Why You Shouldn't Remove Your Telegraph Fire Alarm System

Recently there has been a trend of people ripping their telegraph fire alarm monitoring systems out of their municipalities, campuses, bases, etc.

If you are a like-minded individual, you should think twice before tearing your telegraph alarm monitoring system out and installing a central station or another solution.

Keep in mind that once you remove your telegraph fire alarm monitoring system, nobody will put it back in for you.

Let's take a look at 5 out of many other reasons why you should keep your telegraph fire alarm monitoring system in, even if you choose to adopt a central station or other solutions.

Central Stations Aren't as Reliable

A central station for fire alarm monitoring is a facility with operators receiving fire alarm signals from more than one municipality. A mid-size central station monitors between 10-20 municipalities, campuses, bases, etc.

The personnel at the central station interpret your alarms, verify it, and then dispatch emergency services to the appropriate location if needed.

In recent years, this has become some people's go to solution for reasons such as guaranteed NFPA compliance. However, there are many downfalls to a central station such as:

1. Personnel changes being out of your control making responsiveness unreliable.
2. Periods of light employment leading to missed alarms or delayed dispatch.
3. Heavy alarm traffic periods leading to missed alarms or delayed dispatch.
4. 90-120 second dispatch delay when compared with telegraph fire alarm monitoring.
5. Recurring costs that drain your budget in the long run compared to a telegraph fire alarm monitoring system's upfront 1 time installation costs.

On the other hand, telegraph fire alarm systems are constantly reliable for the following reasons:

1. You have control over the personnel you hire and train.
2. You aren't as affected by periods of light employment because you're not monitoring 20 other municipalities.
3. Heavy traffic isn't an issue because you only monitor your locality
4. You are capable of instantly dispatching emergency services with a 90-120 second lead on central stations
5. Your installations are upfront with 0 hidden fees.

As far as NFPA compliance goes, you want to look for a manufacturer that is UL/ETL listed and guarantees you compliance with the NFPA regulation codes as well as any other compliance requirements in your area.

The good news is that you can have great redundancy with both a central station and a telegraph fire alarm monitoring system installed!

If you have questions about how to set up a proprietary fire alarm monitoring system that also reports northbound to a central stations, contact me today and I would be glad to help you out!

When You Keep Your Telegraph System You Keep All The Perks

It's not a rare occurrence in the fire alarm monitoring industry to have an expert wise old employee that is nearing retirement and has his set of fire alarm monitoring technology that he trusts.

Oftentimes, he may not want to let go of his "old" technology because of sentimental value and that is something for you to keep an eye on.

However, once you have considered whether he's operating on sentiment alone or not, it's time to consider the things you lose when you tear out your telegraph fire alarm monitoring system.

If you are a fire alarm solutions distributor, there are three crucial factors to consider:

1. The Fastest Possible Alarm Notifications:
   

   "I was halfway to the fire by the time I got the call from the central station"

   
   

   Good proprietary fire alarm monitoring is inherently faster than any third-party method, which can sometimes take several minutes.

2. High Security:
   

   "We have security mandates and must minimize our exposure"

   
   

   Large organizations have more interest (and ability to invest) in security. Anything that reduces outside exposure is a big win.

3. Dedicated Communication Channels:
   

   "IP and Cellular Networks are great for many things, but what happens if they go offline?"

   
   

   Mesh radio, dedicated serial circuits, and telegraph lines were installed long ago and are free to use. They're unaffected by LAN failures and can make code compliance much easier.

When you choose a good proprietary fire alarm monitoring system manufacturer that can help you interface with your older equipment, you can keep all the perks of telegraph monitoring.

Telegraph monitoring gives you guarantees that modern technology can't, like being immune to a cyber attack for example.

If you are an end-user, there are three crucial factors to consider:

1. Unaffected by Power Outages:
   

   "When the power goes out, we lose all our other communication technology!"

   
   

   In earthquake-prone areas like California, this is a significant advantage.

2. Budget-Friendly:
   

   "We need to be mindful of our budget and can't afford recurring costs."

   
   

   Telegraph monitoring only requires a one-time installation cost, making it the most budget-friendly option in the long run.

3. No Need for Constant Updates:
   

   "Our system works just fine, why fix something that isn't broken?"

   
   

   With telegraph monitoring, your system will continue to work reliably without the need for constant updates or expensive upgrades.

It's understandable why you'd want to throw away a system that makes you or your colleagues scratch their heads and go "Wait, telegraph? Like the clicking thing used in World War 1?".

However, whether you are a fire alarm solutions distributor or an end-user, keeping your telegraph fire alarm monitoring system has numerous benefits.

Digitize Saves Money And Interfaces With Legacy Telegraph Panels

Digitize has been manufacturing in-house fire alarm monitoring systems for over 40 years. We offer a one-stop shop for you as a distributor to enhance your lineup and attract more sales leads.

Even though we mainly deal with distributors, we are happy to discuss business with end-users directly.

Digitize has done many installations in the following settings:

• Ivy League Campuses
• Major US Cities
• Military Bases
• Government Buildings
• Major Transportation Departments

Digitize knows from experience that each installation has its unique requirements. We are ready to provide you with personalized support that addresses all of your problems and needs.

Digitize also offers a 25% distributor discount so that you can immediately create a profit margin and start getting a return on your investment!

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Even if we can't reach a solution together, I will do my best to help point you in the right direction.

Call me at 973-663-1011 or via email at info@digitize-inc.com