Security. Entertainment. Convenience.

Q: What happens when my alarm goes off?

A: Your alarm will send a signal to our central station monitoring service. The operators there will then dispatch the emergency service needed (police, fire, medical) AFTER they call the premise to verify the alarm. Once emergency services have been dispatched, they will call a list of contacts that you have provided.

Q: Is the Central Station part of PROTEC?

A: Yes. Criticom is our central station monitoring department. They handle all issues relating to response to signals sent by your alarm. The will also be who you receive calls from notifying you that your alarm has triggered for whatever reason. Criticom operates out of a separate UL approved building. They can be reached at 1-800-631-2299.

Q: When should I call the Central Station? When should I call PROTEC?

A: Most of your needs can be handled by PROTEC. Changes to your notification list, password changes, or requests for service should be called into PROTEC at (805) 474-0182. If you need to place your system on test, wish to find out if signals from a test were received, you may call either the Central Station or PROTEC as you prefer.

Q: Will the Central Station call contacts not on my contact list?

A: No. The Central Station will not call any numbers that you did not specifically include on your notification list.

Q: The Central Station keeps calling me. Can I stop this?

A: Yes. If you wish to stop being called about a signal, simply tell the Central Station operator that you wish to place that signal or zone on test. Please be aware, however, that should this zone or signal be received again and it is a legitimate fire, burglary, or other emergency condition, the appropriate services will NOT be dispatched.

Q: I received a phone call saying that I have a low battery. What does that mean?

A: This means that the backup battery on your system has a low charge. This can mean several things, including that there is no AC (main) power to the panel, or that the battery is dying. A standard battery will last between 4-7 hours in a power failure, and has an overall life of about 5 years. You should also change the batteries in your wireless devices about once a year.

Q: I hear beeping coming from a smoke detector. Why can’t I silence it at my keypad?

A: If the beeping is coming directly from the smoke detector itself, then it is not part of your PROTEC system. Most smoke detectors installed by PROTEC have no internal sounders built in, and rely on the keypads/sirens to create an audible alert. If your keypad does not show a fire alarm/fire trouble of some sort, then the detector is not part of our system and you will need to call a licensed electrician to handle it.

Q: Is my fire protection still active even if I don’t turn my security on?

A: Yes. Fire zones are 24-hour zones, meaning that they are armed and working even if you haven’t armed your system at the keypad.

Will DSL or VoIP phone service affect my alarm?

A: Yes. In the case of DSL, a special filter needs to be installed on your alarm panel. VoIP, however, is currently an unreliable medium for alarm communication. A standard telephone line will need to be kept for the alarm. Please note that ANY changes to your phone lines or phone numbers should be reported to PROTEC so we can be sure that your system is communicating properly. As an alternative to using a digital phone line dialer, we have Internet dialers available for your system.

Q: Does my monitoring fee cover calls or parts on my alarm system?

A: No. Your yearly central station monitoring fee covers only the service of having your alarm report signals for emergency service dispatch. The cost of any parts, including the backup battery, and service call fees are NOT covered under this price. However, service and maintenance contracts are available.

Q: What do I need to do to change information regarding my alarm?

A: Call PROTEC at (805) 474-0182, and have your name, account number, and central station password ready. You may also fax your change request to us at (805) 474-0182. Be sure to include your name, account number, and central station password, as well as your signature.