Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!accuvax.nwu.edu!nucsrl!telecom-request From: Nigel Allen Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom Subject: Burglar Alarm Problems Message-ID: <12479@accuvax.nwu.edu> Date: 23 Sep 90 06:45:21 GMT Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu Reply-To: ndallen@contact.uucp (Nigel Allen) Organization: Contact Public Unix BBS. Toronto, Canada. Lines: 21 Approved: Telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 670, Message 6 of 9 Walter Kemmerer describes receiving strange calls at five-minute intervals that turned out to originate from a fried alarm system. It is probably a bad idea to rely upon an alarm system that calls 911 itself. In Toronto, the police will not respond to computer-generated emergency calls because if the large number of false alarms. If you want a burglar alarm system, you should probably consider having one installed by a reputable contractor and monitored by a reputable security company. When an alarm comes in, the security company calls 911. Security is more than just alarms, of course. Your local police department can offer advice on making your house less attractive to burglars (good locks everywhere, lights above all entrance-ways, Neighborhood Watch programs, etc.). If you run a BBS and ask new users to request validation in writing or to send you a financial contribution, consider using a post office box so that your address is not widely known.