Have you ever been at work when your alarm goes off, only to find out it was triggered by your pet or a gust of wind? Frustrating, isn’t it? False alarms not only waste your time, but they can also delay emergency response to actual threats. Imagine emergency responders arriving at your home for a false alarm while another household with a real emergency waits longer for help. Wouldn’t it be better if your security system could confirm real threats before alerting authorities?
That’s where video verification comes in. In this article, we’ll explain how this innovative security feature is changing the game. You’ll learn what video verification is, how it works, and the key benefits it offers to homeowners and businesses. By the end, you’ll understand why video verification is the future of alarm systems and how it can provide you with the peace of mind you deserve.
What is Video Verification?
Video verification is an advanced security feature that allows monitoring centers to visually confirm an event before contacting emergency responders. When an alarm is triggered, the monitoring center, with the customer’s permission, accesses video footage from security cameras installed on the property. This helps the operators determine whether an actual emergency is occurring, such as a break-in, fire, or medical situation.
At Frase Protection, you have full control over which cameras provide video for verification. Monitoring operators can view footage captured in the 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after the alarm. Rest assured, your privacy is respected, as operators only have temporary access to footage directly related to the alarm.
Top Benefits of Video Verification: Higher Priority Response and Fewer False Alarms
Video verification brings a range of powerful advantages to both homeowners and businesses. Let’s explore how it can enhance your security system:
Prioritized Emergency Response:
Video verification ensures that first responders focus on real, verified emergencies rather than responding to false alarms, which account for an estimated 90% of alarm calls in Memphis.
Reduced False Alarms:
False alarms are not just frustrating—they’re costly. In Memphis, repeated false alarms can lead to fines ranging from $90 – $250. By visually confirming alarms, monitoring centers can reduce false dispatches, saving you time, money, and the hassle of unnecessary emergency responses.
Enhanced Overall Security:
Real-time footage provides authorities with critical details that traditional alarms cannot. Instead of relying solely on motion sensors or door contacts, video verification allows first responders to receive precise information about the number of intruders, their locations, and their behavior. This leads to more effective and targeted responses.
Video Verification vs. Traditional Alarm Systems: Which Provides Better Security?
Traditional alarm systems rely solely on sensor data—motion detectors, door contacts, and sound alarms—to signal a potential emergency. While effective to a degree, these systems have significant limitations. They can’t distinguish between a real threat and a false alarm. As a result, emergency responders may be dispatched based on incomplete or misleading information, wasting valuable time and resources.
Video verification, on the other hand, dramatically improves security by providing real-time visual confirmation. When an alarm is triggered, operators access live footage from your security cameras to assess the situation. Authorities are only dispatched for verified threats, reducing false alarms and ensuring that emergency resources are directed where they are truly needed.
Unlike traditional systems, where operators must make decisions based on limited data, video verification provides a clear picture of the event. Operators can relay crucial details—such as the number of intruders, their behavior, and the exact location of the incident—allowing for a more targeted and efficient response.
How Video Verification Helps Cut Response Times in Emergencies
- Faster Help for Real Emergencies: With video verification, monitoring centers provide verified information, allowing authorities to respond faster and prioritize real threats over false alarms.
- Critical Details Delivered: Verified footage delivers essential details—such as the exact location of intruders or a fire—enabling first responders to handle the situation with greater precision.
- Efficient Use of Public Resources: By prioritizing verified emergencies, video verification helps ensure that public safety resources, such as police and fire services, are used more efficiently. This not only protects your property but also improves safety across the community by minimizing the impact of false alarms.
Is Video Verification the Right Security Solution for You? Key Considerations
Video verification isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, but for many property owners, it offers valuable peace of mind. Homeowners in high-risk areas or those with specific security concerns will appreciate the accuracy video verification brings to emergency responses. Business owners can benefit from fewer false alarms, the potential to deter theft, and even reduced insurance premiums due to the system’s reliability.
Frase Protection tailors video verification systems to meet your unique needs. Whether you want to protect your home or your business, our team will work with you to create a custom solution for your property.
Inside a Verified Alarm Event: Step-by-Step Breakdown of Video Verification in Action
When an alarm is triggered, the video verification process starts immediately. Here’s how it works:
- Alarm Activation: A sensor, such as a door contact or motion detector, triggers your alarm, notifying the monitoring center.
- Secure Video Access: The monitoring center operator receives a temporary, secure link to access the video feeds associated with the alarm. This access is limited to footage recorded 15 minutes before and after the alarm, as well as live footage for up to 15 minutes following the event.
- Visual Confirmation: The operator reviews the footage to confirm whether an emergency, such as a break-in, fire, or medical situation, is occurring.
- Emergency Dispatch: If an emergency is confirmed, the monitoring center contacts local authorities, providing crucial details—such as the number of intruders or the specific location of the incident.
This streamlined process ensures that emergency responders focus on real threats while respecting your privacy. By verifying alarms visually, the system reduces false alarms and helps ensure a faster, more effective response when it matters most.
Why Choose Frase Protection for Custom Video Verification Solutions
At Frase Protection, we’ve been helping homeowners and businesses in the Memphis area enhance their security for over 40 years. Our team of security experts is ready to design a custom video verification system tailored to your property’s needs. By combining state-of-the-art video technology with expert monitoring, we provide a more accurate and efficient way of assessing alarms.
Whether you’re looking to reduce false alarms, improve emergency response times, or add an extra layer of protection, we have the solutions you need. Video verification is the future of security systems—ready to make your property safer? Contact Frase Protection today to discuss how we can help protect what matters most.
Frequently Asked Questions about Video Verification
The answers below pertain specifically to Frase Protection’s Video Verification service. Other security companies may follow different rules and approaches to video verification.
Can video verification guarantee faster police response times?
While video verification often results in higher-priority responses, we cannot guarantee faster police response times as they depend on local law enforcement.
How long can operators access my video footage?
Operators can access video footage 15 minutes before and after an alarm eventand live footage for up to 15 minutes following the alarm. They can view the images/clips for up to 24 hours from the time of the alarm event.
Does video verification invade my privacy?
No, your privacy is fully protected with video verification. You maintain complete control over which cameras the monitoring center can access, and you can adjust these settings anytime through your app.
Here’s how the process works:
- Temporary Access for Verified Alarms: When a burglary alarm is triggered, our monitoring center operators receive a secure link to view footage. This access is limited to video clips recorded 15 minutes before and after the alarm event, as well as live footage for up to 15 minutes after the alarm.
- Limited Viewing Window: Operators must review this footage within 24 hours of the alarm event. After this time, the temporary link expires, and they can no longer access the footage.
- No Access Without an Alarm: If no alarm is triggered, operators will not have any access to your cameras or video clips.
This ensures that video verification only activates during an alarm event and never intrudes on your privacy during normal circumstances.
Can the operator record a clip on demand?
No, operators will not have the ability to record a clip on-demand. However, when an operator views live footage during an alarm event, the system automatically records and saves the clip to your account. These clips are marked as “Viewed by the Monitoring Station” so you can easily find and review them later.
Can recorded clips or images be downloaded and exported by the monitoring station?
Download and distribution of recorded video clips and images are managed by the customer through the Alarm.com customer website or customer app. Audited images/clips are retained for three years from the alarm event.
