherwise disabled, wasting time and creating unnecessary risk.

Additionally, security technology is built with an “alarm signal delay” of at least 45 seconds. EMC Security overrides this delay so the signal is transferred to our monitoring centers immediately. A lot can happen in 45 seconds and we don’t want to take that chance when lives are at stake.

Ownership

Finally, what separates EMC Security from the rest is our ownership and values. Because we are owned by three of the largest non-profit power companies in Georgia, we are able to keep costs down and focus on service.

Like our parent companies, we put customer satisfaction above everything else because we know that happy customers are key to maintaining a successful business. By endorsing highly ethical business practices, both within our organization and across our customer and potential customer base, we send our message as a standard, not as a fallback.

This is very important when the lives of our customers are at stake.

We employ 6-8 service technicians that work with customers on the phone each and every day. These technicians help the customer test their system and/or troubleshoot any minor issues over the phone. Many issues can be easily solved by remotely logging into the system from our end, lessening the need for an in-home service call.

Emergencies don’t always stay in the usual workday of 8AM-6PM. We have after-hours and on-call technicians ready to help at a moment’s notice.

At EMC Security, the only recording you will hear is the department call-tree. We have the phone system in place to make it easier to talk directly to who you need to.

We understand that phone calls are not always convenient, so our website, emcsecurity.com , has answers to common system issues, payment questions, and purchasing a security system.

When it comes to safety and security, we want the best. To get the best, you need to know what to look for when looking for a security system to protect what you value most.

What separates the best from the rest is customer service. Have you noticed that the customer service bar is pretty low lately? We’ve been trained as a society to expect bad service – so we are pleasantly surprised when we receive decent or good service. EMC Security gives the highest level of service as a norm. We work hard to EARN your business every day.

Many homeowners keep their same security systems for decades and tend to think as long as it functions, there’s no need for a new one. In some ways, you could argue that they have a point, right? As the old adage goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But if there’s anything that life has taught us all it is that change is inevitable, which is why it’s important to consider essential options to raise the efficiency of your home security system by upgrading.

One of the biggest threats for any homeowner with an older security system is that most of them still rely on a landline in order for them to work properly. Savvy burglars can easily disable the entire unit by severing the line, thereby leaving your entire house unprotected.

Upgrading to a modern home security system would bring your home security up-to-date and make it independent from the landline by using wireless monitoring via cell towers instead.

In addition to making your home safer, newer security systems provide unparalleled convenience compared to their predecessors.

For example, upgrading an older alarm panel board will allow you remote access to your home security system via smartphone.

Even small things like keypads can be upgraded to a whole new level. Say goodbye to those plain rubbery buttons and exchange them with new features like fully colored touch screens, date, time, and even weather forecast.

Cameras are also a popular addition to a security system. Add a video doorbell or few cameras around the house and never wonder what’s happening again.

Security System Upgrade with EMC Security

Ready to take the plunge into the latest advances in home security? Contact EMC Security to schedule a visit from one of our technicians or shop our line of smart home security devices by visiting us online.

What’s the big deal about a security contract?

Think about this scenario:

You hired a company to provide you service on a monthly basis. You have technology in your home that needs to work, and you are placing your trust in fellow human beings to do what they are paid to do in an emergency situation.

What if you get bad service? What if your system fails and you weren’t notified? What if the company is unresponsive, or slow to help you when you need it?

Unlike other monthly home services like trash service, or pest control, home security service could be extremely costly if something goes wrong (and I’m not just talking about monetary costs). It is really important to understand WHO you hire to provide monitoring service – especially if they lock you into a contract.

The fact is, you can’t purchase most professionally installed security systems on the market without agreeing to at least a 36-month contract. This practice has been the standard for years so the providers can offer low up-front installation and equipment fees. The problem with this is once the equipment costs would be paid off, the high monthly fee (absorbing the equipment costs) does not reduce.

Since our inception in 1998, EMC Security has offered no-contract monitoring service. You pay for your equipment upfront with monitoring and communication charges paid on a month to month basis, with the option to cancel any time.

EMC Security puts customer satisfaction above everything else because we know that happy customers are key to maintaining a successful business. By endorsing highly ethical business practices, both within our organization and across our customer and potential customer base, we send our message as a standard, not as a fallback.

This is very important when the lives of our customers are at stake.